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.
Great time to bring friends and family to the American Heritage Museum. Battle of the Bulge Weekend continues through Sunday and the museum will be open this Monday and Tuesday. Happy New Year to all!
Become a Member of the American Heritage Museum
Membership to the American Heritage Museum is your way to assure we keep the collection on display and growing each year. Your donation will provide critical funding to aid in the maintenance, restoration, and operation of our historic collections. Most importantly, you will help us to continue to carry on the mission to honor our veterans and educate future generations about their importance in history.
Annual Memberships
Annual Memberships include one year of unlimited admission as outlined below to the American Heritage Museum, free admission or discounts to special event tickets at the American Heritage Museum, a 10% discount to the museum store or PX, a window decal, and a subscription to member publications.
Student Membership – $35 Annually for Students 18 and Under – Membership for one student under 18 years of age. Includes unlimited admission to the American Heritage Museum for one year, member card, a CF and AHM window decal, free admission or discounted Special Event tickets (see event for specifics), 10% off gift shop purchases, subscription to all member publications, and the opportunity to apply to volunteer at the American Heritage Museum.
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Individual Membership – $60 Annually – Membership for one person. Includes unlimited admission to the American Heritage Museum for one year, member card, a CF and AHM window decal, free admission or discounted Special Event tickets (see event for specifics), 10% off gift shop purchases, subscription to all member publications, and the opportunity to volunteer at the American Heritage Museum.
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Participating Membership – $100 Annually – Membership for one person. Includes unlimited admission to the American Heritage Museum for one year, member card, a CF and AHM window decal, free admission or discounted Special Event tickets (see event for specifics), 10% off gift shop purchases, subscription to all member publications, and the opportunity to volunteer at the American Heritage Museum. Also includes a $50 voucher to use toward a tank driving/riding experience.
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Dual Membership – $100 Annually – Membership for two adults. Includes unlimited admission to the American Heritage Museum for one year, member cards, a CF and AHM window decal, free admission or discounted Special Event tickets (see event for specifics), 10% off gift shop purchases, subscription to all member publications, and the opportunity to volunteer at the American Heritage Museum.
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Family Membership – $140 Annually – Membership for up to two adults and all children 18 and under in the same household. Includes unlimited admission for two adults and all children 18 and under in the same household to the American Heritage Museum for one year, member card, a CF and AHM window decal, free admission or discounted Special Event tickets (see event for specifics), 10% off gift shop purchases, subscription to all member publications, and the opportunity to volunteer at the American Heritage Museum.
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Lifetime Membership
A Lifetime Membership to the Collings Foundation and American Heritage Museum includes unlimited admission for two adults and all children under 18 in the household and up to five additional guests (family or friends) to the American Heritage Museum, also included are two (2) experience certificates for an AHM Tank Ride Experience on either the M24 Chaffee, M4 Sherman, or M36 Jackson. Also includes special discounts to special event tickets at the American Heritage Museum, a 10% discount to the museum store or PX, a window decal, and a subscription to all member publications.
Lifetime Membership – $3000 One Time Contribution – Support the Collings Foundation and the American Heritage Museum in a major way while enjoying lifetime benefits.
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Corporate Memberships
Annual Corporate Members of the American Heritage Museum are valued partners who help the programs of the museum grow while offering enhanced access to their own employees and business partners. A variety of levels are available for businesses from small to large.
Corporate Memberships (Annual)
Click here for more information on the levels and benefits for annual Corporate Memberships.
