The Curators

Prior to taking on oversight of the National Firearms Museum and NRA Gun Collector Programs, Jim Supica was an antique gun dealer, peddling old iron through his mail order catalog, website and auction business. He holds Juris Doctorate and Bachelor degrees from the University of Kansas.

Jim is author or co-author of six books on firearms. He's written numerous articles on gun collecting, including regular columns for American Rifleman and Shotgun News; is a contributing editor for the major firearms price guides; and appears on television, radio and webcasts.

Supica served eight years on the NRA Board of Directors, including stints as chairman of the Publications Policy Committee and Vice Chairman of the Gun Collectors Committee.  He is a past president of the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association and Missouri Valley Arms Collectors Association, a former board member of the Colt Collectors Association, and a member of American Society of Arms Collectors and other collecting and shooting clubs. Jim collects 19th century big frame S&W revolvers and serial number one guns, and his favorite gun in the museum is Theodore Roosevelt's S&W New Model No. 3.

He is married to the lovely and gracious Eve, with whom he has produced and raised three highly satisfactory sons, Jamie, David and Daniel.

A 6th generation native Washingtonian, Phil has been at the National Firearms Museum for more than 21 years. In his capacity as Senior Curator, he spends quite a bit of time on the road and on the air, bringing the museum's programs and exhibits to a national audience - whether it be at local venues such as Cabela's or at national gun shows.

Phil appears regularly on NRA News, American Rifleman television, the History Channel, A&E and a host of other cable shows with firearms related programming. He also has written dozens of articles on firearms and military-related themes for American Rifleman, Guns & Ammo, Wild West, Shooters Bible and numerous other titles.

In 2003, Phil was designated NRA's first accredited war correspondent since World War II and spent 30 days in Iraq with the 101st Division. He visited Afghanistan in 2009 with the 1st MEB.

Phil collects, shoots and hunts with Winchester Model 1895 rifles, favoring Theodore Roosevelt's "Big Medicine for Lions." His favorite gun in the museum is a Joseph Manton fowler made and used by HRH Frederick Augustus, the Duke of York, in the early 1800s. He believes it is one of the most exquisitely manufactured English arms ever made, stunning in its understated elegance and simplicity.

Phil lives in Arlington, Virginia with his two adorable dogs and enjoys collecting militaria, books and movies. His personal interests also include photography and airships (Zeppelins).

Doug Wicklund has been called the "Gun Whisperer" for his insightful examinations of antique arms across the nation and, after more than 24 years in NRA employ, this senior curator for the National Firearms Museum has watched the galleries grow out of the old NRA Headquarters in Washington, DC to the new facility in Fairfax, Virginia. Receiving graduate and undergraduate degrees in museum studies, archaeology and anthropology from George Washington University, Doug previously worked with the National Park Service and Smithsonian Institution before coming to the National Rifle Association in 1986.

Doug is an assistant technical editor for American Rifleman magazine who also serves as editor for the "NRA Firearms Fact Book" during this tenure. He contributes a monthly feature on the National Firearms Museum collections to America's 1st Freedom magazine.  Additionally, he has also authored dozens of articles appearing in America's Civil War, American Rifleman and other magazines.

Occasional work with Internet forums and national forensic agencies, plus periodic travel to gun shows and other collector activities keep Doug well occupied when not coordinating the day-to-day duties of operating the museum galleries and maintaining a collection of more than 5,000 arms of all historical periods. His current favorite piece in the collection may be his great-grandfather's engraved Merwin & Hulbert revolver, a piece Doug learned to clean at 7 years of age.

The Wicklund home in northern Virginia reflects the lifestyle of a shooter of modern tactical arms, a collector of Civil War relics and a sometimes hunter. It is also filled with his wife's collections of tapestries and quilts, as well as two young sons who delight in collecting coins, arrowheads and pottery. While there are no pets, Doug does own two Jeeps which are  considered family members.

As Curator of Collections, Amber Lammers manages the National Firearms Museum Library and non-firearms collection, in addition to general curatorial duties at the museum. She graduated with a Masters of Arts in Anthropology/Museum Studies from George Washington University in 2008.

Amber grew up in Northern Virginia and had no experience with firearms prior to joining the National Firearms Museum staff. However, it was an interest she quickly realized she was missing out on. Amber now takes pleasure in shooting her SIG pistol and Ruger rifle, but also likes to shoot all different kinds of firearms. Her favorite gun in the museum is an M1 Carbine. Her favorite non-gun is Luke Skywalker's light saber.

Matthew Sharpe graduated from James Madison University in the Fall of 2008 where he completed a degree in History, with a concentration in Public History. While enrolled, Matt interned with the Army Historical Foundation and published his first article, The M1911 , for the foundation's quarterly journal, On Point.

In the summer of 2008, Matt interned with the National Firearms Museum working as an Assistant Curator. During his time there, he helped to bring plans for the Frank Brownell Museum of the Southwest to fruition. Upon receiving his degree, Matt came to work for the National Firearms Museum full-time as Assistant Curator, and is now the Curator of Programs. Matt currently assists the staff of the museum and writes a recurring column in Man at Arms magazine.

Caroline Simms joined the National Firearms Museum in 2012 as the Administrative Assistant. In her current role, Senior Special Projects Coordinator, Caroline oversees and implements all media, marketing, graphic, and non-curatorial projects for the museum.

Prior to joining the museum, Caroline worked at one of the region's leading auction houses, Weschler's Auctioneers and Appraisers.  Serving as the Fine Art Specialist, she appraised art work up to $150,000+, created the auction catalogues, and hung over fifteen exhibits.

Having grown up in Connecticut, Caroline received a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. One of her favorite firearms in the collection is the "Picasso Shotgun," a Ferraglio side-by-side shotgun engraved by Bregoli.

Sylvia Schneider joined the National Firearms Museum in 2012 as the Administrative Assistant.  She has been with the NRA for 6 years, beginning as the Admin & Customer Service Specialist at the NRA HQ Range and most recently as the Administrative Assistant to the NRA's Executive Director of General Operations.

A New Jersey native, Sylvia has spent most of her adult life as a Navy wife moving and traveling around the world with her husband and two sons.  Two of her favorite places to live were in Hawaii and Japan.

Her favorite gun in the Museum collection is the Pidault & Cordier Raphael pattern revolver.  And her favorite non-gun item is the Roosevelt Teddy Bear.

Benjamin Van Scoyoc has managed the National Firearms Museum Store for the past decade, building its book and DVD collection to nearly 700 titles, making it one of the largest and most complete firearms libraries in the nation. A native Pennsylvanian and graduate of St. Francis University, Benjamin has more than 20 years of retail management experience, following a successful career in educational sales and marketing.

A family connection ties him to a key exhibit in the museum: Lt. Col. Bill McMillan's High Standard Supermatic Citation Semi-Auto Pistol that was used to win a gold medal in the rapid- fire pistol competition during the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. McMillan was married to Benjamin's cousin.

Married for 25 years, Benjamin is the father of three and the grandfather of one. He spends his recreational time hiking the backcountry, wearing out boots at rates of upwards to 800 miles a year.