FAQ

No, admission to the General George Patton Museum is completely free! However, donations are welcome and help us preserve history for future generations. You can make a donation through the donation box in our lobby or on our website.

The museum is located at 4554 Fayette Avenue, Fort Knox, KY, just off Dixie Highway (31W). Look for our sign marking the entrance to the parking lot.

The museum hours are listed on the Plan A Visit page. 

The museum is closed on Sundays, Mondays, and all federal holidays. It is also closed on the first Tuesday of every month.

There may also be additional closures throughout the year, which are listed on our website.

No, visitors can directly access the museum and our parking lot without needing a Fort Knox visitor pass. Simply enter our parking lot via Dixie Highway (31W) where you see our sign.

Absolutely! The museum offers engaging exhibits for visitors of all ages, including interactive displays that kids will love.

Yes, the museum is fully wheelchair and stroller accessible, with handicap parking available on-site. Loaner wheelchairs are available.

Yes! The museum offers a spacious parking lot with dedicated parking for RVs and tour busses. However, the museum does not offer overnight parking. The gates to the parking lot are locked when the museum closes.

Most visitors spend 1–2 hours at the museum, but you are welcome to stay as long as you’d like!

Yes, photography is allowed in most areas of the museum. However, we ask that you avoid flash photography as to not distract other visitors.

Yes, group tours are welcome! Please email us at pattonmuseumstaff@gmail.com in advance to coordinate your visit and ensure the best experience for your group.

Of course! The museum provides an educational and engaging experience for school groups. Please email us at pattonmuseumstaff@gmail.com in advance to arrange your visit.

No. The museum is not affiliated with the U.S. Treasury Department.

The Ft. Knox Depository is heavily guarded and monitored. No public interaction is permitted. Unauthorized photos and visits will be met by the U.S. Treasury Police.

You can support the museum by making a tax-deductible donation through the Patton Museum Foundation. Every contribution helps preserve history and inspire future generations.

The reduction in tanks at the museum occurred over a decade ago when the US Army Armor Center and School relocated from Fort Knox to Fort Benning (Now Fort Moore) in Georgia.

This was a decision made by the highest levels of the US Government and the Defense Department. This move aimed to support soldier training, with most armor artifacts transferred to the Armor School. The Patton Museum’s focus shifted to leadership education for ROTC cadets at Fort Knox.

The Armor and Cavalry Collection continues to grow and occasionally opens to the public during select events. More information can be found on the US Army Armor & Cavalry Collection’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ArmorandCavalryCollection.

Please do not send items directly to the museum without prior permission. Items received without notice will be returned to the sender or may be disposed of if the sender cannot be contacted.

Army Museums are fairly selective in artifacts they agree to take as donations due to limited storage space and having multiple examples already in the museum system. If you have an item you believe would be of interest to the museum, your first step should be to send photos and a description to pattonmuseumstaff@gmail.com. Always send a photo and description first and ensure you receive expressed written permission before shipping, delivering or sending any items.

Only in very rare circumstances. Sending photos and description of the item to pattonmuseumstaff@gmail.com is the first step.

Do not attempt to ship or drop-off items at the museum without expressed written permission. Any such items will be denied and returned to the sender or discarded.

The museum does not own or have access to individual service records.  Contact the National Personnel Records Center at National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) | National Archives. 

Also – when Soldiers from World War II were discharged, they were often given an extra copy of their discharge paperwork to put on file with their County clerk. Try contacting the County Clerk of the County the veteran resided in when discharged, this may be easier than requesting the file from the NPRC listed above.

The museum staff will not appraise any items. The staff is happy to collaborate with our peers at other museums about artifacts, but we do not authenticate items for private or commercial entities.

For example, if you're trying to certify that you own General Patton’s authentic toothpick holder so it does better at an upcoming auction of questionable collectables, we can't help you.