Evansville Wartime Museum to open for public

Sarah Loesch
Staff Writer

 

After five years of planning, the Evansville Wartime Museum is set to open its doors to the public Saturday.

The museum, located at 7305 Petersburg Road, will hold a preview for veterans at 9 a.m. before opening at 10:30 to the general public.

Dona Bone, a spokeswoman for the museum, said the doors will open at that time for veterans so they can be among other vets the first time they see the exhibits. 

The first day will have special pricing with tickets at $2 per person. 

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Normal pricing will begin with regular hours, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Prices will be $5 for regular adult admission and $4 for children 6-18.

Admission for children under 6 is free. Military tickets and seniors 65 and older will be admitted for $4.

Saturday at 11:30 a.m., there will be a color guard presentation and the singing of the National Anthem by Gina Moore. 

Starting at 1 p.m., authors Harold Morgan, Mike Whicker and John McMullen will hold book signings. 

More:Evansville WWII museum opens Memorial Day weekend

Morgan has written multiple books including "Home Front Warriors," which details how Evansville residents built and assembled the P-47 airplanes and LSTs during World War II. 

Whicker has a trilogy of historical fiction novels that follow a female Nazi spy and portions of which take place in Evansville. 

Between the presentation and the book signings there will be ice cream available for museum goers. 

Bone said they cannot predict exactly how many visitors the museum will host opening day, but she figures anywhere from 200 to 600 people.

"We really have no idea," Bone said. "We've gotten a tremendous response on our Facebook about the opening."

Bone said multiple exhibits might be a draw for people, including a Higgins boat that is on loan from LST 325. 

The museum will also have multiple trucks and vehicles available for people to view.

An honor gallery will be there dedicated to soldiers from Evansville who donated uniforms or other items from their time in World War II. There is also an area dedicated to the corporations who had a large role during the war including the Evansville Shipyard and the International Steel Company. 

Bone said the group hopes to grow the museum's exhibits in the future.

She said donations from locals who have items they would be willing to loan or give to the museum are one to do that.

"We're just getting started," she said. 

 

What: Evansville Wartime Museum public opening.

When: Saturday, May 27; 9 a.m. for veterans and 10:30 a.m. for the general public.

Where: Petersburg Road in Evansville.

Cost: $2