The National Military Museum is located at the north western area of the three Haram Palaces, inside the Cairo Citadel.

The Haram Palaces were constructed by Mohamed Ali Pasha in 1872.

The museum was established in 1937 at the old building of the Egyptian Ministry of War in downtown Cairo.

It was later moved to a temporary location in the Garden City district of Cairo.

In November 1949 the museum was moved to the Haram Palace at the Cairo citadel.