Living History School Day 2023

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March 24, 2023
$10 per student
9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Event Checkin 8:30 AM

Living History Schoolday is a ‘Special Event day’
the museum will not be open for regular visitation

REGISTRATION FOR THE SCHOOL DAY IS OPEN

Buy tickets for MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN G.I.
Along with the Living History Weekend, The Museum of the American G.I. hosts a Living History School Day for regional home and private school students. This is an opportunity for students to view history in a new way! The purpose is to educate students about US military history from the Civil War to the present. The program has many demonstrations and displays that will excite and engage students while honoring our veterans and their sacrifices.

The Living History School Day is an all-day program with two sessions (one morning and one afternoon) with a lunch break in between! To accommodate more students and displays, we will debut a new format – students will be free to visit the stations of their choice but on a fixed rotation schedule.  A list of stations and a general station location map will be emailed to all registered participants approx. 1 week prior to the event.

Camp Hood*:

  • WWII Living History Display (US and British Airborne Encampment), Tanks and Historic Vehicles (WWI – Vietnam), and US Small Arms

Camp Swift*:

  •  WWII Living History Displays – US Signal Corps, General Patton Van and Headquarters, US Navy Seabees and German Encampment

Camp Travis*:

  • Civil War camps, WWI Living History Displays (Allied and Axis Camps) and tour from above of WWI Trench

* – the final stations in each camp may vary slightly in response to the final event layout to allow for optimal flow of students and for social distancing (e.g., the German Camp and the Airborne camp might switch places).

Each of the three Camp will have 4 -5 stations to allow time for interaction between the students and the presenters. Students will rotate through the stations at fixed intervals.  The presentations are best suited for 2nd – 12th grades. Kindergarten and 1st grade students can register (as a convenience for parents with older children), but beware that each station will be last approximately 20 minutes with each session lasting 2.5 hours. Please take into account your child’s attention span and ability to focus when registering Kindergarten and 1st grade students.

Registration will close on March 10 or when a maximum of 300 students have registered.

The cost is $10 per student and $7 for each parent and extended family member. For private schools, 2 teachers/chaperones are free for every 10 students. The cost is the same whether you attend one or two sessions.  Life can disrupt the best-made plans, so we will refund registrations (minus the processing fee) when the cancellation request is received prior to 10 AM March 10. After March 10 we will be unable to provide any refunds.

Participants may bring a lunch or pre-order a Chick-fil-A lunch ($7.00). You will be given the opportunity to place a lunch order during the registration process. You can also come back on a later day and add lunches to your registration. The last day to add lunch registrations will be Friday, March 10 at noon.

A tentative schedule is shown below:

  • 8:30 AM – 9:15 Check-In ( near main museum building)
  • 9:30 AM – Noon – Morning Session
  • Noon  to 1 PM – Lunch (Staggered Start)
  • 1:00– 3:30 – Afternoon Session

General Information: Everyone will park at Santa’s Wonderland and enter the museum grounds from that parking lot. Morning Check-in and pre-event staging will be near the main museum building. All Camps and lunch will be at the museum demonstration ground (at the “top of the hill). All activities be outside. In the case of inclement weather (rain (except light or drizzle) or lightning), students will relocate to the main museum building to shelter in place.

Here is a small sample of what the students have experienced in the past:

The Museum of the American G.I. has one of the largest collections of restored, functioning historic military vehicles in the United States. Vehicles and equipment used in WWII to the Viet Nam conflict will be on display at the school day. Students will not only be able to view the vehicles and equipment, they will also learn how they were utilized by the military.

History will come alive for your students as they interact with our living history displays!

WWII United States Army Signal Corps encampment: Students will learn about the US Army Signal Corps as they view Camp Lili representing an encampment in a forward position in southern France. The unit is based on a signal company attached to the 441st Anti Aircraft Artillery Battalion, a part of “Camel Force” which invaded southern France between Cannes and St. Raphael in August of 1944 as part of Operation Dragoon. This area was spearheaded by the Texas 36th Infantry Division to which the 441st was attached. In addition to static displays, the following items are demonstrated at Camp Lili, many of which visitors may participate in: carrier pigeons and signal flags, field phone EE-8, switchboard BD-71, telegraph TG-5A, signal lamp SE-11, aldis lamp, Chaplin’s field organ, and field phonograph.

Camp Lili is a private collection dedicated to preserving the history of WWII and honoring those who did their part. Please follow Camp Lili on Facebook for pictures, updates, and more.

WWII German Field Encampment: View a field representation of what a German Soldier’s “home” would look like including a small tent portion and small burner stove for warming rations and cooking coffee. Everything on display would have been carried on the back of the soldier, or thrown in a truck, car or tied to the side of an armored vehicle. The display represents a Waffen-SS field/maneuver unit that operated alongside the regular army and often served as shock troops as part of an initial attack. Waffen-SS troops served widely at the front lines in action along-side HEER (Regular Army) units and were often commanded by an overall General or Field Marshall who was “regular army”. Please note: While it is a historical fact that a small number of SS became notorious for their atrocities and crimes against humanity, the entire Waffen-SS was not an organization of hate. The vast majority of Waffen-SS soldiers were simply Axis combatants. This display represents these troops that served their country with honor and distinction.

First time visiting?

Will this be your first time attending an event at the museum? If so, you might have a lot of questions about what is allowed at our events. Never fear! We want to ensure that our event is safe and fun for the whole family, so we answered some common questions here:

May I bring a drone?2022-07-21T14:30:09-05:00

No.  Only drones used for the exclusive purpose of the museum are allowed.

May I photograph events and displays?2022-07-21T14:29:52-05:00

Yes! We love seeing your photographs of our events, and don’t forget to tag us on Facebook!

May I touch the display?2022-07-21T14:29:36-05:00

Please do not touch any displays unless you have the express permission of the living historian running the display. Much of the equipment our living historians use is original, and thus easily 70 years old or more. Please respect the equipment and leave it available for future generations.

May I climb on the vehicles?2022-07-21T14:29:22-05:00

No, unless you are at a photo station or a vehicle ride, otherwise you may not climb on or into any vehicles.

Are pets allowed at the event?2022-07-21T14:29:08-05:00

Yes, if they remain on a leash and are well behaved. We also ask that you clean up after their potty breaks, as no one likes tracking poop!

Will the demonstrations be loud?2022-07-21T14:28:46-05:00

Yes, we simulate real gunfire and explosions, so there will be quite a bit of noise. We will have earplugs available for purchase at the site, but you may also wish to bring your own. Be especially aware that the noise may upset infants and young children.

Will there be seating at the arena?2022-07-21T14:28:28-05:00

Yes! We will have bleachers, though seating is very limited.  You may bring a chair if you want, but be prepared to have to carry it for long walks.

Can I pay in credit?2022-07-21T14:28:10-05:00

You may purchase tickets at the gate with a credit card. Our gift shop and select stations also accept cards. Credit card purchases will have a small processing fee added.  Cash, of course, is always welcome especially in the exact amount for the gate entry and special activities!

What should I bring or wear?2023-02-21T15:28:44-06:00

All of the History in Motion or Living History Weekend Event activities will be outside, so wear comfortable clothing and shoes that are suitable for walking on dirt and grass. We recommend a hat and sunscreen, and potentially a rain jacket or umbrella if rain is in the forecast. Don’t forget your camera for pictures and extra spending money!

Is everything handicap or wheelchair accessible?2022-07-21T14:27:41-05:00

We do our best to make our events as wheelchair-friendly as possible. History in Motion will be all outside on potentially uneven or muddy terrain (depending on the weather). All activities will be on a hill a short distance from the parking area, but we provide rides to and from this location to seniors, expectant or new mothers, and those with disabilities.

May I bring in outside food or drink?2022-07-21T14:27:23-05:00

Yes! We want everyone to stay safe and hydrated, but please leave the alcohol at home. We do not recommend bringing large coolers, so make sure everything can fit in a purse, bag, or backpack. If you don’t want to carry around lots of items, we will be selling food and water at various locations all day.

Where do I park?2023-02-21T15:27:34-06:00

Parking for the History in Motion Event is on-site. Parking for the Living History Weekend Event is at Santa’s Wonderland, make sure you park in their lot next to the museum. From there you can walk to the Museum’s gate.

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