| Fredericksburg, TX – The National Museum of the Pacific War invites the public to attend Stories of Service: 250 Years of the American Military, a family-friendly festival celebrating 250 years of American service through hands-on history, live demonstrations, and community programming on Saturday, March 21. Throughout the day, visitors can explore interactive booths representing every era of American military history, from the American Revolution to today. Partner organizations and historians will bring each period to life with artifacts, demonstrations, and firsthand stories that allow guests to experience history up close. The event will also feature live military working dog demonstrations, a dog obstacle course, a costume contest, and activity stations designed for all ages. Guests can attend a keynote presentation, enjoy a live choir performance, and experience a projection-mapping program in the Historic Nimitz Ballroom featuring immersive historical imagery. Visitors are encouraged to begin their experience in the Hobby Courtyard (508 E. Austin St., Fredericksburg) where they can pick up event information and start exploring the festival across the Museum campus. Scheduled highlights begin with a 10 a.m. opening ceremony featuring keynote speaker Chris Willingham, retired Master Sergeant and President of the United States War Dogs Association, Inc. Active-duty military working dog demonstrations will take place in the Hobby Courtyard at 10:30 a.m. and noon, followed by flamethrower demonstrations at the Pacific Combat Zone every hour from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A 1 p.m. choir performance will also be held in the Historic Nimitz Ballroom. Stories of Service offers a meaningful opportunity for visitors of all ages to learn how generations of Americans have served their country while connecting with history in an engaging and welcoming environment. For more information, visit: https://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/event/stories-of-service-250-years-of-military-service-festival About the Texas Historical Commission The Texas Historical Commission is the state’s official historic preservation agency. It preserves, operates, and manages 42 state historic sites, the Texas Heritage Trails Program, Texas Main Street Program, Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program, and many more heritage tourism and historic preservation initiatives across the state. The Texas Historical Commission’s mission is to protect and preserve the state’s historic and prehistoric resources for the use, education, enjoyment, and economic benefit of present and future generations. For more information, visit thc.texas.gov. About the Admiral Nimitz Foundation The Admiral Nimitz Foundation was established in 1971 as a 501(c)(3) Texas Corporation to provide additional development funding for the Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Naval Museum, a museum honoring Fredericksburg’s native son and Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces, Pacific Ocean Area. The sole purpose of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation is to raise funds for the National Museum of the Pacific War and to manage its operation. About the National Museum of the Pacific War The National Museum of the Pacific War (NMPW), founded in 1967, is the only institution in the continental United States dedicated exclusively to telling the story of the Pacific and Asiatic Theaters in World War II. The Museum annually welcomes more than 120,000 visitors, including at least 15,000 students from across the state. The museum sits on six acres in downtown Fredericksburg, Texas featuring three galleries with more than 55,000 square feet of exhibit space, 40 media installations, approximately 900 artifacts, 15 macro-artifacts, and hundreds of photographs. The Museum is a Texas Historical Commission Property, managed and supported by The Admiral Nimitz Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization. For more information,
visit http://www.pacificwarmuseum.org. Follow the museum on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. About Smithsonian Affiliations Smithsonian Affiliations is a national outreach program that develops long-term collaborative partnerships with museums, educational, and cultural organizations to share Smithsonian collections, build collaborative networks, and engage learners of all ages with Smithsonian resources. More information is available at www.affiliations.si.edu. |
