Beginning in the 1880s, military collections were curated by the Section of Historical Relics, United States National Museum. In 1904 a Division of History was created and had custody of military collections as well as other historical collections. In 1935, the Division established the Military and Naval Collection, and, in 1947, it formed a Section of Military History. The Section was given Divisional status in 1948 and was placed under the direction of Mendel Peterson. In 1957 when the Museum of History and Technology was created, Military History was incorporated, together with a Division of Naval History, into a Department of Armed Forces History. In 1969 a Department of National and Military History was formed, embracing the Division of Political History and the Division of Historic Archeology as well as the military and naval history. A 1978 reorganization saw the creation of a Department of National History, of which Military History remained a part.

In 1980 the National Museum of American History was created, and at this time Military History was assigned to the Department of the History of Science and Technology. In 1984 the Division was merged with the Division of Naval History to form a Division of Armed Forces History.

The Division of Military History was responsible for tracing the historical development of the United States Army from its inception as a colonial militia to its current role in the missile age. Research focused on United States Army firearms, artillery, ammunition, edged weapons, uniforms, medals, and flags. In addition to collecting military and foreign artifacts the Division published military histories and conducted studies of arms collections in other museums.

Staff members of the Division included Mendel Peterson, Head Curator, 1957-1964, and Chairman, 1964-1969; Craddock R. Goins, Jr., Curator, 1959-1998, Edgar M. Howell, 1969-1973, and Donald E. Kloster, Associate Curator, 1973-1984.