American Heritage Museum's Military History Through the Ages

If you looking for a living history event in Massachusetts the American Heritage Museum next event is Military History through the Ages. They will be hosting a series of reannactment encampments from the Revolutionary War to Vietnam on August 7th and 8th from 9-5 each day. There will be a variety of presentations from differnt military groups but their camps will be open for you to tour during the event.

I've been to their WWII event and written about it here several times. The military camps are an amazing learning experience. Something that can't be matched from a book or movie. I've been to Revolutionary War encampments hosted by local reannactors at other sites and again the ability to see, hear, and ask questions about life for the people who where living at the time is a unique learning experience for adults and children both.

Along with the encampments the Museums will be open to tour as well during your visit. I've seen the cars, planes, and tanks several times now but the main museum was just opening during our last chance to visit. I'm looking forward to touring it this visit.

Admission for the Saturday and Sunday events are as follows:

$25 Adults | $20 Seniors/Veterans | $15 Children Under 12

Members, WWII/Korean War Veterans and Children Under 3 are Free – No ticket required.

You can purchase advance tickets or find out more about the event by going to the website here.

Collings Foundation: Battle for the Airfield

The Collings Foundation will be hosting their second event of the year Saturday and Sunday October 6-7 8:30-4:30. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children. You can find more information here.

The Battle for the Airfield is a World War II event that includes the opportunity to tour the Collings collection and to participate in World War II themed activities. There are tents for Allied and Axis troops that you can tour, see and speak with reenactors to get an idea of what life was like for a World War II soldier. The Battle is fought twice once at 11 and again at 3 each day and by all accounts the outcome is pretty much the same all four times with minor alterations that always occur when anything is live. Just a hint the allies always win.

I feel fortunate to live in an area that celebrates history. Growing up I always had opportunities to explore Colonial and Revolutionary War history, sometimes in my school's backyard. Last year I had the pleasure of bringing family to a World War II experience at the Collings Foundation. Despite the pounding rain, it was an amazing day. The younger kids in the family got to explore exhibits and visit and talk to renanactors from allied and axis camps. Considering the pounding rain visiting the tents was a relief from the wet. Again despite the weather what impressed me most was how willing the reanactors were to answer the children's questions no matter how basic. They treated them with respect and answered them, providing the kids with age appropriate information based on the questions aksed.

The rain delayed the Battle as the planes were having trouble getting into the air. However the kids were interested in pointing out where they'd noticed the tanks from our previous visit during the Spring tour. They wondered if they'd get to see them in action during the fight.

It is a war, people do get killed in the battle although nothing too gruesome. For those with noise issues it gets loud at times with the artillary going off. I suggest chairs or blankets for watching the Battle although with the rain nothing made it too comfortable.

We are planning a trip back this year hoping for better weather and the opportunity to really see and take in all the experiences offered. If the kids enjoyed it this much in the rain I can only imagine it will be even better if we can get their on a rain free day.

That being said the rain did get one of the older kids to comment how awful it must have been to live like that when it rained, so perhaps the rain helped bring some reality to the situation.