The California State Military Museum is the official military museum of the State of California. It is located in the Old Sacramento State Historic Park at 1119 Second Street.
The museum was begun 1991 during the administration of California Governor Pete Wilson. 11 years later Governor Gray Davis made it a permanent museum under the California State Military Department, providing it permanent funding. On 13 July 2004, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made it the state's official military museum.
The museum highlights contributions of individuals and units from California in the US military, and its various military operations and wars.
In addition to its main location in Sacramento, the museum has five satellite museums at Camp Roberts in southern Monterey County, Camp San Luis Obispo, Fresno Air National Guard Base, the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base in Orange County and the National Guard Armory in San Diego.
To honor those Californians who have laid down their lives in the Global War on Terrorism, the California State Military Museum is building a "Global War on Terrorism Wall of Honor". Constructed of black granite, this memorial will be located at the entrance of the museum. The names of service members who died September 11, 2001, in the attack on the Pentagon, as well as those casualties of the Afghanistan and Iraq Campaigns will be listed chronologically. The memorial will include their rank, branch of service, and age.
The Major General Walter P. Story Memorial Library is one of the finest collections of military history writings in the western United States. With over 10,000 volumes and growing rapidly, the library is one of the state's hidden educational and historical treasures. Topics range from general military history to very specific and one of a kind documents, such as original unit rosters of early California Militia units.