The exhibit, Veterans, marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and invites visitors to reflect on the legacy of the Greatest Generation, highlighting the stories of five West Michigan veterans.
Grand Rapids Public Museum Chief Curator Alex Forist says visitors will see rare artifacts, uniforms, photographs, and handwritten documents that bring these powerful stories to life.
“We are doing it in partnership with another museum, the Michigan Heroes Museum over in Frankenmuth, Michigan. It’s a museum that is dedicated to telling the stories of Michigan veterans and we at the Grand Rapids Public Museum wanted to support that mission and give them a platform over here on the west side of the state.”
The stories span from the battles of Iwo Jima to the skies over Europe, from prisoner-of-war camps in the Pacific to the liberation of Nazi concentration camps in Germany.
“This was a great opportunity to share their stories of service and sacrifice with the community. We've got five World War II West Michigan veterans from a variety of branches of service, from a variety of backgrounds that had a variety of outcomes to their service to try and cover a lot of different angles of World War II.”
As a participant of Blue Star Museums, the Grand Rapids Public Museum always offers free admission to currently serving military personnel and their families.
With the new exhibit opening Friday May 23, the museum is extending free admission for the weekend to all veterans - active or retired - and their families.
The museum is closed on Monday for Memorial Day.
