At 11:55 AM 5/28/96 EST, you wrote:
>   Wayne Hart:
>
>   How strange: What is the museum of Valor, and who is your single
>   supporter? What do you display, collect, etc? Who comes? Where is it?
>
>   Eric Siegel
>   [log in to unmask]


        Eric Siegel:

        The Museum of Valor tells the story of the common soldier in the
twentieth century and how their participation in various conflicts has
impacted today's events and shaped our future.  The museum is located in
Spotsylvania, Virginia USA.  It was featured in an outstanding article in
the Washington Post on April 5, 1996.  The museum reviewer for the paper
spent some hours with us viewing our collection.  We always read these
articles looking for ideas for our own exhibits.

        We have three collections: World War One, World War Two, and
Warriors of the Cold War (Korea through Dessert Storm).  Although our
collections are small (about 6,000 items) we maintain a small permanent
display area with more military uniforms on display than the Smithsonian,
Marine Air-Ground Museum, and Marine Museum at the Washington Navy Yard put
together.  We also display posters, equipment, photographs, and other
military memorabilia.

        Our forte is the outreach program we have which brings portions of
our collection to the public in such venues as shopping malls, libraries,
and schools.  Our recent display "The Guns of Sarajevo" April 5-6 attracted
several thousand visitors including a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at
a local shopping mall.  The exhibit paralled our current involvement in
peacekeeping in Europe to our first incursion in 1917; both events stemming
from gunfire in the streets of Sarajevo, Bosnia.

        Our library contains a large collection of video taped interviews
with veterans.  Because many veterans have been targeted by sales pitches
from many directions (including museums asking for contributions) we have
found them to be cautious when approached by us asking for interviews to
archive their experiences.  Consequently, we do not accept cash donations of
any kind and as recently as last week returned checks from veteran's
families.  We feel this establishes and maintains trust between our facility
and the veterans.

        All museum activities and acquisitions are funded by one individual,
myself.  When we tell a story in an exhibit, it is the veterans' story, not
one spawned of political pressure.

I hope this has answered your inquirery.  Please feel free to ask if you
have further questions.  After all, isn't education what we do?

Wayne Hart
Director
Museum of Valor