Museum History
Groundbreaking: The Museum & Educational Center
In the spring of 1993, preliminary plans for the Memorial‘s companion project, the Vietnam Era Museum, began as a result of the call for an educational component by veterans, students, and teachers in the state.
Visits to other state memorials, as well as the national memorial, demonstrated the need to teach children about the Vietnam Era. Regular meetings of the Foundation‘s Vietnam Era Museum Planning Committee, New Jersey historians, veterans, museum professionals, and educators continued through February 1994.
In April 1994, a master plan was presented and served as the first step in the development of the Museum. From this master plan, details developed defining the center‘s internal layout, display and audio/visual content and supporting programs. When the Memorial structure was completed, the Foundation began work on the Museum.
Funding the Museum
When Governor Christine Todd Whitman took office in 1994, the Foundation truly gained a supporter. Her inaugural committee made a $25,000 donation that was greatly needed. Fundraising for the project had been difficult and the committee was unsure how to obtain the $1.2 million needed to complete construction of the Memorial. John Whitman, a Vietnam Veteran himself, stepped forward to help the cause.
At a meeting in September 1994, Governor Whitman announced her support for the project and named her husband and Lawrence R. Codey, then president and COO of Public Service Electric and Gas Company, to head up the final fundraising push for the Memorial. Codey, also a Vietnam Veteran, and John Whitman quickly put together a committee of business leaders who in six short weeks came up with the funds needed to complete the Memorial. The plan was to dedicate the Memorial on May 7, 1995, to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.
In February 1995, the Foundation received more good news when the casino industry agreed to fund the Vietnam Era Museum. Each of the 11 casinos donated $250,000, through the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.
In 1995, the Foundation began working with Meredith Lair, a graduate student, who would write an outline for the story that would be told in the exhibit. A committee of historians, educators, museum professionals, and veterans worked with Lair. In 1996, the Foundation hired Ralph Appelbaum and Associates to design the museum, after putting out a bid for design services and design proposals. RAA is world renown for its work on the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The RAA team worked with Lair and the committee to begin turning words on paper into a unique three-dimensional experience.
Writing the Story
When a first draft of the exhibit script was given to the Board in September 1997, the veterans‘ community responded with displeasure. They felt that the story did not portray them in a positive light and did not tell a balanced story of the war. The initial committee was expanded to include more veterans. The committee began the long and arduous process of reviewing the exhibit script sentence-by-sentence. The committee would work for 8 months on the script that would guide the entire design and layout of the exhibit area.
As the exhibit script was being revised, plans for the building were also changing. RAA suggested a new design for the building, which the Board agreed with. However, the design was limited by the funds available to complete the project. A series of changes were made and construction finally began on the Museum.
On September 27, 1998, Governor Christine Todd Whitman, John Whitman and U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona, a former POW who spent over 5 years in the Hanoi Hilton, joined a large crowd to dedicate the Vietnam Era Museum.
The Vietnam Era Museum is the only one of its kind in the United States. Dedicated in September 1998, the Center is devoted solely to gaining an understanding of the violent conflict in Southeast Asia and the surrounding political strife in America. The years of hard work paid off, as the Museum received rave reviews from veterans and educators alike. The goal of telling a balanced story of America‘s involvement in Vietnam had been achieved.
The Vietnam Era Museum and cultural complexities of the war years. It complements the solemnity of the Memorial.
Plan Your Visit to
The Museum & Educational Center
Tuesday – Saturday, 10 AM – 4 PM.
We have picnic tables on the grounds to accommodate lunches.