MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. – September 11th is a day of remembrance of the lives lost during the terrorist attacks in 2001. While there are many events held in Central Florida and throughout the United States, some families are keeping history alive by visiting local museums.
The Brevard Veterans Memorial Center and Museum in Merritt Island has exhibits and memorials paying tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice, but you don’t even have to walk through the doors of the museum to see it.
The Brevard Veterans Memorial Center in Merritt Island houses a 6,000 square feet museum on three floors, showcasing every period of American conflict history including the terrorist attacks on 9/11.
“It’s important to remind people about 9/11. To tell the story and then tell the story beyond that -- what happened in the global war on terror after we went to the fight,” said Former Army Captain Donn Weaver who helps run the museum. “We have big pieces of the pentagon that were given to us by a special donation, pieces of the trade center in our plaza. It’s a lot of history here.”
The museum includes thousands of wartime artifacts like a military jeep, letters from World War One and Medals of Valor. There’s also a Veteran’s Memorial Park outside with warplane displays, monuments and areas to quietly reflect on the sacrifices made. The museum is free and open to the public, but you can also visit virtually touring the museum from the entrance through the exhibits on all three levels. The virtual tour is self-guided with 360 degree views from inside and outside of the museum and plaza. By clicking around, you can access different areas of the museum and even go up and down stairs to access different floors.
Through the virtual tour, you can take to the plaza and view the Veteran’s Memorial Park and the 9/11 memorial that includes pieces of the World Trade Center. You can also view the wartime planes and tanks.
Click HERE for a virtual tour of the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center and Museum.
Weaver encourages parents to keep history alive by bringing their children to museums like this one.
“Youth are so important. We want them to understand the past, the present and the future,” said Weaver.
The Brevard Veterans Memorial Center is part of the Museums of Brevard Passport Program where students can get a special passport stamped at different museums around the county and the opportunity to be recognized during the school board meetings.