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.
Holocaust Remembrance Day Special Ceremony
January 27 @ 12:00 pm, ending 2:00 pm
Free
On Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 27th, the American Heritage Museum will commemorate the induction of a special film that will be shown from inside a WWII railcar from the Deutsche Reichsbahn. The purpose is to provide visitors with a direct connection into the terrors of the Holocaust and how Nazi Germany’s anti-Semitism led inexorably to genocide.
We are solemnly inviting you to participate in the dedication program which will include the reciting of the Kaddish, lighting memorial candles, and remembrance of the Holocaust and the people who perished during this horrible time. The dedication ceremony will start at 1:00pm and last roughly a half hour. The Museum will be open and free to attend from 12:00pm to 2:00pm.
We believe this exhibit will serve as a powerful symbol that connects visitors with the stark reality of the Holocaust. Standing before this relic, one can imagine the unimaginable – the inhuman conditions, the fear, the uncertainty, and the sheer terror that innocent men, women, and children endured as they were transported to the death camps. The rail car and film are a tangible reminders of the suffering and dehumanization inflicted upon millions.
Additionally, going forward, the rail car will serve as a focal point for discussions about bystander apathy, collaboration, and the moral responsibilities of individuals and institutions when hatred is left unchecked.
If you are planning to attend, please RSVP by email at this link to admin@americanheritagemuseum.org – thank you.
