The America Museum
Our Mission
The America Museum seeks to have visitors reflect upon and understand the events, struggles and sacrifices for freedom, equality, and democracy. The Museum creates concise unbiased and balanced exhibits on relevant topics that connect stories to current events. The public will be enlightened and engaged in discussion, interactive exhibitions, and programs. Americans must acknowledge and honor the brave, relish our victories, study the failures, help heal the scars, and ensure that we learn from the past.
Nightmare on Main-SOLD OUT
Friday and Saturday, October 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21
Nightmare on Main: All Hallows Eve: Creeping Through Time will be presented at the Eastern CT Veteran Community Center, a new venue!
Take a dark journey and discover the chilling origins of Halloween. From the traditions of the ancients avoiding evil spirits through the holiday celebrations we enjoy today. Nightmare on Main is an annual event that creates a frightening experience loosely based on history. Guided tours through elaborate scenes with dramatic presentations leave every 20 minutes between 7:00 and 10:00 at the Veterans Center, 47 Crescent Street, Willimantic. The donation per person is $15.00. This event is not intended for children under 10. Refreshments will be available for additional purchase. The event will be rain or shine and part will be outdoors so please dress appropriately. Proceeds benefit the Veterans Center. Reservations are required for a specific tour time. For more information please call 860-742-6143.
Our Programs
LiberTea
Each month we host a "tea" where a famous historical figure who has contributed to our country's freedoms shares their story. These are held at our museum generally on the fourth Monday at 4:00 PM. Please see our calendar of events for topics like Dr. Martin Luther King, The Borinqueneers, Celebrating American Women, Two Centuries of Spying, Mother Jones.
"America The Great" Cabarets
Entertaining and enlightening, our cabaret nights combine music, theatre, dance and history with period food and, of course, great company. Enjoy music from the WWII era while snacking on a WWII ration cake, and maybe a taste of mead like the colonists would have made!
Weekly "shorts"
Children's Educational Programs
We partner with the Windham After School Program and local home school programs to provide interesting history lessons, often presented by a famous historical patriots. Instructional and fun, presented in a manner that kids understand, interactive and focused on local events and people.
Every week on Wednesday mornings we present our "shorts." These are short programs focused on our brave men and women who have served our country. Topics reflect current events and highlight the outstanding courage, fortitude, entrepreneurship and skills that made our country's soldiers the founders and protectors of liberty. Programs are held at our Veterans Coffeehouse from 9-11 am
Exhibits
Our exhibits change frequently to reflect current events and popular trends. However, we have ongoing exhibits that honor the diverse group of Americans who helped shape our country.
65th Regiment
The Borinqueneers
The U.S. Army's 65th Infantry Regiment, the only all-Hispanic unit that hailed mostly from Puerto Rico, inspires pride for their dogged combat in the Korean War in the early 1950s. The 65th is credited with participation in nine campaigns, and its members have at least 10 Distinguished Service Cross awards, 256 Silver Stars and 596 Bronze Stars. More than 750 Puerto Ricans lost their lives in Korea.
Code Talkers
American Indians were instrumental in ending world wars as communication specialists who used their native language to send secret messages on the battlefield. At least 14 native nations served including the Navajo (or Diné), Cherokee and Comanche in the Pacific theater during World War II, and the Choctaw Telephone Squad during WWI.
Tuskegee Airmen
Tuskegee Airmen were the first black flying unit of the US Army Air Forces during WWII. The 99th Pursuit Squadron was the first unit that eventually joined three more squadrons in 1944 making up the 32nd Fighter Group who fought in the European theatre and was the most successful and most-decorated escort groups. 992 pilots graduated from the Tuskegee Air Field courses, and they flew 1,578 missions and 15,533 sorties, destroyed 261 enemy aircraft, and
won more than 850 medals.
“Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.”