The State Historical Society of North Dakota (SHSND) Foundation is hitting the road in April for a 48-stop tour to promote and share information about the Military Gallery being built on the state Capitol grounds in Bismarck. The gallery will honor North Dakotans who serve and have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
The 20,000-square-foot Military Gallery is part of a 67,000-square-foot addition to the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum. The addition will include a North Dakota National Guard Regimental Room and event center capable of holding 400 people, a restaurant, and an outdoor courtyard and amphitheater. “There’s a lot of other sidebars that are attached to the Military Gallery, but the Military Gallery is what is driving the force and what we’re trying to make sure that when we put it together, we have a world-class military museum that will show and tell the North Dakota story,” says Dale Lennon, executive director of the SHSND Foundation.
At each stop on the caravan, Lennon will give a short presentation followed by community discussion. Participants will learn how they can share their family’s military stories, photographs and artifacts with the SHSND, as well as how to make a financial contribution.
“A lot of people aren’t even aware of the fact this military gallery is being constructed. The purpose of this caravan, it has many layers, and part of it is just getting the awareness out to the communities,” Lennon says.
Recording the oral histories of North Dakotans’ military service is another layer.
“North Dakota people are extremely humble, and a lot of times, they just don’t share things that they should be extremely proud about. So, that’s something, too, that we want to make very easy for the people to contribute, so the story can be told in a way that will be very respectful,” Lennon says.
For more information about the Military Gallery Caravan or the Military Gallery project, visit statehistoricalfoundation.org/northdakota-military-gallery or contact Lennon at [email protected] or 701-328-2666.
This story first appeared in the April 2026 North Dakota Living magazine, story and photo used by permission of editor Cally Peterson.
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