National Cold War Center, Woodrow Wilson Center partner

The National Cold War Center and the Woodrow Wilson Center, whose parent company is the Smithsonian Institution, have announced a partnership to help preserve the story and advance learning about the world’s most protracted and expensive war.

The Wilson Center, based in Washington, D.C. and housing The Cold War International History Project, was chartered by Congress in 1968 as a nonpartisan and independent idea marketplace that provides research-based solutions to policymakers on various global issues.

As part of the three-year agreement, Dr. Christian Ostermann, director of History and Public Policy at the Wilson Center, will direct the National Cold War Center part-time, helping establish the museum’s presence nationally and internationally, securing new funding sources, and assisting with interpretive exhibit design.

Ostermann, who 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.

“There are so many lessons that can be learned from the Cold War, especially as it pertains to our world’s current geopolitical landscape,” said Ostermann. “The ideological rivalry between capitalism and communism defined global politics for nearly half a century, leading to a nuclear arms race, regional wars, and cultural and technological transformations that can teach us lessons still vital here in the 21st century.”

“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,” he added.

Mary Gay Shipley, chairman 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,” said Shipley. “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 was used in World War II as a pilot training center. As the Cold War advanced, it transitioned to a Strategic Air Command (SAC) facility that controlled most of the U.S. nuclear weapons as well as the aircraft and missiles that delivered those weapons. At one point, it was a top five target of the Soviet Union if World War III were to break out. The first bomber at the field was the B-57, with the B-52, which is now in the U.S. Air Force fleet, arriving later. The base was closed in early 1992.

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.

Construction and the restoration of the entire museum project are currently scheduled for completion in late 2027. The museum is projected to cost more than $30 million to complete.

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.

Ostermann and Liz Smith, secretary of the National Cold War Center’s board of directors, will be guests on this weekend’s television edition of Talk Business & Politics and Capitol View.