I am the sister of one of the founders of this wonderful museum. It has gone from a dream to "boots on the ground" reality through a dedicated group of volunteers. Currently the Friends of the Museum are in a capital campaign to get the actual building built. As I write this review they are just $750,000 short of having phase one constructed. The museum is dedicated to telling future generations what it was like during the Vietnam Era -- military, civilian, USA, North and South Vietnam... The traveling exhibits that have been shown in the past few years are awesome - not telling you what to think, but giving you the facts and letting you decide how it felt and lessons that can be learned for the future. The Museum has carefully, wisely and judiciously spent their donations. Built within a few miles of one of the main military bases active in the Vietnam effort, it's a great place to come see The Wall (permanent replica), view the Camp Holloway wall, and much much more.
Review from Guidestar
I am a member of the original board of directors. The development is a true grass effort by initially a group of Vietnam veterans. The BOD members now has been extended beyond the initial group. A local group "The Friends of the Museum" has been formed and is a significant aid to support various museum events and the recently opened visitors center.
I've been a volunteer for the museum since 2001. Their support by veterans all across the country and the communities around them has grown substantially each year. Their largest event is the annual updating of their Vietnam Memorial Wall (half-scale replica) that is attended by over 500 people from multiple states. The Wall is a key feature of the Vietnam Memorial Garden, one of the three memorial gardens on the museum site. A fourth garden is under construction. The gardens and Visitor Center are visited by 30 to 40 people daily. Lots of information about the museum is available on its website at www.NationalVNWarMuseum.org and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/National-Vietnam-War-Museum/118735428875.
The National Vietnam War Museum started from a cowpasture with nothing but volunteer help. Today they have a half size replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall that is updated annually with names added in Washington DC the previous year.
They also have the Camp Holloway wall reconstructed by the 52nd Aviation Battalion after their original wall was destroyed in Vietnam, a huey helicopter on a 20 foot pole and other items.
This month they are hosting an Art Exhibition by combat artist James (Jim) Nelson, and combat photographer Dave DeMauro.
You have to check this out....12685 Mineral Wells Hwy, Weatherford TX
940-325-1470