The American Heritage Museum is open today! Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Open 10am to 5pm.
Hello all good people! The American Heritage Museum will be open on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 20th, 10am to 5pm. We are looking forward to seeing you soon.
The American Heritage Museum is excited to announce the launch of a new restoration project aimed at restoring a rare and historically significant piece of original World War II armor: the Type 97 Tankette “Te Ke,” used by the Imperial Japanese Army.![]()
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Read the full article at: www.americanheritagemuseum.org/2025/01/rare-japanese-type-97-tankette-te-ke-restoration-project-b...![]()
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The Type 97 Tankette was a light armored vehicle developed and employed by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Introduced in 1938, the Te-Ke was designed as a reconnaissance and infantry support vehicle, embodying Japan’s focus on lightweight, mobile forces. ![]()
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The Type 97 Tankette was powered by a 65 horsepower, inline 4-cylinder diesel engine, giving it a top speed of around 26 mph. It featured a two-man crew: a driver and a gunner/commander. Armament included either a 37 mm Type 94 tank gun or a 7.7 mm Type 97 machine gun, making it effective against lightly fortified positions and infantry but inadequate against heavier tanks.![]()
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Our particular project vehicle has been determined to be a variant of the Te-Ke that was specifically designed as a gas scattering vehicle to either deploy chemical agents such as mustard gas or other chemical agents offensively or similarly scatter agents to counter poison gasses defensively. Vehicles in this role carried their scattering agents in a towed tracked trailer and though we do not have one of these trailers, we are actively looking for one to add to the restoration.![]()
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The rare Type 97 Tankette will be restored at the American Heritage Museum by our restoration team over the next 3-4 years and will include a full overhaul of the original and rare Ikegai air-cooled diesel engine that is part of the project. We intend to restore it to operational configuration as a running tank and it will eventually become part of an enhanced exhibit documenting the years leading up to World War II. The restoration team is seeking any technical materials, drawings, or documentation of the Type 97 Tankette type – so if you have any resources to assist, please email us at admin@americanheritagemuseum.org
A huge THANK YOU to our hardy re-enactors, dedicated volunteers, and enthusiastic guests for braving the cold and muddy conditions this past weekend for the Battle of the Bulge History Experience! This was our first cold weather outdoor experience and we were happy to welcome so many visitors who took part, deploying in the M3 Half Tracks to our slice of the Ardennes Forest! Please enjoy a selection of photos from Warren Disbrow and Roland Brooks from the weekend! Let us know if you think we should plan another in 2025! #AmericanHeritageMuseum #battleofthebulge #tanklife #WWII #worldwar2 #worldwarii #WorldWarIIHistory #1944 #visitma #hudsonma
Looking for an adventure with the kids during school break? Come visit us at the American Heritage Museum! We are open today (Monday 12/30) and tomorrow (Tuesday 12/31), 10am to 5pm. Fun activities and Jim will have the game board set up.
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Battle for the Airfield WWII Re-Enactment Weekend
October 12, 2024 @ 8:30 am, ending October 13, 2024 @ 5:00 pm
$25 – $40
EVENT IS RAIN OR SHINE
The American Heritage Museum presents the Battle for the Airfield World War II Re-Enactment, one of the premier events of its type in the United States! There will be over 350+ re-enactors representing several branches of Allied and Axis military participating in encampments and two battles each day. Fully restored military equipment of all kinds will be on display and operating in a captivating living history event. Allied and Axis camps will be set up with authentic materials and appearance. Re-enactors act as docents who share a wealth of information about life as a WWII military person. WWII Veterans from all ranks and branches of service will participate in a roundtable discussion.
Gates open at 8:30am each day and close at 5:00pm. Battles take place at 11:00am and 3:00pm. The WWII Veterans Roundtable begins at 1:00pm in the hangar.
All three museums will be open: The American Heritage Museum, The Historic Aviation Hangar and Classic Automobile Barn. This is a unique opportunity to see some of the world’s most rare aircraft, extraordinary American classic automobiles, historic tanks, armored vehicles, military artifacts and much more.
There is over 100,000 square feet of space within the American Heritage Museum and Hangar combined.
Food and beverage will be available for purchase on site and picnics are allowed.
Daily Schedule
8:30am – 5:00pm – Gates Open – All museum buildings, displays, and encampments open to visitors.
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9:00am – 5:00pm – Tank Rides Open (scheduled and walk-up) – Woods driving grounds by Allied Camp.
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9:00am – 5:00pm – Paint-a-Tank Children’s Activity – For kids of all ages – come to the Paint-a-Tank tent in front of the main museum to get a 3D printed tank to paint in the battle colors YOU choose! $5 Donation per tank.
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10:00am – 5:00pm – WWII War Gaming & Modeling Demonstrations – Mezzanine level of Aircraft Hangar – Guides will be demonstrating tabletop strategy war gaming and modelling in the hangar through the day.
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11:00am – 11:45am – “Battle for the Airfield” – WWII Re-Enactment #1 – Performance Area / Airfield – Over 300 Allied and Axis WWII re-enactors clash on the airfield in a historic onslaught featuring operating tanks, halftracks, military vehicles, and artillery! Battles are fully narrated and feature amazing pyrotechnics!
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1:00pm – 2:30pm – World War II Veterans Roundtable – Aircraft Hangar – Join our invited veterans of World War II in the hangar for an opportunity to hear their stories of combat and service during the war nearly 80 years ago. As most of our veterans are 96 and older, this is a wonderful opportunity to honor them and ask them more about what their experiences were like.
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3:00pm – 3:45pm – “Battle for the Airfield” – WWII Re-Enactment #2 – Performance Area / Airfield – Over 300 Allied and Axis WWII re-enactors clash on the airfield in a historic onslaught featuring operating tanks, halftracks, military vehicles, and artillery! Battles are fully narrated and feature amazing pyrotechnics! (same scenario and outcome as the AM battle)
4:00pm – 5:00pm – (Saturday) ‘Love Letters From The Front’ – A musical tribute to the veterans of WWII. Featuring Bob Dicicco and Wendee Glick. Actual letters are read aloud between GI’s and their families with music of the 1940’s being performed.
5:00pm – All museum grounds, buildings, and encampments close for the day.
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Event Map
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Advance Sale and Event Day Admission Tickets
Daily Admission
Single Day pricing for the Saturday and Sunday events are as follows:
$40 Adults | $35 Seniors/Veterans | $25 Children Under 16
WWII/Korean War Veterans and Children Under 3 are Free – No ticket required.
Two-Day Admission
Weekend Passes Available for Two-Day Admission for both days
$70 Adults | $60 Seniors/Veterans | $40 Children Under 16
Buy Tickets Online Today!
Daily Admission
Weekend Passes
Tickets may also be purchased the day of the event by Credit Card or Cash at the entry gate on the access road as well.
MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT PRICING
Members: 25% off event tickets.
Tank Rides Available
Tank and Half Track Rides will be taking place over the weekend. You can register online, by phone, or on-site, but spaces are limited! No tank driving experience programs available this weekend.
Tank Ride Experience Prices:
– M24 Chaffee (10 minute ride) – $595 per group of Three (3) persons – two in the turret, one in the bow gunner position.
– M4 Sherman (10 minute ride) – $595 per group of Two (2) persons – one in the turret, one in the bow gunner position.
Schedule your tank driving or ride experience above or call 978-562-9182 to reserve.
