The museum was born from the initiative of a small group of collectors and history buffs and opened its doors 1984 in the old brewery of Diekirch. Over the years, the collection has witnessed a constant influx of objects. At first, the museum was mainly meant to cover the Battle of the Bulge, but an additional permanent exhibition on the Luxembourg Army was opened in 1994. With the opening of this new part, the museum got its current name, "Musée National d’Histoire Militaire", or MNHM for short by ministerial decree. Today the museum is run by a non-profit organisation and subsidized by the state. The museum's main attraction are its 1:1 scale dioramas. These are mostly detailed and realistic reproductions of scenes from the daily life of soldiers and civilians during the Battle of the Bulge. The largest diorama (150 m2) shows the crossing of the Sauer river on January 18, 1945 by units of the 5th US Infantry Division, in order to liberate the city of Diekirch. In addition to the dioramas, the museum has a large collection of military equipment and soldier's personal belongings, as well as a selection of Allied and Axis military vehicles and artillery that were used during the Battle of the Bulge.