April 3 & 4, 2027
Living History Weekend
At the Museum of the American G.I.’s Living History Weekend, you can experience military history in a more intimate and meaningful way through living history displays, demonstrations, and battle reenactments. Visitors can explore camp life by touring Civil War, WWI, WWII, and Vietnam Living History displays. You will witness the roar of tanks in our WWII Battle reenactments, and watch a WWI open field battle! On display will be an impressive collection of historic, running WWII and later-era military vehicles, including WWII Sherman tanks, M18 Hellcats, and various German vehicles.
In 2026, there will be more battles, tank rides, and living history displays! Everyone will enjoy the free parking at Santa’s Wonderland’s new Blitzen Lot (no parking on site).
TICKET INFORMATION
One Day Tickets (Cash price) $25 Adults, $10 Kids (5-17), Under 5 free
Two Day Tickets (Cash price) $40 Adults, $17.50 Kids, Under 5 free
Speed through the line by purchasing admission tickets online! Available starting February 3, 2027
Early Bird Promotion for First 50 Online Tickets. Buy an early bird ticket to be entered for a chance for a FREE Tank Ride.
If you do not want to rely on Lady Luck, the first four Tank ride Times on both Saturday and Sunday will be available for pre-purchase beginning February 24, 2027. All remaining Ride times will be sold first come the day of the event!
The Living History Weekend is a “Special Event Day’ and regular admission prices are not valid.
This is an outdoor event, and the museum building will not be open to the public during the Living History School Day (Friday) and Living History Weekend (Sat – Sun).
ACTIVITIES
- Civil War School of the Soldier – Saturday 11 AM, Sunday 10:30 AM
From shoulder arms to marching in line, experience the drills and commands of the Civil War School of the Soldier, where discipline was the difference between victory and defeat. - WWI Demonstration — Saturday 2 PM, Sunday 11:30 AM
Not lines and volleys, but rifles, grenades, and trench tactics — see how soldiers of World War I were trained for the first modern battlefield. - WWII PTO USMC Mechanized Rifle Squad Demonstration – Saturday 3 PM, Sunday 2 PM
New this year! Join us in the afternoon each day to watch our WWII Marine Detachment perform a squad assault on a fixed position with armored support. This demonstration highlights how Marine rifle squads combined tactics, support weapons, and vehicles in coordinated combat operations. You will see the Museum’s rare M3 Gun Motor Carriage and LVT-4 in action! - WWII ETO Skirmishes – Saturday Noon & 3:30 PM, Sunday 2:30 PM
Experience battle up-close! See an infantry advance and retreat. Hear the rumbles of engines, feel the vibrations of cannon fire, smell the smoke, and witness the power of these historic pieces of equipment! Sure to entertain and enrapture visitors of all ages! - Vietnam Skirmish – Saturday 1 PM & Sunday 12:30 PM
Watch a Vietnam War extraction unfold as M113 armored personnel carriers and an M50 Ontos move in to recover troops. - History in Action
After the Vietnam skirmish, see a controlled demonstration of the military flamethrower and learn about its role on the battlefield. - Narrated WWII Living History Displays
Take a stroll through the living history camps, and learn about the daily lives of both Axis and Allied servicemen and women. See original or carefully reproduced equipment and uniforms. Our living historians, all volunteers, travel from far and wide, bringing their passion to their roles. Many are so dedicated to authenticity that they camp in tents, immersing themselves fully in the historical experience! Displays include American Revolution and Civil War Camps, WWI camps, General Patton’s Command Tent, Camp Lili (American Signal Corps Unit), US Infantry and Airborne Paratroopers camps, as well as German Infantry Camps. - Military Vehicle Rally
Military history buffs and gamers alike will marvel at the award-winning display of fully restored and operational military vehicles and artillery. The museum’s own impressive collection of WWII- Vietnam era vehicles will be out for full display with living historians available to talk about the vehicles, their operation, and their upkeep. Restoration enthusiasts from across the US will also be present to display their own military vehicles!
The gates open at 9:30 AM on both days.
Parking is FREE at Santa’s Wonderland’s Blitzen Lot. From there, you enter the museum grounds through the admission tent.
Come early and stay all day! You will not want to miss anything. Big Dawg BBQ, Kona Ice, and other food vendors will be on-site to make sure no one goes hungry!
This family-friendly event is sure to have something for everyone!
INFORMATION FOR LIVING HISTORIANS
If you are interested in participating as a Living Historian or in bringing your military vehicle for display, please follow the links below for more information.
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES
Tickets will be availible at the INFORMATION TENT
Experience history from the turret of a WWII Tank, or a Vietnam era M113 APC! Whether you’re a World of Tanks fan, a history buff, a military geek, or anything in between, this is definitely one to mark off your bucket list.
You will either ride in a Sherman tank, M18 tank destroyer, Stuart tank or Chaffee tank. We cannot guarantee a ride in a specific tank.
There are 11 ride times on Saturday and 9 times on Sunday, with 2 tanks and 1 half-track or M113 running during each ride time! Each tank will hold three riders, and the half-track and M113 between 8-10 (depending on the group\’s composition). Tank and M113 rides in the first 4 ride times are available for pre-purchase. All other Tank rides are sold at the information tent on the day of the event.
Take a ride in a WWII tank**!
Visit the transportation station for the opportunity to ride in a WWII tank for two loops around the arena!
*$160/person (cash price). (Tax deductible donation with proceeds going to maintaining the museum’s collection)
Pre-purchase for the first four ride times on Saturday and Sunday will be available from 10 AM February 22 through midnight March 22.
Take a ride in a Vietnam Era M113**!
Visit the transportation station for the opportunity to ride in a Vietnam Era M113 for two loops around the arena!
*$25/person (cash price). (Tax deductible donation with proceeds going to maintaining the museum’s collection)
Pre-purchase for the first four ride times on Saturday and Sunday will be available from 10 AM February 22 through midnight March 22.
Take a ride in a WWII Half-Track**!
Visit the transportation station for the opportunity to ride in a Vietnam Era M113 for two loops around the arena!
*$25/person (cash price). (Tax deductible donation with proceeds going to maintaining the museum’s collection)
Pre-purchase for the first four ride times on Saturday and Sunday will be available from 10 AM February 22 through midnight March 22.
Shoot a WWI Field Gun
Visit the artillery range for the opportunity to pull the lanyard on a historic WWI 75 mm Field Gun! Participants will get to shoot off one blank, experiencing this amazing artillery piece’s force.
*$40/round (cash price). (Tax deductible donation with proceeds going to maintaining the museum’s collection)
Shoot a Machine Gun (Gas-adapted)
Visit the artillery range to fire a machine gun (gas-adapted) for only $10 (cash price). (Tax deductible donation with proceeds to maintain the museum’s collection). This is a wonderful activity for visitors of all ages.
*NEW* Shoot a M1 Garand (blank fire)
Visitors 8 years and older are invited to visit the artillery range to fire one clip on an M1 Garand for only $20 (cash price). (Tax deductible donation with proceeds to maintain the museum’s collection).
**Health & Safety Regulations for ride participants: Safety is our number one priority for anyone who rides in our vehicles. Tank Ride participants must be at least 7 years or older, with a minimum height of 52 in, and the ability to climb on and off the vehicle and in and out of the hatches unassisted. Tank Ride participants must have no underlying health conditions that would preclude riding in “off-road” conditions. All Tank Ride participants (or their legal guardian) must sign a hold-harmless agreement. The Museum of the American G.I. and its crew reserve the right to refuse any participant (tank ride or half-track ride) who they deem unfit or unsafe to themselves, other participants, or the crew. The ticket price will be refunded if the ride is canceled for safety reasons.
TENATIVE SCHEDULE
SATURDAY – 10 AM to 4 PM
Reenactments and Special Demonstration
9:30 AM – Gates Open
11 AM – Civil War School of the Soldier (WWI Arena)
Noon – WWII ETO Skirmish (WWII Arena)
1 PM – Vietnam Skirmish (WWII Arena)
History in Action – Flame Thrower Demonstration (WWII Arena)
2 PM – WWI Demonstration (WWI Arena)
3 PM – WWII PTO USMC Mechanized Rifle Squad Demonstration (WWII Arena)
3:30 PM WWII ETO Skirmish (WWII Arena)
Vehicle Rides
10:00 – 11:15 AM – Tank and Half-Track Rides (WWII Arena)
1:30 – 2:30 PM – Tank and Half-Track Rides (WWII Arena)
3:45 PM – Tank Ride for Raffle Winners
SUNDAY – 10 AM to 3 PM
Reenactments and Special Demonstration
9:30 AM – Gates Open
10:30 AM – Civil War School of the Soldier(WWI Arena)
11:30 AM – WWI Demonstration (WWI Arena)
12:30 PM – Vietnam Skirmish (WWII Arena)
History in Action – Flame Thrower Demonstration (WWII Arena)
2 PM – WWII PTO USMC Mechanized Rifle Squad Demonstration(WWII Arena)
2:30 PM WWII ETO Skirmish (WWII Arena)
Vehicle Rides
10:00 – 12:15 PM – Tank and Half-Track Rides (WWII Arena)
2:45 PM – Tank Ride for Raffle Winners
The Living History program and vehicles listed to take part are subject to health and safety, operational, weather and mechanical considerations. The Museum of the American G.I. reserves the right to amend or modify the program or withdraw vehicles at any time without notification when reasonably required in accordance with its own best-practice procedures or those of exhibit owners. As with all historic machines, the appearance of any vehicle or tank in the arena display is subject to its mechanical reliability on the day.