It was established in 1935 at the old NRA Headquarters in Washington DC, and moved to its current location in 1998.

The museum's exhibits cover seven centuries of firearms development and history.

Also on display are military arms used by the United States, its allies, and enemies in major conflicts from the American Revolution through Desert Storm.

Life-sized dioramas include a nineteenth century rifle-maker's shop, a trench on the Western Front in WWI, and a shelled-out town square in Normandy in WWII.

NRA Museums staff, firearms, and locations are featured on Gun Stories, American Rifleman Television, the "NRA News Curators Corner" segment, and other television shows.