Museum story
The First Division Museum tells the history of the U.S. Army’s oldest continuously serving division through two principal gallery experiences. One follows the “Big Red One” from the First World War through Vietnam, while the other examines service from the 1970s into the present.
Cantigny itself is tied to Colonel Robert R. McCormick, who served with the division and named the estate after the 1918 Battle of Cantigny. The museum therefore combines divisional memory, battlefield history, and a public educational mission within the larger Cantigny park.
Sources: 1
Collection character
The outdoor Tank Park provides an unusually coherent physical timeline of U.S. tanks. The official catalog identifies the M1917, M5 Stuart, M24 Chaffee, M41A3 Walker Bulldog, T26E4 Pershing, M46, M47, M48, M551A1 Sheridan, M60, and M1 Abrams.
Those named official entries support eleven reciprocal Armor Archive relationships in this wave. The park also contains artillery pieces, while the indoor galleries use artifacts, environments, audiovisual interpretation, and personal stories to connect the division’s equipment with operations and soldiers.
Sources: 2
What to expect
A visit can combine the indoor historical galleries with a self-paced walk through the Tank Park. The outdoor sequence is especially useful for comparing changes in size, suspension, armament, crew protection, and mission across generations of American tank design.
Conservation work began in August 2026 and is being completed in phases. Visitors should expect some vehicles to be roped off temporarily, check seasonal museum hours, and account for Cantigny’s parking fee even though museum admission is free.
What the museum holds
This guide summarizes holdings and themes documented by the cited institution. It is not presented as the museum’s complete inventory.
Documented vehicle highlights12 entries
- M1917 Light Tank
- M5 Stuart Tank
- M24 Chaffee Tank
- M41A3 Walker Bulldog
- T26E4 Pershing Tank
- M46 Patton Tank
- M47 Patton Tank
- M48 Patton Tank
- M551A1 Sheridan
- M60 Patton Tank
- M1 Abrams Tank
- M1917 Light Tank displayed at First Division Museum at Cantigny
Collection strengths5 entries
- 1st Infantry Division
- United States armor
- Tanks
- Outdoor Tank Park
- WWI through modern service
Historical periods represented5 entries
- WWI
- Interwar
- WWII
- Cold War
- Modern
Armor Archive cross-links
These links connect museum holdings to existing Armor Archive vehicle profiles. They are not the museum’s complete inventory; use the collection guide above for broader holdings context.
Collection focus
1st Infantry Division · United States armor · Tanks · Outdoor Tank Park · WWI through modern service.
Armor Archive vehicle cross-links
These source-backed links appear reciprocally on Armor Archive vehicle profiles. A museum can hold many more vehicles than the Archive currently has profile-to-museum links for.
The museum’s official Tank Park catalog identifies an M1 Abrams Tank.
Evidence source ARM-MUS-SRC-000231 ↗The museum’s official Tank Park catalog identifies an M1917 Light Tank.
Evidence source ARM-MUS-SRC-000231 ↗The museum’s official Tank Park catalog identifies an M24 Chaffee Tank.
Evidence source ARM-MUS-SRC-000231 ↗The museum’s official Tank Park catalog identifies a T26E4 Pershing Tank within the Pershing family.
Evidence source ARM-MUS-SRC-000231 ↗The museum’s official Tank Park catalog identifies an M5 Stuart Tank.
Evidence source ARM-MUS-SRC-000231 ↗The museum’s official Tank Park catalog identifies an M41A3 Walker Bulldog.
Evidence source ARM-MUS-SRC-000231 ↗The museum’s official Tank Park catalog identifies an M46 Patton Tank.
Evidence source ARM-MUS-SRC-000231 ↗The museum’s official Tank Park catalog identifies an M47 Patton Tank.
Evidence source ARM-MUS-SRC-000231 ↗The museum’s official Tank Park catalog identifies an M48 Patton Tank.
Evidence source ARM-MUS-SRC-000231 ↗The museum’s official Tank Park catalog identifies an M551A1 Sheridan.
Evidence source ARM-MUS-SRC-000231 ↗The museum’s official Tank Park catalog identifies an M60 Patton Tank.
Evidence source ARM-MUS-SRC-000231 ↗Sources
- First Division Museum, Official Website Official museum source
https://www.fdmuseum.org/ - First Division Museum, Tank Park Official museum collection source
https://www.fdmuseum.org/exhibits/c/tank-park/