Military Heritage Museum

The Military Heritage Museum in Punta Gorda, Florida, honours the legacy of America's armed forces by preserving and sharing the stories of those who served, across all branches and eras of US military service. It first opened on Pearl Harbor Day 2001 in Fishermen's Village with artifacts donated by local veterans, who also built display cases and volunteered as docents, and retired Air Force Brigadier General Paul W. Tibbets Jr., pilot of the Enola Gay, served as its first honorary chairman until his death in 2007. The museum moved to larger premises in 2007, expanded again in 2013, and now operates a 17,000 square foot facility at 900 West Marion Avenue with more than 20,000 artifacts, veteran museum guides, flight simulators, graphics, live performance and audiovisual exhibits. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.

Exhibits and experiences

• Flight Ops simulator room on the second floor, where visitors fly military aircraft, plus a virtual reality experience with options such as Air Force Special Operations scenarios and a smokeless laser gun range
• First-floor galleries including a 21st Century Gallery and War Room and a First World War trench display, and the Gulf Theater for presentations, films and ticketed events
• A Bell UH-1 Iroquois Huey, the Vietnam War icon described as the most recognisable helicopter in the world
• A Training Center with live presentations, a virtual tour of the museum online, and the Veterans History Project recording veterans' stories

Education and visiting

Programmes include a History Academy on Saturdays and in summer for 4th to 8th graders, camps and mini camps, and a youth summer internship programme. The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with reduced simulator and virtual reality hours in May, June and July, and closes on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is 18 US dollars for visitors aged 15 and over, 14 dollars for veterans, 10 dollars for youth aged 5 to 14, and free for active duty military, children under 5 and sustaining members, with annual and sustaining memberships available. Supporters listed on the site include the Charlotte Community Foundation, Florida Humanities, the Selby Foundation, the Patterson Foundation, AmeriCorps Seniors and Florida Arts and Culture, and visitors come from all 50 states and other countries.

Shows

The Military Heritage Museum appears in the sponsor lists of the Florida International Air Show 2026, where it is listed as a presenting sponsor.

Contact

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