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Here is this week’s challenge for “What is it Wednesday?” - a close up of something in the museum or our collection for you to guess what it is in the comments!What is it?! We are looking for what it might be part of within the museum and, for more of a challenge, what the exact part is and what it does! Thanks to everyone who played last week… the answer for August 28 was a ballistic computing cam in the Kommandogarat 40 fire control computer… see the previous post for the full details!Good luck on this week’s challenge! #americanheritagemuseum #historymuseum #visitma ... See MoreSee Less
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The answer to the “What is it? Wednesday” question of August 28th is one of the ballistic cams used in the German Kommandogerät 40 that is part of the anti-aircraft battery exhibit in the Defense of the Reich gallery. The Kommandogerät (“command device”) is a fire control computer that used a combination of optics and mechanical computing to develop a firing solution that would be relayed to the anti-aircraft gun crews, like the 8.8 cm Flak 36 German 88 mm anti-aircraft cannon we have displayed. What is pictured is a solid computing cam that, when combined with precision gears connected to rollers on follower arms, could solve multivariate calculus problems in real-time to provide accurate fire to track bomber formations and time shells to detonate at precise altitudes. There are a number of these cams within the Kommandogerät 40 and combined they made a powerful mechanical analog computer that made Flak the most dangerous defensive weapon against daylight precision bombing. Stay tuned for the next “What is it? Wednesday” later today! #americanheritagemuseum #whatisitwednesday ... See MoreSee Less
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Join us for a great 5K run around the American Heritage Museum grounds this Saturday, September 7th in support of the Travis Manion Foundation. We invite you to run, walk, or ruck to honor our nation’s first responders who selflessly sacrificed on September 11th and service members who have served in the wars since. Join us to raise awareness and honor the fallen. Participants get a 50% admission discount to the American Heritage Museum. For more information and to register see: www.travismanion.org/events/911-heroes-run/2024-bostonnew-england-ma/ ... See MoreSee Less
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The American Heritage Museum not only honors those who served in the service of the United States, but we also honor those who served with our allies during all wars and conflicts. Because of this, we’d like to take a moment in honor of Polish Aviation Day on August 28th, to highlight the story of Stefania Wojtulanis-Karpińska, a female pilot of the Polish Air Force at the outbreak of WWII. After the Soviet invasion of Poland in September 1939, she evacuated to Romania with the Polish Air Force and made her way to France where she once again had to flee in 1940 as France fell. She made her way to England and was assigned to the Polish Air Force Headquarters in London until later in 1940. In January 1941, she and Anna Leska became the first two Polish women pilots to join the British Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), which delivered aircraft to operational units from factories and ferry aircraft for maintenance. This role, very similar to that assigned to female WASP pilots in America, required pilots to learn and fly a wide variety of aircraft types in all sorts of weather and mecahnical conditions.As it turns out, the American Heritage Museum’s Supermarine Spitfire IX, BR601 was one of the aircraft that Wojtulanis-Karpińska flew in her career with the ATA. On July 9, 1942, she ferried BR601 from Prestwick, Scotland to its first operational unit, 64 Squadron at Hornchurch, Essex, stopping in three places in poor weather before arriving on July 11th. The photo in this post is her in BR601 and her logbook entries of those flights!74 years later, BR601 would fly once again after a full restoration by Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar and arrive shortly after in the United States to join the collection of the Collings Foundation. Though not currently on display at the American Heritage Museum, Spitfire BR601 is maintained in flying condition and is stored off site to fly at events. The next event it will be taking part in will be Green Mountain Aviation Field Days in Burlington, VT on September 14-15, 2024. Eventually, when our expansion is built, BR601 will be displayed at the AHM.#polishaviation #wwii #spitfire #supermarinespitfire #worldwarii #femaleaviator ... See MoreSee Less
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Here is this week’s challenge for “What is it Wednesday?” - a close up of something in the museum or our collection for you to guess what it is in the comments!This one might be a little more challenging! What is it?! We are looking for what it might be part of inside the museum and what exactly it might be for even more challenge!Thanks to everyone who played last week… the answer for August 21 was the crew compartment of the Daimler Mk.I Dingo scout car in the Pacific War Gallery. The Dingo was used in Burma by the 16th Light Calvary of the British Indian Army armored car regiment.#americanheritagemuseum #historymuseum #visitma ... See MoreSee Less
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American Heritage Museum Library Membership / Pass Program

American Heritage Museum Library Pass Membership ProgramThe American Heritage Museum Library Membership / Pass Program provides local libraries to offer patrons and local citizens discounted admission to the American Heritage Museum through permanent passes available for lending. Many museums in the region offer such programs to library patrons and their families and the American Heritage Museum is proud to offer the program as well to allow communities to learn more about the American efforts to fight for and defend freedom, the role of the citizen soldier in these efforts, and the role of technology in supporting these efforts.

The American Heritage Museum Library Membership / Pass Program is available for $200 annually and includes the following:

– Four (4) Reusable Half-Price General Admission Passes for up to Six (6) visitors under a single pass. Passes are not valid for special events or the annual WWII re-enactment weekend in October.

– One (1) Library Staff Membership allowing library staff, trustees, or volunteers free admission for educational and program development research.

– Member mailings of upcoming events, exhibits, and educational programs.

The passes also offer discounts on Membership purchases for the pass holder if they decide to become an Individual or Family Member when they visit. See passes for details.

If your library is interested in becoming a member of our Library Membership / Pass Program, please download and fill out the form at this link and mail with payment to:

American Heritage Museum
Attn: Library Membership
568 Main Street
Hudson, MA 01749

Or you may email it to Ryan Keough, Director of Development & Donor Relations at rkeough@collingsfoundation.org. If you wish to purchase over the phone or have questions, please reach Ryan Keough at 978-562-9182 M-F, 10am to 5pm Eastern.

Participating Public Libraries

Connecticut

North Grosvenordale, CT – Thompson Public Library

Massachusetts

Auburn, MA – Auburn Public Library

Ayer, MA – Ayer Library

Billerica, MA – Billerica Public Library

Brookfield, MA – Brookfield Merrick Public Library

Burlington, MA – Burlington Public Library

Clinton, MA – Bigelow Free Public Library

Dudley, MA – Pearle L. Crawford Memorial Library

East Brookfield, MA – East Brookfield Public Library

Fitchburg, MA – Fitchburg Public Library

Harvard, MA – Harvard Public Library

Hudson, MA – Hudson Public Library

Lancaster, MA – Thayer Memorial Library

Leicester, MA – Leicester Public Library

Leominster, MA – Leominster Public Library

Littleton, MA – Reuben Hoar Library

Medfield, MA – Medfield Memorial Public Library

Millville, MA – Millville Free Public Library

Monson, MA – Monson Free Library

North Reading, MA – Flint Memorial Library

Shirley, MA – Hazen Memorial Library

South Hamilton, MA – Hamilton-Wenham Public Library

Sterling, MA – Conant Public Library

Stoneham, MA – Stoneham Public Library

Stow, MA – Randall Library

Sutton, MA – Sutton Free Public Library

Townsend, MA – Townsend Public Library

Westborough, MA – Westborough Public Library

Westminster, MA – Forbush Memorial Library

Winthrop, MA – Winthrop Public Library

New Hampshire

Nashua, NH – Nashua Public Library

Rhode Island

Cumberland, RI – Cumberland Public Library

 

 

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WWII TANK DEMONSTRATION WEEKEND SATURDAY & SUNDAY - Tickets Available Online!

Join us this weekend for WWII Tank Demonstration Weekend, Saturday, August 17th and Sunday, August 18th! Event tickets can be pre-purchased at the link below - all museums are included in event admission. Please note: General Admissions tickets not available this weekend.