After the Storm: Evansville Wartime Museum Announces Reopening

The Evansville Wartime Museum closed in April due to extensive storm damage but is now set to reopen in August.

READ MORE: Evansville Wartime Museum Suffers Major Storm Damage

The Evansville Wartime Museum is located off Petersburg Road and is dedicated to preserving the wartime history of Evansville. If you've never been to the museum, I highly recommend you check it out, especially if you grew up in the tri-state. I recently spoke with Dona Bone, Chairperson of the Evansville Wartime Museum Event Committee, who told me the museum serves two purposes.

"Part of the museum is dedicated to the veterans from the tri-state area through many of the wars over the past 100 years or so," she said. "The other half of the museum is dedicated to the homefront efforts that took place here in the tri-state area during World War II."

As many know, Evansville was an integral part of the war effort. The museum showcases products produced during the time, gives details about the factories, and even teaches folks what life was like for the average American family during the war. It's been a while since I have stepped foot in the museum, and I'm eager to see all that has been added since my last visit. I moved back to Indiana in April 2024, but sadly wasn't able to see the new additions at that time thanks to some unwelcome bad weather.

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The Storm

On the morning of April 2, 2024, the Evansville area was hit by a large storm that produced over a dozen tornadoes across Illinois, Kentucky, and Indiana. While no tornadoes were spotted in Evansville that day, heavy wind and rain ripped through the area, causing damage to several homes and businesses. The Evansville Wartime Museum also suffered damage, which led to their sudden closure.

"We got hit by a macroburst that basically tore off the corner of the roof on the building and messed the hanger doors that we use to open up the back of the hanger and bring the planes in and out," Bone said. "The good news is, none of our artifacts were affected."

The hole in the roof let in a good amount of rain, which left a wet, sloppy mess for museum staff to clean up. For the past few months, museum officials have been working on cleanup efforts in addition to temporary repairs. After a deep clean of the floors and glass cases, officials are ready to let folks back in the doors.

Evansville Wartime Museum Reopening

On August 3, the Evansville Wartime Museum will officially reopen to the public. Hours of operation will be Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Bone noted that while temporary repairs have allowed the museum to reopen for now, another closure could be possible in the future when permanent repairs are made to the building.

In the meantime, the Evansville Wartime Museum has several opportunities for folks to learn about history. In addition to the reopening, the museum will continue to offer rides on a 1943 Sherman tank (called "Rosie's Revenge") on the first and third Saturdays of the month through October. Additionally, the museum has an opportunity for folks to ride in a Huey helicopter in August or in a WWII-era plane in September. Information about those upcoming events can be found on the museum's website or Facebook page.