Press Room
Access the latest news, media contacts, and downloadable assets from the Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum. Use these materials to help tell the stories of Minnesota’s military community — past, present, and future.
In The News
For The Media
Please contact Executive Director Randal Dietrich at 651-408-4837 or rdietrich@mnmilitarymuseum.org. Deputy Director Kevin Olson can be reached at 651-212-0573 or kolson@mnmilitarymuseum.org.
You may also submit a request through our Media Kit page.
Download brand assets and visuals for editorial or mission-aligned promotional use. Please credit Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum on all uses (e.g., “Photo/Footage courtesy of Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum”).
Use of assets implies agreement with our usage guidelines, including no alteration beyond the guide, no misrepresentation, and no use in inappropriate or illegal content.
About The Museum
The Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum seeks to strengthen public understanding of how armed conflicts and military institutions have shaped our state and national experience. We do this by documenting, preserving, and explaining military history as it was lived by the people of Minnesota.
While visiting the museum, we want you to learn why and how events unfolded as they did, and to appreciate the actions and sacrifices of Minnesotans who served in all branches of service and on the home front—from our state’s early frontier days up to the present.
The Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit chartered in 1976 to preserve and interpret Minnesota’s military history. The museum operates in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Military Affairs and the U.S. Army Center of Military History.
Approximately 70% of operating funds come from private sources such as gifts, grants, admissions, and gift shop sales, with the remainder from legislative allocation.
Randal Dietrich
Executive Director
Randal Dietrich oversees the museum’s strategic direction, partnerships, and statewide initiatives. He has led major expansion and preservation efforts that strengthen public engagement with Minnesota’s military heritage.
Kevin Olson
Deputy Director
Kevin Olson serves in a critical public outreach role, connecting Minnesota veterans and military leaders with the greater civilian community through the museum.
Directors
- Mark Ritchie — Minneapolis, MN
- Dean Ascheman — Rosemount, MN
- Thomas Crook — Duluth, MN
- Stephen Osman — Minneapolis, MN
- Paul Monteen — Hannibal, MO
- Richard Nash (MG, Ret.) — New Prague, MN
- William Wroolie — Brainerd, MN
- Roger Reinert — Duluth, MN
- Bill Strusinski — Scandia, MN
- Winifred Anderson — St. Cloud, MN
- John Brindley — Mankato, MN
- John Pearson — Rice, MN
- Nancy Haas — St. Paul, MN
- Linda Dvorak — New Prague, MN
- Gary Carlberg — White Bear Lake, MN
- Billie DeFoe — Cloquet, MN
- BG David Hamlar Jr. (Ret.) — Inver Grove Heights, MN
- BG Lowell Kruse (Ret.) — White, SD
- David Senjem — Rochester, MN
- BG Shawn Manke — St. Paul, MN
Directors Emeritus
- Jack Johnson — Eagan, MN
- Nicholas Ostapenko — Hermantown, MN
Founding and Early Years
Organized in 1976, the museum was established to create a dedicated state military museum. This effort brought together three key partners:
- Minnesota Department of Military Affairs provided the facilities at Camp Ripley.
- Minnesota National Guard Association’s history committee formed the initial Board of Directors.
- Minnesota Historical Society contributed artifacts and staff support during the first two years’ launch.
The museum officially opened to the public in June 1977, housed in a former enlisted men’s club at Camp Ripley.
Relocation and Growth
In 1987, the museum moved to its current location, a building originally built in 1931 as a regimental headquarters for summer training exercises. During 1986–87, it was remodeled and expanded for museum use.
Over time, several adjacent buildings were adapted to include:
- Artifact storage
- Workshops
- Offices
- Library and archives
- Classroom space
- Vehicle exhibits
The museum complex now spans approximately two acres.
New Era: Expansion and Future
In September 2023, the museum held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new 40,000-square-foot facility, located on over 30 acres adjacent to Camp Ripley and the State Veterans Cemetery—strategically placed for public access.
This new facility is slated to open in 2026, ushering in a bold chapter with enhanced space for galleries, classrooms, archives, and immersive exhibits—features include tanks, submarine components, and expanded storytelling opportunities.
Media coverage emphasizes the museum’s goal of highlighting Minnesota’s role from the Civil War through modern conflicts, touching on veterans’ leadership—such as figures like General John Vessey and others—and ensuring these narratives inspire future generations.