We have two major projects in the offing: (1) A bi-cultural children s living history program set in the Fort Bliss of 1857. Through food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and entertainment, the children will learn the Army s contribution to the formation of the bi-cultural community that is El Paso. (2) A new building to house all three museums collections and archives, as well as to provide space for professional functions, community relations activities, Army training, living history, and teaching. Exhibits will interpret the histories of Fort Bliss and the Air Defense Artillery service branch of the Army. The 3rd Cavalry Museum s exhibits will remain in the Regimental area. Continued staff development so that individual members can contribute to our profession is a continuing rather than a major project activity, but is sufficiently important to list here.

The U. S. Army Air Defense Artillery Museum (ADA Museum) was opened at the direction of Major General C. J. LeVan on June 14, 1975, the 200th anniversary of the founding of the U. S. Army. It was opened under the administrative control of the Air Defense Artillery School and subsequently transferred to the Plans and Operations Division of the Directorate of Plans, Training, and Mobilization. It was certified by the Department of the Army Center of Military History in 1981 (recertified in 1986 and 1991) and accredited by the American Association of Museums in 1982 (reaccredited in 1992).

The Fort Bliss Replica Museum was opened on November 6, 1955, and was assigned to the Plans and Operations Division of DPT. After the failure of its initial Army certification inspection, it was verbally made the responsibility of the Director of the ADA Museum on January 5, 1985. Following a second inspection, the museum was closed for three years and eventually reopened in 1989. It was certified in October 1990 and accredited in 1992.

The 3rd Cavalry Museum followed the relocation of the Regiment in 1972. It was founded in 1958 and was not staffed with civilian professionals until the fall of 1984 when it, too, was assigned to the Plans and Operations Division of DPT. On verbal orders, it was made the responsibility of the Director of the ADA Museum. It was certified in 1987, recertified in 1991, and accredited in 1992.

The reorganization of these three museums into the Museums Division was initiated in November 1984 by Major General James P. Maloney, Commander, Fort Bliss, Texas. Although the reorganization was not official until May 1, 1985, the effective operation of the division started in January 1985. Curator vacancies existed for nearly one year at the ADA and Fort Bliss Museums due to employees' changing positions and turnover in the staff, which still occurs periodically due to the training and promotion policy of the Division. A fourth museum at Fort Bliss, the U. S. Army Museum of the Noncommissioned Officer, is operated by the U. S. Army Sergeants Major Academy on Biggs Army Airfield.

Militaria related to: Air Defense Artillery, Fort Bliss, & 3rd Armored Cavalry.

Air Defense Artillery Museum: Artifacts related to the history of antiaircraft gunnery since 1917. The adjacent Museum Park displays a selection of antiaircraft weapons and equipment from World War II until the present. U. S. weapons are represented by every major system adopted for use by the Army. Foreign weapons from Italy, Germany, and Japan are present in a variety of types and sizes. Target drones of all major configurations are mounted in the center of the park to illustrate the types of training devices that have been developed for gunnery training.

Fort Bliss Museum: Artifacts relating to the history of Fort Bliss since its founding in 1857.

3rd Cavalry Museum: Artifacts relating to the history of the 3rd Cavalry, beginning in the mid-19th century.

Photos, documents, and books pertinent to the histories of Air Defense Artillery, Fort Bliss, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, and its predecessors, Regiment of Mounted Riflemen & 3rd Cavalry.

The institution does not (yet) have an Education Department per se. It provides military history training to officers, noncommissioned officers, and enlisted soldiers

Occasional publications include: "The Reasons Why" (Policies and Procedures); Spanish and German Exhibits Guides; Fort Bliss Driving Tour brochure; Air Defense Artillery Pocket History ; History, Customs & Traditions of the 3rd Cavalry; City on the Mesa: Fort Bliss