Museum Guide News

Chenault Aviation & Military Museum honors veterans and soldiers from the Civil War through current conflicts! Through expansive collections of artifacts and compelling stories of the men and women who have served our country, the visitor receives a captivating insight into why we honor our history and our heroes. The museum is housed in the last remaining classrooms of the Selman Field Navigation School, the largest navigation school in the U.S. during WWII. The museum also honors the story of General Claire Chennault and the Flying Tigers during WWII and how one man helped change the war in China. The bilingual “Way of a Fighter” exhibit is based on General Chennault’s book written in 1949. The museum also tells the story of how a small crop-dusting business evolved into the second largest airline in the world, Delta Airlines. Since opening its doors in 2000 with 3000 square feet, its expanded galleries have grown to 10,000 square feet providing over 11,000 artifacts and several veteran outreach programs. The aircraft restoration park will soon offer visitors a modern-day out-door facility with paved walk ways, covered pavilions, and restored military aircraft. The Chennault Aviation and Military Museum has begun building an outdoor pavilion, display, and park showcasing seven restored military aircraft and more to tell our incredible story of aviation history and heritage. The Chennault Aviation Park will soon offer visitors a modern-day out-door facility with paved walk ways, covered pavilions, and restored military aircraft! The Museum also proud to host a number of educational programs. Chennault Museum is a regional judging place for the Nation History Day competition and sponsors the Freedom Spirit Art Competition for local art students. It provides STEM lesson plans offered online, offers field trips in the museum and aircraft restoration tours, has an extensive research library, has college internship opportunities! We look forward to welcoming you and showing you our vast military collections and exhibits! Check us out and learn more online:  https://chennaultmuseum.org/

The Wisconsin Maritime Museum Achieves $1.5 Million Fundraising Goal to Preserve the USS Cobia Submarine! The Wisconsin Maritime Museum, in Manitowoc, WI is thrilled to announce that it hasachieved its fundraising goal of $1.5 million dollars to preserve the USS Cobia submarine, thanks to a generous grant of $500,000 from the State of Wisconsin! This critical funding was secured in the 2025-2027 State Biennial Budget, signed by Governor Evers in the early hours of July 3rd, and endorsed by Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) and State Representative Paul Tittl (R-Manitowoc). Since 1970, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum has worked diligently to preserve USS Cobia so that its history remains accessible for generations to come. A critical milestone in this preservation will occur in September 2025 when the sub is towed to Sturgeon Bay for a six-week dry dock restoration at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding. “We are so grateful to our staff, stakeholders, and elected officials on both sides of the aisle who recognize the importance of preserving USS Cobia as a national WWII historic landmark that enriches the cultural fabric of the City of Manitowoc and the State of Wisconsin,“We are so grateful to our staff, stakeholders, and elected officials on both s cognize the importance of preserving USS Cobia as a national WWII historic landmark that enriches the cultural fabric of the City of Manitowoc and the State of Wisconsin,” said Kevin Cullen, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. “The $500,000 provided in the 2025-27 state budget will fund a portion of the investment necessary to preserve the structural integrity of the USS Cobia and ensure future generations can learn about Manitowoc’s contributions to the Allied forces during World War II,” said Senator LeMahieu. “This investment will inform thousands of annual visitors about the bravery and sacrifice of the Greatest Generation who fought in the Pacific or labored to build world-class submarines right here in Manitowoc,” said Representative Tittl. These dollars will provide the final piece of funding necessary for the restoration of USS Cobia. Additional funding is being provided through a $500,000 federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, as well as hundreds of individual contributions from municipal, business, and private donors over the past decade. For more information about the project visit: https://www.wisconsinmaritime.org/

  We'd like to welcome you to Castle Air Museum, where visitors can expect to peek into the past of advanced aerospace technologies and glimpse into the future of aviation.   Our museum is home to more than 85 Military Aircrafts and countless historical artifacts ranging from pre-WWII spaning 87 years! Here at Castle, we are preserving military aviation heritage for generations to come. Each of our airplanes and artifacts have stories to tell. We are honored to share their rich history with you.   Castle Air Museum is located in Atwater, CA and is based on 35 acres of the original Castle Air Force Base. Castle boasts the most complete collection of Bombers on the West Coast, including some of the rarest preserved bombers in the nation, such as the Douglas B-18 Bolo, Douglas B-23 Dragon, Convair B-36 Peacemaker, North American B-45 Tornado, Boeing B-50 Superfortress, and Convair B-58 Hustler. We are also home to the A6 Intruder, AV 8B, Marine Core Harrier. Come explore over 70 years of aviation history! Come and be amazed!    Once you’ve explored the outdoor aircraft displays, you can visit the indoor museum where you can see a fascinating collections of war-time memorabilia, including an outstanding array of Army Air Corps and Air Force uniforms, and the once top-secret Norden Bomb Sight! https://castleairmuseum.org/indoormuseum/ Stay at the Castle Air Museum RV Park. We have 15 Full Hook-Up Spaces available. Each hook-up space includes water, sewer, electricity, and Wi-Fi. We have 7 Dry Camp Spaces available. Each Dry Camp space includes one dump per day. Dump Station available Dawn to Dusk. Please contact Camp Host for assistance. https://castleairmuseum.org/rv-park-info/   When your are visiting California, make it a point to visit and stay at Castle Air Musuem -  perfect venue to immerse yourself in military aviation history! www.castleairmuseum.org

USS Midway Museum: An American Treasure in San Diego, CA Get ready for a one-of-a-kind adventure on America’s Living Symbol of Freedom. The USS Midway Museum on San Diego Bay, is the world’s most popular and visited naval ship museum. Dedicated to providing engaging and educational experiences, a visit to Midway not only lets guests enjoy more than 80 years of naval aviation history, but discover what it’s like to be a pilot. Together, families will experience firsthand the legacy of this amazing aircraft carrier museum through Midway’s extensive collection of restored military aircraft. The museum’s flight simulators and virtual reality experience put visitors in the pilot seat, while guests will be captivated by the ship’s award-winning audio tour. Midway’s world-famous volunteers will bring the flight deck to life with gripping stories of launching and landing naval aircraft, as well as tales of high-seas adventure. The Battle of Midway Theater will transport guests back to 1942 through the eyes and voices of American heroes to relive how the Navy turned the tide to victory in the Pacific during World War II. Kids can also earn their Junior Pilot Wings and become naval aviators through fun onboard activities. The museum is rich with artifacts that tell the story of the U.S. Navy, and naval aviation in particular. Displays and exhibits have been developed with these artifacts to provide guests with a better understanding of the role Midway played during its 47-year career in not only protecting American democracy and freedom around the world, but also how the ship supported important humanitarian operations overseas. Midway is a treasured San Diego icon, and visitors to the museum will experience the significant contributions made to the nation by America’s naval service. Midway is a family-fun adventure. We looking forward to welcoming you! For more informtion:  https://www.midway.org/    

As one of the top attractions in the State of Texas, the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum creates a museum experience that is both educational and entertaining for the whole family. The museum's core exhibits reveal the unique influences and challenges that shaped George Bush's life and presidency, and frequently changing temporary exhibits present visitors new and interesting perspectives on President Bush, his life and work. Through artifacts, film, photographs, documents, music, sound effects and interactive videos, this special museum experience encompasses much of U.S. history since 1941. See a World War II Avenger Torpedo Bomber, a 1947 Studebaker, a slab of the Berlin Wall, and replicas of President Bush's Camp David, Situation Room, and the Oval Office. In addition, a special section is dedicated to First Lady Barbara Bush and her efforts on behalf of literacy, AIDS awareness and prevention, and volunteerism. https://www.bush41.org/events New to the museum is, Music America: Iconic Objects from America’s Music History will open in the Ansary Gallery of American History at the Bush Library and Museum on Monday, May 5, 2025, and remain on exhibit until January 5, 2026.  With nearly 100 objects representing the best of American music, the exhibit—curated by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music (BSACAM) at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey—tells the story of how music has informed, interpreted, and inspired our national identity since it was founded nearly two-and-a-half centuries ago. The exhibit features artifacts from the permanent collection of the BSACAM alongside treasures from other institutions across the country such as the New Orleans Jazz Museum, Hard Rock International, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, as well as dozens of prominent collectors of American music ephemera. This exhibit features legendary objects from artists such as Johnny Cash, Sam Cooke, Chuck D, Woody Guthrie, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Holly, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Tupac Shakur, and more. The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum at Texas A&M University strives to preserve and make available the records and artifacts of George H.W. Bush. We promote civic literacy and increased historical understanding of our national experience, and foster a community of public service and volunteerism. We welcome you to come to College Station, TX and experience this truly special museum! Please visit our website to explore and learn more! https://www.bush41.org/ Museum hours: Monday - Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.Sunday: 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.        

The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History relates the military heritage of Arkansas and its citizens to a diverse and widespread audience. Located in the historic Arsenal Building in MacArthur Park--one of Central Arkansas's oldest surviving structures and the birthplace of one of this country's foremost military heroes--the museum collects, preserves, and interprets our state's rich military past from its territorial period to the present. The museum was created to interpret our state's military heritage from its territorial period to the present. The birthplace of General Douglas MacArthur--the museum preserves the contributions of Arkansas men and women who served in the armed forces. Exhibits feature artifacts, photographs, weapons, documents, uniforms, and other military items that vividly portray Arkansas's military history at home and abroad! The Museum’s History as a U.S. Arsenal- Shortly after Arkansas was admitted to the Union in 1836, the federal government established the Little Rock Arsenal for the storage of munitions and weapons in defense of the frontier. Eventually, more than thirty buildings were constructed on this 36-acre site, including an armory, officers' quarters, barracks for enlisted men, and a variety of other buildings necessary for the routine operation of a military post. In February 1861, armed citizens threatened to seize the arsenal in anticipation of Arkansas's secession from the Union. A confrontation was averted when authorities negotiated a peaceful compromise with the commander, Captain James Totten, and federal troops withdrew from Little Rock. After Arkansas seceded in May 1861, Confederate forces used the arsenal until September 11, 1863, when Union troops commanded by General Frederick Steele captured Little Rock. Renamed the Little Rock Barracks in 1873, the post was used to garrison troops until it closed in 1890! Admission is Free (Donations are Appreciated) - Hours of Operation: Monday – Closed Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Sunday:  1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. The museum will be closed on Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.-  https://www.littlerock.gov/residents/parks-and-recreation/city-park-information/macarthur-museum-of-arkansas-military-history/

The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center is the official start to your visit to Gettysburg. Gettysburg National Military Park and the Gettysburg Foundation are pleased to bring back sensory friendly hours again in 2025. Special opportunities and programming will be available for visitors with visual and auditory sensitivities to enjoy with their family and friends. Visitors can experience activities in a relaxed environment for a calmer and quieter visit Saturday, Jan. 11th and Feb. 8th, 2025, from 9 until 11 a.m. Complimentary tickets for the Cyclorama and Museum for the sensory friendly hours can be picked up the day of the event in the Main Lobby until 10:30 a.m. Programming with sound, light and audio-visual elements will return to operation beginning at 11 a.m., with the first regular Film and Cyclorama show time at 11:30 a.m. Choose from our exclusive selection of Gettysburg exhibits, tours and events to make your visit truly historic. Set the framework for your visit by starting with the Film, Cyclorama & Museum Experience. Then, venture onto the battlefield for a tour with a Licensed Battlefield Guide. Battlefield Bus Tours and Battlefield Car Tours are popular ways to tour the battlefield with an expert guide. Purchase tickets or make reservations to begin your tour from the Museum & Visitor Center. Step into history with visits to our Historic Sites. Visit the George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital on weekends in summer where living historians and docents bring history alive at the best-preserved field hospital from the American Civil War. Special events take place at the historic site on select dates throughout the year. The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center is ready to welcome you to explore Gettysburg with us. Annual Holiday Closures: Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year’s Day and Early Closure at 1 p.m. Christmas Eve. Current Hours:  December - FebruaryDaily, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. March - NovemberDaily, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. https://www.gettysburgfoundation.org/    

Le Compton, KS is the political birthplace of the American Civil War – Learn more about this area through the Le Compton Historical Society by visiting our two museums, Constitution Hall, Lane University, plus other historic sites, restaurants and shops. A visit to Lecompton, KS the “Civil War Birthplace – Where Slavery Began To Die”, will take you to the roots of America’s Civil War. Lecompton, Territorial Capitol of Kansas from 1855 to 1861, is located just an hour west of Kansas City on I-70 between Lawrence and Topeka, KS.  The Lecompton area encompasses many sites that are part of the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area. You can begin with a tour of Constitution Hall: a National Landmark, Kansas Historic Site, and finalist as one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas. This 2-story white frame building was built in 1856 and was the site of the writing of the famous Lecompton Constitution which would have admitted Kansas as a Southern state. The rejection of this document split the Democratic Party and led to the election of President Lincoln. The name “Lecompton” was used 51 times during the Lincoln-Douglas Debates. The 30 minute visit will include displays of Territorial Kansas and its impact on the history of the United States and the Civil War. Then visit the Territorial Capital Museum, a National Register Site. Construction of the building was begun with an appropriation of $50,000 from the federal government to be the capitol of Kansas and later completed as Lane University. The parents of President Eisenhower met and were married here while students in 1884-85. The museum contains 3 floors of Civil War and Victorian artifacts.  About an hour. Visitors may also visit Territorial Democratic Headquarters, located overlooking the Kansas River. Bald Eagles often may be seen at this location. 30 minutes. We have a walking (or driving) tour that will show you all of the historic sites in Lecompton! And this Winter come a enjoy our beautiful Christmas Display from Novemebr 1st - January 1st! We welcome you to check us out online and explore all that Le Compton Historical Society is all about! https://lecomptonkansas.com/  

The Crossroads Museum, founded by Houston Mitchell and Hamilton Mask in 1854, in Corinth, Mississippi, was once billed as the Crossroads of the South because of the importance the city’s railroads played during the Civil War. Those two rail lines which crossed over each other at city center, made Corinth one of the most strategic transportation hubs fought over by both the Union and Confederate armies. Today the Crossroads Museum and Historic Corinth Depot sits only a few feet from railroad tracks that remain busy with frequent traffic from freight trains. In the front courtyard sits a Civil War canon used during the Battle of Shiloh. Exhibits In addition to railroad and Civil War history, the museum is home to thousands of artifacts detailing the city’s rich history in both cultural and industrial pursuits. Exhibits pay homage to aviation pioneer Roscoe Turner, baseball star Don Blasingame, NFL great Jackie Simpson, a Rotary Club’s impact on the community and a Southern delicacy known as the hot tamale. ​This year check out our “Green Market Days.” Voted Best Small Event by the Mississippi Tourism Association! The Green Market (free to the public) hosts an eclectic mix of local and regional artists, farmers, gardeners, and craftsmen who sell their hand crafted and home-made goods in an open-air, grassroots setting. Grab a snack at one of the food trucks and check out the local entertainment. As the banner fundraiser for the non-profit Crossroads Museum, there's something for everyone to enjoy! Our goal is to encourage folks to buy local and provide a place for everyone to gather and share ideas. https://www.corinthgreenmarket.net/ ​The Green Market 2025 dates are: Saturday June 7th, Saturday September 6th, Saturday October 4th, Saturday November 1st, and Friday December 5th. For more information on the Crossroads Museum and our Green Market events check out our website: https://www.crossroadsmuseum.com/  Crossroads Museum, 221 N. Fillmore St. Corinth, MS (662-287-3120)  

The Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association main mission is to conserve birds of prey worldwide by providing leadership in raptor conservation science and education, and by maintaining Hawk Mountain Sanctuary as a model observation, research and education facility. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, the world’s first refuge for birds of prey, was founded in response to the mass killing of hawks in the early 20th century. In the 1930s, conservationist Richard Pough documented the shooting of migrating hawks on a Pennsylvania mountain, capturing images that caught the attention of activist Rosalie Edge. In 1934, Edge leased the land, hired wardens Maurice and Irma Broun to guard the trails and lookout, and opened it to the public. She later purchased the property and established Hawk Mountain Sanctuary as a nonprofit in 1938, effectively ending the slaughter and creating a safe haven for raptors. While stationed at the lookout, Maurice began tallying the raptors that migrated past the lookout, starting the first official hawk count in the world. Today, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary has since grown to 2,600 acres, with over 60,000 visitors per year and more than 9,000 members that keep the Sanctuary’s mission alive. On- and off-site, HMS helps to educate through lectures, workshops, programs and events, while also offering access to its 8+ miles of hiking trails for firsthand learning and observation. For over 90 years, visitors have been able to immerse themselves and experience raptors in this native habitat. Hawk Mountain uses a local-to-global approach in conservation, seeking to educate the public and conserve raptors in the immediate area as well as across the country and the world. Through its extensive trainee programs, educators and conservationists learn from qualified, dedicated scientists and educators the best methods for research and outreach. By taking on these trainees, the Sanctuary has already helped further conservation programs in Africa, Central and South America, the Arctic, and more. In places like Batumi in the Republic of Georgia, our traineeship graduates have helped establish locations with a similar origin story to ours exchange damaging raptor hunting for eco-tourism. Our mission soars forward thanks to generous support via visit, membership, or donation, and Hawk Mountain can continue to be a leader in the global wildlife conservation movement. Come and visit us online and learn more about all we are and have to offer!  https://www.hawkmountain.org/