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    New QM Museum gallery to feature rare uniforms

    New QM Museum gallery to feature rare uniforms

    Courtesy Photo | Pat Fisher, exhibits specialist at the U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum, preps a wall in...... read more read more

    FORT LEE, VA, UNITED STATES

    01.29.2015

    Courtesy Story

    Fort Gregg-Adams

    FORT LEE, Va. -- The U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum has a treasure chest of thousands of Army uniforms and clothing items, and it plans to select 20-30 of its rarest for a new Clothing and Textile Gallery here.

    In October, the former gallery was closed and dismantled, and planning and preparation work was begun on a new permanent exhibit set to open in early Summer.

    “The previous clothing gallery had been up over 15 years,” said Paul Morando, museum director. “We now have an opportunity to renovate the exhibit and refresh the storyline. Our long-term plan is to fully renovate every major exhibit here.”

    This objective began in March 2014 when the museum unveiled a new Aerial Delivery and Field Service exhibit.

    “Along with aerial delivery, we want the new gallery to be the model and showcase for the rest of the museum. There will be new types of custom-made, all-glass display cases and new display panels that tell a complete story,” said Morando.

    While the plans are still in development, the museum director wants to include uniforms that have never been displayed at the museum or those not featured for many years.

    Two of these are a Model 1834 General Officer Uniform and one worn by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower.

    Morando said, “The earliest piece is the Model 1834 – one of the finest in the Army system. It’s in very good condition for its age and has not been on display here for quite some time.”

    The Eisenhower uniform is one he wore near the end of his Army career and is very impressive with the five stars, noted Morando.

    “It was donated to the Quartermaster Corps after his death by his wife Mamie. She was so pleased with the arrangements for the funeral by the Quartermasters Corps that she arranged to donate it.”

    The museum houses its full clothing and textile collection in a dark, climate-controlled storage space with several monitors.

    “Many of these uniforms are sensitive to light, humidity and temperature changes,” he noted. “So, we will rotate them after a period of time.

    “Due to the custom design of the new cases, we will be able to rotate uniforms much easier. Also, we will not lose any bit of the story we are trying to convey,” said Morando.

    A key objective is telling a story of the evolution of the uniforms and not just signage listing names and the years. The old gallery did not tell a complete story, he said.

    “We want to tell a story on when and why the Army changed colors and styles over time. Visitors will see some very interesting uniforms – some that have failed. We also have experimental uniforms and most first samples of every uniform in the QM corps.”

    The museum was fortunate to get its hands on these, he said. “They are stamped by department.

    He said many of the uniforms are in good condition. While the former exhibit included hats, boots and other accompaniments, the new gallery will focus on the jackets, he said.

    Morando gives ample credit to Pat Fisher, museum exhibits specialist, for efficiently and quickly moving the renovation of the gallery forward.

    “Pat had to do a lot of heavy lifting, in addition to breaking up and removing the old cases, building another wall, painting and preparing the area for the new cases,” Morando said.

    Fisher, who built the previous cases, believes the new ones will properly show off the uniforms. “These are state-of-the art glass cases – the highest level available in the industry,” said Fisher.

    “The new LED fixtures in the gallery produce a low-level of lighting, and we continually monitor to check the output levels.”

    The museum has Textile Fading Cards and light monitors in all areas. The temperature and humidity also is checked daily.

    “We took special care in removing all the artifacts in the old cases and placing them in our storage area,” he said.

    He explained there is still much work ahead preparing graphics and the display boards. “These will take time once we decide on all the uniforms to be displayed,” said Fisher.

    “The cases will hold more than one uniform, but we need to determine how many can be displayed,” Fisher said.

    The uniforms then will be pressed and put on mannequins.

    “The new gallery will be more intimate and more effective at telling our story. This will give us a great gallery to bring Soldiers in and let them learn more about the uniforms and not have them locked away for no one ever to see,” said Morando.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 01.29.2015
    Date Posted: 01.29.2015 08:56
    Story ID: 153008
    Location: FORT LEE, VA, US

    Web Views: 58
    Downloads: 0

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