FROM THE DIRECTOR

Dear Friends of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum,

I hope this finds all of you well and safe. This issue comes to your hands at an exciting time, as we have just reopened after a long layoff due to coronavirus. It is wonderful to see the museum back to full life and welcoming visitors again! As much as we are about history and our collections, the museum is also about sharing stories with our visitors, researchers, and students. You’ll see from these pages and the museum exhibits that we have not been idle while closed either.

As usual, there’s a lot in these pages. This issue pays great attention to the attacks of September 11, 2001, which occurred 20 years ago. It doesn’t feel that long ago and, like many people, I can clearly remember where I was when it happened. (I was the ranger on duty at Chancellorsville Battlefield Visitor Center, for the record.)

Looking back, 9/11 set the stage for much that has occurred over the past two decades. That date is an important milestone in history that grows in significance the further we move from it. For Wisconsin, there are numerous ties to the events of that day and its immediate aftermath; you’ll learn about some of those in this issue.

Another major topic we address here is the transition to post-pandemic life. Yvette Pino, Curator of Veteran Art and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, and I were talking about that, and we realized that there are broad parallels comparable to coming home from a prisoner of war camp or a deployment. The entire society is about to go through a similar transition. To help people find perspective, we compiled veteran accounts of those experiences and present them in this issue. They appear alongside some graphics about the pandemic’s U.S. death toll relative to American wars and notable battles.

We continue our extensive online offerings, provided with the critical help and support of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum Foundation. I encourage everyone to see what is available on our website.

Some of you also may have seen recent media reports about a possible new future for the museum east of the Capitol at the corner of Webster St. and East Washington Ave. Although much remains to be determined, conversations and studies are happening now, and we are excited about the possibilities. The next 5-10 years here will be a great journey, and we look forward to having you along as we move the Wisconsin Veterans Museum forward.

Best wishes to all of you, and thank you for your continuing support. Hope to see you at the museum soon.

Best,

Chris Kolakowski