The Doughboy Foundation’s mission is to keep the story of "the War that Changed the World" in the minds of all Americans, so that the 4.7 million who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during WWI will never again be relegated to the mists of obscurity. LEARN MORE
The Doughboy Foundation’s mission is to keep the story of "the War that Changed the World" in the minds of all Americans, so that the 4.7 million who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during WWI will never again be relegated to the mists of obscurity. LEARN MORE
"The centennial of World War One offers an opportunity for people in the United States to learn about and commemorate the sacrifices of their predecessors."
Museums and libraries across the nation are mounting exhibitions and programs covering all aspects of the World War One experience and heritage of the United States. To add your museum or library to this page, send an email to the webmaster with the relevant information. (See disclaimer.)
The Yankee Air Museum’s exhibitions cover global conflicts from World War One to the present through displays that offer visitors an opportunity to experience those conflicts through the men and woman who lived it. Many items in the collection – including but not limited to uniforms, weaponry, aircraft, medals, letters, artwork, photographs, and other mementos – are currently on exhibit in the Museum. The majority of the collection are kept safely in storage for research and future exhibitions, or are being restored to their original condition. The Museum also has a large collection of oral histories conducted with veterans of all branches and the civilians who helped at the home front
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The Story of the Yankee Air Museum The Yankee Air Museum has been a great influence in the world of aviation throughout Southeast Michigan for decades. Founded in 1981, the Museum quickly grew when it acquired its flyable aircraft, B-17 Flying Fortress, B-25 Mitchell Bomber, and C-47 Skytrain, offering the public the chance to fly in some of America’s most iconic aircraft. The Museum was originally located on the very North-East side of the Willow Run Airport until it suffered a devastating fire in 2004. While most everything was destroyed, a few aircraft such as the B-17, C-47, B-25, and B-52, among others were moved to safety.
The Museum re-opened to the public in 2010 in a new location just yards away from the original. The Museum has 47,000 sq. ft. that houses its collection of permanent and rotating aviation and historic displays as well as over 5,000 artifacts. In 2010, a school house that was used during World War Two was donated and relocated next to the Museum and has become the Museum’s research library.
In 2011, negotiations began between RACER Trust, Michigan Aerospace Foundation, and Yankee Air Museum for acquiring part of the old Willow Run Bomber Plant that produced B-24 Bombers during World War Two for the Ford Motor Company. After nearly two years of negotiations, the Foundation’s offer was accepted to save a portion of the Bomber Plant. The Save the Bomber Plant campaign raised $8 million to acquire, enclose, and power the 144,000 square feet of the facility. This would create a new, permanent home for the Museum, its exhibits, educational programs as well as its flyable and static aircraft. Along with a new home, the Yankee Air Museum will gain a new name, The National Museum of Aviation and Technology at Historic Willow Run, when it opens to the public.
That was only the beginning. A new campaign has been launched to raise the funds to build the Museum and its exhibits within the Bomber Plant. The stories of “How Detroit Saved the World” and “Rosie the Riveter” will be told on the site where they happened some 70 years ago. The Yankee Air Museum’s growing aircraft collection and the research library, the David and Andrea Robertson Education Center, will also be moved inside.
The additional space will allow the Museum to integrate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) into its exhibits and programs to inspire young people to pursue education and career opportunities in those fields. The building will also hold the Museum’s growing collection of artifacts and documents in a state-of-the-art facility.
The Yankee Air Museum is rapidly growing and constantly producing new exhibits, educational activities, and exciting experiences for the public. Plan your visit today!
Michigan’s Military & Space Heroes Museum began in 1980 when Stan Bozich opened a small museum in the basement of the School Haus Square building on Main Street in Frankenmuth, Michigan. Determined to make his museum a fitting and lasting place to tell the story of Michigan’s military and space heroes, in 1985, Stan along with a supportive delegation from the city of Frankenmuth, was able to obtain a grant from the State of Michigan to purchase a two acre parcel of land on Weiss Street where the museum could build its future home.
With the financial support of local businesses and families plus veterans groups state-wide, a building was erected on the Weiss Street property and in 1987 the museum’s collection moved into its permanent home, which has since been expanded to enable more of the museum’s collection to be displayed for the thousands of visitors it welcomes each year. Frankenmuth is a popular destination for visitors who come from all over the state of Michigan to enjoy the famous chicken dinners, various festivals, shopping and other attractions in this German-themed town. The next time you plan a trip to Frankenmuth, make it a point to include a visit to the Museum.
The flagship of the Michigan History Museum System, the Michigan History Museum offers you Michigan's rich past, from the time of the state's earliest peoples to the late 20th century.
The Air Zoo, founded as the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum, is an aviation museum and indoor amusement park next to the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport in Portage, Michigan.
The Museum re-opened to the public in 2010 in a new location just yards away from the original. The Museum has 47,000 sq. ft. that houses its collection of permanent and rotating aviation and historic displays as well as over 5,000 artifacts. In 2010, a school house that was used during World War Two was donated and relocated next to the Museum and has become the Museum’s research library.
