Museum of American Armor opens $1M expansion in Old Bethpage

The Museum of American Armor in Old Bethpage has expanded its footprint with a new $1 million storage facility designed to protect its growing collection of historic military vehicles, it was just announced.

The 9,000-square-foot facility recently opened adjacent to the museum’s existing 25,000-square-foot building at 1303 Round Swamp Road on the grounds of Old Bethpage Village Restoration.

The project was supported by a $500,000 matching grant secured through the office of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, along with additional funding through state Assemblyman Chuck Lavine’s office.

Museum officials said the expansion will allow more of its World War II-era tanks, armored vehicles and other artifacts to be stored indoors and protected from the elements.

Vehicles will also be rotated between the new building and displays inside the museum’s main hall, the announcement reads.

“This million-dollar storage facility is a recognition that the collection is now one of the largest and most significant operational armor presentations in the New York tri-state area,” museum trustee Lawrence Trivigno said in a statement. “It needs to be under cover and out of the elements.”

The prefabricated steel building sits atop eight inches of concrete, allowing even the heaviest tanks in the museum’s collection to be moved in and out as needed.

Among the vehicles already housed there are a replica Tiger tank, a British Comet tank that served during the closing months of World War II in Germany and a vintage fire truck similar to those stationed at Mitchel Field during the war.

Those vehicles and others are expected to be rotated into the museum’s main hall beginning this fall.

The Museum of American Armor has operated at Old Bethpage Village Restoration since June 6, 2014.

“Since June 6, 2014, the Armor Museum has been on the grounds of Old Bethpage Village Restoration, growing from strength to strength thanks to the efforts of museum founder and president Lawrence Kadish,” added museum trustee Col. Jason Halloren, a former deputy commandant of West Point.

Blumenfeld Development Group provided construction management for the project, with additional assistance from National Grid, Racanelli Construction Corp., Frank Suppa Landscaping Corp., R&M Engineering and Darr Construction.

The Museum of American Armor is open year-round from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays through Sundays. The museum is handicapped accessible and requests donations at the door.

Its public presentations are offered in coordination with the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums.

Photo credits: The Museum of American Armor