Soldiers on opposing sides draw their weapons and steady them. As they fire, members of the audience gasp, watching in suspense as the soldiers charge forward. At the Pennsylvania Veterans Museum, anyone can experience history reenacted before their very eyes.
Mayor McMahon and World War II Navy Combat Veteran Ed Buffman came together in 2005 to open the Pennsylvania Veterans Museum as a way to honor veterans and teach the community about their legacy. It originally began as a World War II museum featuring local interviews of World War II veterans and memorabilia on display before expanding to different exhibits expounding the Korean and Vietnam wars.
The museum also films war reenactments for World War II in the Pacific, Women in the Military, and a few others. These films are accompanied by lesson plans for the general public and are available for both high school and middle school educators in either 2-day or 5-day lesson plans.
Jolene Buffman, Museum Administrator, encourages families to take a trip down to The Pennsylvania Veterans Museum so they can learn about “Veterans, their legacy, the stories that we tell… these are all things that people should know.” The museum invites anyone with an interest in the military and history to learn the stories of both the living and fallen soldiers who sacrificed themselves for the sake of protecting our country
Currently admissions to the museum are free of charge. The Pennsylvania Veterans museum is located on Media Armory 12 East State Street Media, PA 19063. paveteransmuseum.org
