A Visit to the Rock Island Arsenal Museum

The museum first opened its doors on July 4, 1905, initially as a response to a 1903 notification from Maj. Gen. William Crozier that a new military museum was to be established at the arsenal.

Mothballed and packed away to make room for arms production during WWI and WWII, the museum has been open continuously since May 1948. The collection boasts more than 1,200 objects on display, with more in storage.

The displays are visually overwhelming, as you encounter wall after wall, from floor to ceiling, covered in guns of all kinds laid out like the artwork in a Paris salon.

Among the tons of guns are some items of historic significance. For example, they’ve got Rock Island Arsenal M1903 rifle serial number 1. The rifle was completed on December 20, 1904, and immediately earmarked for the museum’s collection.

Are you a fan of the Tommy Gun? If Chicago Typewriters are your thing, the RIAM has you covered! On one wall alone, there were more than a dozen different makes and models, some that made it to production and others that never got beyond the design stage. One of them is the M1919 prototype by Auto-Ordnance, serial number 6. This gun was not designed to be equipped with a shoulder stock and it has no fire control switch because it if full-auto only.

Another equally impressive piece on display is Springfield Armory M1 Garand rifle serial number 2. The very first one is in the collection of Springfield Armory National Historic Site. The millionth Garand was presented to John Garand himself. It was later purchased by NRA Past President Allan Cors from the Garand family. In September 2018, Rock Island Auction Company sold it to the highest bidder for $287,500.

Stepping back in time, the museum is home to two of the five known wall guns made by the Rappahannock Forge in Falmouth, VA, between 1775 and 1780. The gun is a behemoth. It weighs 67 pounds, has a 44.25” long barrel, and a bore diameter of more than an inch. The other three guns are at the West Point Museum, the Springfield Armory NHS, and the Smithsonian Institution. Interestingly, the Smithsonian’s example was given to them by the RIAM in 1958.

There are a variety of other historically cool pieces on display, too. They include:

– Beretta General Officer’s M15 pistol, serial number GO-00001
– M1 Garand rifle, serial number 201
– Colt’s first M16A1E1 prototype rifle, ca. 1981
– Multiple carbines tracked ballistically to the Battle of Little Bighorn
– Maj. Gen. John Buford’s M1860 light cavalry saber used at Gettysburg
… and more.

Other, more practical items are there as well. Such as:

– Leather embossing dies
– Metal stamping dies
– Wood-boring machines
– Holster forms
– Modern add-on armor kits for the Humvee
… and then some!

The base is also home to two cemeteries, one that is the final resting place of more than 2,000 Confederate POWs and one National Cemetery that contains approximately 25,000 interments, including two Medal of Honor recipients from WWII.

If you’re ever in the area, I’d recommend taking a trip to the Rock Island Arsenal. The museum, the memorial field, and cemeteries are definitely worth a visit. And the best part? It’s all free.