Eldred World War II Museum facts for kids
The Eldred World War II Museum is a special place in Eldred, Pennsylvania. It's about 80 miles south of Buffalo, New York. This museum opened in May 1996 and has grown a lot! It started with just one room and now fills three whole floors. The museum is a non-profit group. This means it's dedicated to teaching visitors all about World War II through amazing exhibits and information.
Contents
Discover the Exhibits
The Eldred World War II Museum has many cool displays that are always there.
Mitchell Paige Hall
This hall is named after USMC Col. Mitchell Paige. He won the Medal of Honor, which is a very brave award. Here, you can see many of his war souvenirs. You can also see his personal items, like his dress uniform and his actual Medal of Honor.
War Zones on Display
The museum shows off both the European and Pacific parts of the war. These are highlighted in many displays throughout the museum.
Cool Features to See
- A submarine display with a real World War II periscope! You can even look through it.
- The 'Tank Room' has different uniforms. These change with the seasons to match new themes.
- You can walk into a life-sized European command post. It has old communication gear from that time.
- Many dioramas (small 3D scenes) make the war feel real for visitors.
- A section on the Eastern Front explains the huge fight between Russia and Germany. This was the biggest front of the war.
Thousands of other items are on display too. These include weapons, uniforms, and field gear. They are often changed so there's always something new to see.
The Museum Library
The Eldred World War II Museum has a huge library. It holds over 10,000 books, magazines, and newspapers. There are also memoirs and other items. This is one of the biggest World War II collections in the United States! Visitors can use these resources to learn more. Just remember to return all books to the museum.
The library's books are sorted into different groups. Some of these are:
- "European Theater of Operation"
- "Pacific Theater of Operation"
- "Aviation"
- "Espionage"
- "Atlases and Maps"
- "Reference"
- "Biographies and Autobiographies"
- "Russian Book Collection"
You can also see uniforms, old newspaper articles, and medals displayed in cases around the room.
Gallery of Valor
The Gallery of Valor opened on November 11, 2006. This area takes visitors through six important parts of the war:
- Training
- Shipping and Transportation
- U.S. Navy in Action
- North Africa, Sicily, and Italy
- Sabotage and Spy War
- The Eastern Front
In the middle of the Gallery of Valor, there is a diorama showing Omaha Beach. This was a very important landing site during the war. There is also a display of weapons. It includes a training rifle, an M1 carbine, an M1 Garand, and a Colt .45 pistol.
The Lower Level
The Lower Level of the museum has exhibits that use real wartime items. These exhibits cover different topics:
- World War I: This section explains how World War I led to World War II.
- The Rise of the Nazis: Learn about how the Nazi party grew in Germany.
- Pearl Harbor: Discover what happened during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
- The Home Front: See what life was like for people at home during the war.
- The Soviet-German War: This section focuses on the conflict between the Soviet Union and Germany.
- A diorama of Kursk: This shows the largest tank battle of the war.
Some cool items on display in the Lower Level include:
- A German Sturmgewehr 44: This was an early type of assault rifle.
- A Russian uniform and medals.
- A Civil Defense helmet and brochures.
- Old rations and other everyday items from the war.
The Blue Room
The Blue Room is all about the Navy. It has several restored vehicles. You can also see a working U-Boat Periscope! Many models are on display around the room. The items in this room are changed each season.
The Holocaust Room
The Holocaust Room is the newest part of the museum. It shows the true tragedy of World War II. You can see items like suitcases, prisoner uniforms, and children's books from the Nazi time. The most important items here are the actual keys to the Dachau Concentration Camp.
Images for kids
-
Library
-
Gallery of Honor
-
Displays
