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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 

National Armed Forces Museum Advisory Board

Mr. Brown stated that the report of the National Armed Forces Museum Advisory Board which had met this morning (January 25, 1968) had been distributed to each of the Regents.  He summarized the report as follows: 

Within the last year, action had been pursued in two major areas. 

Legislation. On January 24, 1967, the Regents directed that the Smithsonian seek legislation to acquire a site in the Fort Foote area of Prince George's County, Maryland. Because the proposal involves an outlay of money (about $3,000,000), the White House has suggested that the Smithsonian see what it could do on its own in the Congress.  Senator Anderson and Senator Fulbright introduced Senate Bill S. 2510, authorizing the Smithsonian to acquire the museum site.  Mr. Kirwan has agreed to introduce similar legislation in the House of Representatives in the near future.  Although we recognize that, until the international situation is ameliorated, there is little hope of obtaining substantial funding from Congress, we feel that the Smithsonian can profit by discussing the proposal with the members of the Subcommittees concerned to solicit their views as a basis for our future course of action. 

Scope and content.  Together, the museum and study center would seek to stimulate scholarship in military affairs, an increased appreciation of the role of the Armed Forces in the development of the Nation, and a deeper public understanding of all aspects of military power in a democratic society. 

For three days last December, we met with a distinguished group of historians, at the Smithsonian's Belmont Conference Center, to consider the concept of the museum park and study center and suggest specific programs and objects. 

Based on the deliberations at Belmont, the Advisory Board has made three recommendations: