The mission of the New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center is to preserve, interpret and disseminate the story, history and records of New York State’s military forces and veterans. The collection is divided into the museum and the library/archives holdings. Begun in 1863 as the Bureau of Military Statistics under the office of the Adjutant General, the collection had not had a secure, permanent home until 2002 when it was moved into the historic armory in Saratoga Springs, New York which was renovated to house and exhibit the collection. The armory, designed by Isaac Perry and constructed in 1889, is a fine example of armory architecture that was popular in upstate New York in the late 1800’s. The museum houses over 25,000 artifacts dating from the Revolutionary War to today that relate to New York State’s military forces, the state’s military history and the contributions of New York’s veterans. The artifacts include uniforms and accoutrements, weapons, battlefield souvenirs and fine art. A significant portion of the museum’s collection is from the Civil War. Notable artifacts from this conflict include the uniform of Colonel Elmer Ellsworth’s (the Union’s first martyr), the medical kit of Jubal Early’s surgeon, and the uniform and bugle of Gustav Schurmann (General Philip Kearny’s boy bugler). The collection also contains significant holdings relating to New York’s 27th Division in World War I and World War II and notable state military regiments such as the 7th (the Silk Stocking Regiment), 69th (the Fighting 69th), and the 369th (Harlem Hellfighters) Infantry.