American Police Hall of Fame and Museum [FL]

Description

The American Police Hall of Fame and Museum, founded in 1960, is the nation's first national police museum and memorial dedicated to law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Through interactive displays, simulators, and artifacts displays, the Museum educates the public about the history and current trends of American law enforcement. The Museum also features a state-of-the-art 24-lane indoor gun range and helicopter rides.

The museum offers a memorial chapel, exhibits on law enforcement, helicopter rides, and periodic special events. The website offers visitor information, an exhibit map, a virtual tour, police history, a calendar of events, and information about the memorial.

Fort Lauderdale Fire and Safety Museum [FL]

Description

The Fort Lauderdale Fire and Safety Museum is located in Fire Station 3 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The museum is currently under construction, but is open to the public on Saturdays, and chronicles the history of the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department while working to educate the public and schoolchildren in basic fire safety.

The museum is currently under construction, and only offers limited exhibits and hours. When completed, the museum will have exhibits focusing on both fire safety and the history of the fire department, and will offer tours and field trip programs. The website offers visitor information, a virtual tour of the museum, information regarding exhibits and museum collections, and information regarding upcoming events.

Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum [MA]

Description

Ventfort Hall is an Elizabethan-style mansion built in 1893 for Sarah Morgan, the sister of J. P. Morgan. Designed by the architects Rotch and Tilden, it is located in Lenox, Massachusetts, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The home is also home to the Museum of the Gilded Age. Currently, the home is partially restored, and contains exhibits, presentations, and special events that give visitors a view into life during the Gilded Age.

The mansion and museum offer concerts, tours, exhibits, and presentations. The website offers a history of the mansion, along with visitor information and an events calendar.

Milwaukee County Historical Society, Center, and Historic Sites [WI]

Description

The Society operates the Historical Center, in the 1913 Second Ward Savings Bank building, as well as several historical sites, including Trimborn Farm, Jeremiah Curtin House, Lowell Damon House, and Kilbourntown House. Trimborn farm lets visitors take a giant step back into pioneer times. They can delve into Victorian-era industry, reminisce about 19th-century farm life, and witness Wisconsin culture come to life as embodied by the immigrant entrepreneur Werner Trimborn, his family, and his employees. With help from a stone mason, Irish immigrant David Curtin built the first-of-its-kind stone Jeremiah Curtin House in the Old Town of Greenfield in 1846. Started in 1844 by Oliver Damon and completed in 1847 by his son Lowell, the Lowell Damon House is Wauwatosa's oldest residence and stands as a classic example of a colonial home. Built in 1844 by Benjamin Church, Kilbourntown House was originally located in the area of Milwaukee known as Kilbourntown. This building was moved to Estabrook Park in 1938 and serves as a fine example of Greek Revival architecture.

The society offers research library access, lectures, and occasional recreational and educational events; the Center offers exhibits and tours; the Farm offers tours and occasional recreational and educational events (including living history events); the Jeremiah Curtin House offers tours; the Lowell Damon House offers tours; Kilbourntown House offers tours.

New Bedford Whaling Museum [MA]

Description

The New Bedford Whaling Museum chronicles the history of the whaling industry in New Bedford and New England in general. The museum also serves as a local history museum, with exhibits on New Bedford’s past.

The museum offers a variety of exhibits pertaining to whaling and New Bedford, special events such as lectures and presentations, and educational programs that operate year-round. The website offers visitor information, a calendar of events, a summary of all exhibits, and information regarding educational and special programs.

Winter Quarters State Historic Site [LA]

Description

Winter Quarters Plantation is one of the few true Southern-style plantations to survive the Civil War. The home was built in 1805, and eventually grew to over 2,000 acres, manned by 300 slaves. The home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, and today serves as a historic house museum. The home is furnished with period furnishings, and contains copies of diaries and other personal records from the tenants.

The home offers tours, interpretive programs and events, and special tours for field trips. The website offers a history of the site, visitor information, links to nearby attractions, and a virtual tour.

Jerusalem Mill at Gunpowder Falls State Park [MD]

Description

The Jerusalem Mill is over 228 years old, and operated continuously for two centuries. Today, the mill serves as the Gunpowder State Park headquarters and visitor center, and offers a variety of exhibits. In addition to the mill, visitors can also explore the surrounding village. Both the village and the mill are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The mill offers a variety of special events, including blacksmithing demonstrations and living history exhibits, and offers exhibits on park history. The website offers a brief history of the park and visitor information.

Hudson River Maritime Museum [NY]

Description

The Hudson River Maritime Museum is the only museum in New York State focusing exclusively on the maritime history of the Hudson River, its tributaries, and the industries that developed around it.

The museum offers both indoor and outdoor exhibits on Hudson maritime history, special events, guided tours of the museum, and boat rides to the historic Roundout Lighthouse. The website offers visitor information, information regarding school tours, and an events calendar.

Jackson Public Fire Education Center and Fire Museum [MS]

Description

The Public Fire Safety Education Center and Fire Museum provides an entertaining and educational showcase of history of fire fighting through exhibitions of artifacts while providing knowledge, skills, and education necessary to prevent the loss of life and/or property to the ravages of fire. The museum was first opened in 1993 after a substantial bond issue voted on by the citizens of Jackson was passed.

The museum offers visitors a variety of exhibits, such as an 1870 parade uniform, communication equipment, pictures, helmets, and fire apparatus. The museum also offers both individual tours and tours designed for local schoolchildren. The website offers basic historical and visitor information regarding the museum.