The museum began as housing and storage for many captured enemy military vehicles and equipment sent to Fort Knox during WWII by Patton's Third United States Army for study.

With this major shift in the Patton Museum's collection, its mission changed to Junior Officer developmental training with a focus on the Army's ROTC and JROTC Programs whose U.S. Headquarters has been based at Fort Knox since 2012.

The museum possesses a collection of over 3,000 artifacts with more than 600 personal items belonging to the late General Patton and his family to include General Patton's famed ivory-handled pistols (a Colt Single Action Army .45 and Smith & Wesson .357), his custom-built World War II living quarters van, 1938 Cadillac touring car and many more.

In 2012, one of the last remaining WWII barracks buildings on Fort Knox was relocated to the Museum grounds and gradually restored using donated funds.

The entire ground floor including restored latrine and shower area is accessible to the general public and houses several displays depicting life at Fort Knox from the 1940s to 1970s.