Remember and Honor: 13 Military Museums to Visit Year Round
Updated: Nov 4
An eye-catching exhibit draws you into a military museum, but the stories of the people who served are what stay with you. Through interactive displays, personal accounts and special events, these museums offer a closer look at what it’s like to commit the ultimate sacrifice ~ serving your country.
Whether you’re planning a visit around Veterans Day or looking for a meaningful stop on your next road trip in the South, these 13 museums offer a chance to honor those who have served, recognize those serving today and remember those who gave their lives in service.
National Medal of Honor Museum
Arlington, Texas
Of the 40 million Americans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, fewer than 4,000 have earned the Medal of Honor. Of those, only 61 are living today.
Describing itself as neither a war memorial nor a military museum, the National Medal of Honor Museum positions itself as values- and biography-based, taking guests on a narrative journey through the lives of ordinary people who did something extraordinary in service to others.
The museum features 31,000 square feet of artifacts, interviews and the lives and legacies of those who have received the country's highest award for valor in combat. Highlights include a fully restored Bell UH-1 "Huey" Iroquois helicopter modeled after the one flown by Medal of Honor Recipient U.S. Army Major General Patrick H. Brady (Ret.) and "Conversations: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives," where, through innovative technology, you can virtually interview a Medal of Honor Recipient.
National Museum of the Pacific War
Fredericksburg, Texas
At first glance, it may seem unusual that a museum dedicated exclusively to telling the story of World War II’s Asiatic-Pacific theater is located in Fredericksburg, known for its German heritage and other things. However, once you hear the National Museum of the Pacific War's story, it makes perfect sense why it's here.
The city is the birthplace of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, the Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces in the Pacific Ocean Area, and the museum incorporates the former Nimitz Hotel, originally built and owned by Nimitz's grandfather in the 1850s.
The museum spans a six-acre campus that includes the Plaza of the Presidents and the Japanese Garden of Peace. Not only does it tell Nimitz's story but also provides a detailed look at events and campaigns of World War II in the Pacific. Perhaps the most interesting feature of the museum is its collection of artifacts, such as the HA-19 Midget Submarine, one of five used in the attack on Pearl Harbor, and a relic from the USS Arizona.
Chennault Aviation and Military Museum
Monroe, La.
Housed in one of the few remaining buildings of the Selman Field Army Air Corps Navigation School, Chennault Aviation and Military Museum introduces visitors to Monroe and northeast Louisiana's role in aviation and the military.
Through exhibits and objects on display, learn about Selman Field, the start of Delta Air Lines, and the residents who served in the five branches.
The facility also honors General Claire Lee Chennault, the commander of the "Flying Tigers" during World War II. This group helped China in the early stages of the war. The Chennault Aviation and Military Museum is home to the most extensive collection of Chennault artifacts.
National WWII Museum
New Orleans, La.
Dedicated in 2000 as the D-Day Museum and later designated by Congress as America's National World War II Museum, the museum highlights the "American Spirit" of teamwork, optimism, courage, and sacrifice of the men and women who served both on the battlefront and at the home front.
Situated on a six-acre campus, the galleries within the five pavilions keep you engaged and informed through many exhibits, interactive concepts such as the Dog Tag Experience and first-person oral histories.
African American Military History Museum
Hattiesburg, Miss.
What once served as the East Sixth Street USO in the 1940s for African Americans stationed at Camp Shelby is now the African American Military History Museum.
The museum walks you through the extensive contributions of African Americans who served in the U.S. military. The exhibits encompass a wide range, from the Revolutionary War to the Buffalo Soldiers to the Global War on Terror.
Mississippi Armed Forces at Camp Shelby
Hattiesburg, Miss.
About 12 miles south of Hattiesburg is the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby.
Honoring Mississippi servicemen and women of all branches, as well as those trained in the state during times of war, the exhibits and objects share their stories.
Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
Tuskegee, Ala.
Built between 1940 -42, Moton Field in Tuskegee was the site where a Black institution, Tuskegee Institute, designed, constructed, and controlled a military flight instruction facility. It served as the primary training facility for African-American pilot cadets, including the "Red Tails," and support crew during World War II.
Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 as the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, it features two renovated historic airplane hangars filled with exhibits, artifacts and aircraft. View a P-51 Mustang, complete with a red tail; see what it was like for the cadet through flight gear, a trainer cockpit, and more; and learn about the airmen's support staff.
Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center
Chattanooga, Tenn.
What became known as the United States' highest military award for valor was first presented in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for actions during the Civil War. On March 25, 1863, Private Jacob Parrott was the first to be bestowed with the honor for his part in "The Great Locomotive Chase," which ended about 20 miles outside the city.
So, it makes sense that the city is home to the Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, whose exhibits highlight the stories of those who embodied patriotism, citizenship, courage, integrity, sacrifice and commitment.
National Infantry and Soldier Museum
Columbus, Ga.
Fort Benning is home to the Infantry; therefore, it's reasonable that the National Infantry and Soldier Museum is just outside the gates of Fort Benning's United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence.
You can experience the "Last 100 Yards" at the museum from the Infantrymen's perspective. Realistic, life-size displays are infused with technology that depicts significant battles in the Infantry's history.
National Civil War Naval Museum
Columbus, Ga.
The National Civil War Naval Museum is home to the largest collection of Civil War naval flags. It is also the only museum in the world dedicated to educating the public about the naval history of the Civil War.
Among its many exhibits is the cutter from the USS Hartford. This particular cutter possibly transported Admiral David Farragut, who is remembered for uttering the famous words, "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead," at the Battle of Mobile Bay.
Currahee Military Museum
Toccoa, Ga.
Inside the historic Train Depot in Toccoa is not only the Stephens Co. History Museum but also the Currahee Military Museum.
The museum honors the nearly 20,000 U.S. Army paratroopers who trained at nearby Camp Toccoa on Currahee Mountain ("Three Miles Up, Three Miles Down" ) during World War II, including the Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, which is highlighted in Stephen Ambrose's 1992 best-selling book, Band of Brothers, which was adapted into an HBO miniseries in 2001.
Now, why a train station? It was where the paratroopers would arrive before heading to the camp.
As for the museum, it highlights the 501st, 506th, 511th and 517th Parachute Infantry Regiments through exhibits and displays of uniforms, personal artifacts and more, including an authentic 1922 English horse stable from Aldbourne, England that served as barracks for the 506th Regiment.
National Naval Aviation Museum
Pensacola, Fla.
The world's largest naval aviation museum displays over 150 restored aircraft from the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aviation. Among the one-of-a-kind machines on view at the National Naval Aviation Museum are the NC-4 and Que Sera Sera. The West Wing highlights World War II carrier aviation. Be sure to catch the Bob Hope exhibit and much more, including flight simulators and cockpit trainers.
Plan out your trip around the Blue Angels' (based at NAS Pensacola) practice schedule.
U.S. Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum
Fayetteville, N.C.
From its beginnings as the Test Platoon in 1940 to the Global War on Terrorism, learn how the American Airborne and Special Operations forces have evolved and adapted as the world has changed over the decades.
Through the exhibits, gain in-depth perspectives of the soldiers' roles in wars and conflicts. An exhibit on civil unrest in the 1960s details the Airborne's involvement.
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