The museum showcases various demilitarized ammunition and other military equipment belonging to the United States Navy and the United States Army which were manufactured and stored in an ammunition depot based in Hawthorne.

[2] The museum's history dates back to when Hawthorne housed the Naval Ammunition Depot in 1928.

The depot was originally located in New Jersey, but following an explosion which claimed the lives of 21 people, it was decided that the depot needs to be moved to a more remote location populated with fewer residents.

By 1977, the depot no longer served the U.S. Navy and was operated by the U.S. Army instead.

Other displays of the museum include military uniforms, newspaper archives, as well as photographs.