Whether it’s for history or national pride, you must see the Hawthorne Ordnance Museum in Hawthorne, Nevada. This unassuming museum is home to not only the largest ammunition depot in the country but the world! Incredibly, this vast collection of inert missiles even includes nuclear warheads. The Hawthorne Ordnance Museum is unlike any other museum and is a true collection of historical significance.
To visit the Ordnance Museum, head to west-central Nevada to the town of Hawthorne. It sits against a backdrop of mountains near U.S. Route 95, also known as “Freedom Road.”
Admission to the museum is free.
The museum’s history dates back to 1930, when the Secretary of the Navy commissioned the depot in Hawthorne, Nevada.
Four years prior, a tragic explosion at the Navy’s ammunition depot in New Jersey led to the decision to open a major depot opening in Nevada.
During WWII, the town of Hawthorne, Nevada and the Ordnance Museum was a staging area for most of the major weaponry used at the time.
Bunkers on site housed weapons that would be used in fighting in Korea, Vietnam, and later in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Hawthorn army depot played a very important role during many international wars in U.S. history.
Don’t let the museum’s store-front appearance fool you. Even from the parking lot, visitors can see many historic (new and old) bombs, torpedoes, and even guns that sit outside the building.
Inside, you will find many rooms with exhibits and informational displays. Guests to the museum can see military memorabilia from the 20th century.
Many of the staff at the Hawthorne Ordnance Museum are volunteers. As a non-profit, the museum plays an important role in the community as well.
For true history buffs, the museum even houses a Jeep-style M151 Mutt. You may recognize as the vehicle often used during the Vietnam War.
Find a gift store at the front of the museum to bring home a special souvenir.
In addition, visitors can get an up-close look at drone helicopters, too.
Visit Hawthorne, Nevada, to learn U.S. history in a whole new interactive way! Rather than simply a museum, the Hawthorne Ordnance Museum is an actual, working military time capsule. You will be amazed at the variety within its collection and will surely learn much along the way.
While Nevada is filled with fascinating history, it is just as full of wonderful museums! Let the state’s many museums tell the tales of long ago, like the Comstock Firemen’s Museum in Virginia City, Nevada.
Are you a lover of history and collectibles? If so, which is a museum in Nevada that you would recommend to locals and tourists alike? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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