More: How educating 21st century Americans about the Cold War could ease lasting economic pain from the closure of Blytheville Air Force Base.
The National Cold War Center in Blytheville announced a partnership with the Woodrow Wilson Center, a Smithsonian Institution think tank in Washington, D.C., to help preserve the story and advance learning about the Cold War.
As part of the three-year agreement, Christian Ostermann, director of history and public policy at the Wilson Center, will direct the National Cold War Center full-time, helping establish the museum’s presence nationally and internationally, securing new funding sources, and inspiring interpretive exhibit design, the center said in a news release.
Ostermann also directs the Cold War International History Project at the Wilson Center, said the partnership with the National Cold War Center will be important to Arkansas and the nation.
“The commitment of the people in Mississippi County is admirable and aligns with the mission and vision of Wilson Center as it pertains to education about the Cold War, and I look forward to spending more time in the state and helping people understand what a unique opportunity this is for history, for education, and for tourism,” Ostermann said in a statement.
Mary Gay Shipley, chair of the National Cold War Center board of directors, said development of the National Cold War Center has been a goal for Blytheville and Mississippi County since Blytheville Air Force Base closed in 1992.
“This partnership with the world-renowned Wilson Center gives our efforts even more credibility and will help us establish the National Cold War Center as America’s museum of the Cold War,” she said. “We look forward to welcoming thousands of people to our community annually to learn more about this important time in our world’s history.”
The first National Cold War Center exhibit opened in 2020, featuring history, memorabilia, and personal stories from those who served while Blytheville Air Force Base was active from 1942 to 1992.
The base originally housed B-57 bombers, but as the Cold War advanced, it transitioned to a Strategic Air Command facility that controlled most of the U.S. nuclear weapons as well as the aircraft and missiles that delivered those weapons.
The Ready Alert Facility, which served as a “mission control,” is being restored and will become the only such Ready Alert center open for public viewing.
The project has received millions in state and federal grants. Construction and restoration are scheduled for completion in late 2027.
The National Cold War Center projects that more than 50,000 people will visit during the first year following completion, adding significantly to the $156 million spent by visitors to Mississippi County in 2023.
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