The U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, located near the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pa., educates visitors about Army history. (Aliyah Vivier/U.S. Army National Guard)
CARLISLE, Pa. (Tribune News Service) — The 2025 Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards contest for Best Free Museum ranked the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Middlesex Township among the top 10.
The center was one of 20 nominees selected for public voting by Newsweek editors and a panel of travel experts, and it ended up as No. 10 on the list that also includes the Eisenhower National Historic Site in Gettysburg in seventh place. The St. Louis Science Center in Missouri received the most votes followed closely by the Baltimore Museum of Art in Maryland.
“This level of national recognition is a game changer for us,” said Julie Germany, president of the Army Heritage Center Foundation, which supports the Army Heritage Center through development, fundraising and promotional outreach.
“I’m not shocked,” she said. “All it takes is one visit to understand why it is so special. I have spent a lot of time over the course of the last few months talking with tour operators, bus tour groups, reunion groups and school groups from around the country. They get excited when they hear about USAHEC for a couple of reasons.
“The first reason is that it is free and open to the public. There is plenty of parking. There is no hassle getting here. The second reason is the experience.”
The center’s campus includes the mile-long Army Heritage Trail, with exhibits that trace the history of the American soldier from the French and Indian War to the global war on terrorism. The main building features the Soldier Experience Gallery.
“Inside is one of the few places where you can see the lives and stories of individual soldiers play out before your eyes,” Germany said. “You can see how Army history is really American history.”
Making the Newsweek top 10 proves that the center is succeeding in its mission of connecting the story of the American soldier with the American public, Germany said. The list can serve as leverage to draw more visitors from outside the region to Carlisle and Cumberland County to shop, dine and stay overnight, she said.
“I am delighted,” said Kate Lemay, the center’s director. “We have an incredible opportunity. We are kind of like the best kept secret in the museum world. We really need to get knowledge of our collection, our talented staff and what we do here out to a wider public.”
The Army Heritage Center is affiliated with the nearby U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, which trains senior military and civilian leaders.
“We have two main audiences: one being the general public, the other being the U.S. military and the professional development of its officers,” Lemay said. “USAHEC is the singular resource for understanding strategic land power and current events through the study of the Army’s past.”
Word of the Newsweek listing comes as the center is developing a new brand in collaboration with the public affairs office of the War College.
“We have a fresh new look that we are going to be launching quite soon,” Lemay said. “We are capturing our audience and engaging with them in the moment. This honor is really going to help us get that reputation outside of our already known audiences.”
Aaron Jumper is the communications manager for the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corp., which operates the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau.
“For us, as a destination, we are trying to reach people for that three-day weekend,” Jumper said. “We want people from outside the area, within a three-to-four-hour drive to make the Cumberland Valley their weekend getaway.
“Visitors are looking for experiences that are not going to break their wallet,” he said. “USAHEC is a great low-cost option we always recommend to people. There is no entrance fee.”
Already, the Army Heritage Trail has a knack for drawing attention to the broader campus. Visible from Interstate 81, the trail includes a helicopter and vehicles.
“It’s incredibly easy to get to,” Jumper said. “It’s just off the turnpike and I-81, a half-hour from Amtrak and less than 45 minutes from HIA (Harrisburg International Airport).”
Having the center on the Newsweek list will drive tourism to Carlisle and the Cumberland Valley, Jumper said. It will affect local hotels, restaurants and shops, he said.
The center is planning events tied to the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army in June.
© 2025 The Sentinel.
Visit www.cumberlink.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
