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Background on how we got started
The Museum founding committee (members of the Marine Corps League Detachment 680, American Legion Post 66, and various other veteran groups) had, in early 2000, developed a vision of the Museum, its purpose, and near/ long term objectives.
Veterans of the California Central Coast region have for many years been Keepers of the Flame working to remind the public that freedom is not free. From providing a military ceremony for funerals and presenting a flag to the San Luis Obispo City Hall for the front entry, to teaching Scout troops respect for the American flag, local veteran groups have never ceased being civics mentors.
This Museum is the capstone project to unite all the organizations under one roof for the purpose of honoring military service and insuring that past sacrifices made by the US military will not be forgotten. In addition, the Museum will educate and prepare coming generations to take leadership roles in all facets of American life, helping to illustrate that if they don't know where the country has been, they will have no idea of where to take it in the future.
One of the valuable lessons to come out of the tragedy of 9-11 was that while a global economy brings prosperity to American shores from afar, it also provides avenues for destruction of an unprecedented magnitude. The subsequent surge in patriotism across the US indicated to Central Coast veterans that the generations expected to lead this country into a brave new world largely lacks the historical knowledge to do it well.
Museum docents illustrate to patrons that peace is not merely the absence of war, and that military history is a vital part of a national consensus. The Museum is a repository of patriotism where the principles of honor, courage and duty are illustrated in memorabilia, as lessons of the past are not to be forgotten.
To that end, the Museum is establishing connections with educational and library sites around the region and across the country. Educators will have the opportunity to help students expand their perceptions of the part military preparedness plays in the unique place Americans have established in the last quarter of a millennium as a nation.
The Museum presents a variety of illustrations, mementos and relics taken in battle, each elaborating on the rigors of defending the country, and the extraordinary heroism that is commonplace in American service men and women. Displays cover the development of weapons, history and courtesy of the Nation's flag, and the evolution of battle tactics through time.
The Museum promotes the ideal that service above self is freely given to preserve the nation. It also demonstrates that military service is an honorable calling. The Museum is intended to be:
An educational experience for students and their teachers
A research facility for anyone studying the military history of the USA
A repository for the collection of memorabilia from veterans far and wide, with emphasis on local vets
A place for the aging veterans of the area where they may come to have their stories recorded
Where history comes alive
The Museum was established to collect and preserve military artifacts, memorabilia, and recorded memories of those who have served. The Museum, staffed by all volunteers, is an educational and research facility dedicated to the bravery and patriotism of the members of all military services, with a special emphasis on our local veterans.
The Museum is housed in the lower level of the Veteran’s Memorial Building at the corner of Grand Avenue and Monterey Street in San Luis Obispo. Behind the brick building you’ll find plenty of parking and the entrance to the Museum.
The docents, often veterans themselves, are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. As docent Don Mueller says, “There are significant parts of war history and confrontations that students today simply don’t learn about; many people don’t even know about the Korean Conflict.”
Serving those who’ve served our country
A Museum like this doesn’t run itself, though. The Museum is staffed entirely by volunteers and everything in the Museum has been donated. However, expenses for realistic mannequins, lighted display cases, research, and administration, add up. Director Harry Hoover, extremely resourceful, always finds a way to make things happen. He even recruited a man from Walnut Creek to interpret the Japanese wording on a number of donated items.
Here are some ways you can help:
1) Volunteer The Museum needs docents, veteran’s history project interviewers, and other help.
Museum Docent- greets visitors, interprets exhibits, leads tours. 3 hours per week.
Docent training, orientation, Museum logoed shirt, and name tag are provided. Call: (805) 543-1763
2) Donate military memorabilia
3) Make a monetary contribution
4) Buy a commemorative plaque for the Wall of Honor. These 4” X 9” cast bronze plaques can be purchased for $300 each to commemorate your service or the service of a loved one to our country.
Visiting the Museum or volunteering are small things we can do to acknowledge the freedoms we enjoy and to honor the sacrifices others have made on our behalf.