The land area formerly known as Camp Devens, later Fort Devens, and now simply Devens is historically significant for the citizens of the Nashoba Valley, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the United States of America. From Devens thousands of trained soldiers were sent forth to battlefields and peacekeeping missions around the globe. Many a soldier remembers Devens as a final assignment before honorable discharge from duty to country. The buildings and monuments in place at Devens are compelling reminders of a military legacy spanning over 300 years.

The Fort Devens Museum aims to show veterans and their families, scholars and young people as well as citizens generally the landscape of past and present forts, encampments, and training grounds where American soldiers prepared to meet the challenges of waging war and maintaining peace. Preserved here will be details of the nature of that training, and of life in general for the soldiers and families brought together for a time at Devens. The museum will capture the poignancy of enduring separation, loss of life, and courage in confronting the human side of war.

The museum will inform the public about the roles of Camp Devens, Fort Devens, and the present Devens Reserve Forces Training Area in ensuring the military preparedness of the nation. It will interpret the social, cultural, and economic impact of Devens' historical personalities and events upon its surrounding communities. Through these undertakings, the museum will enhance the public's understanding of the heritage of freedom that soldiers trained here have preserved for all of us.