The National Memorial Day Museum

We visited on Memorial weekend so the place was busier than usual. The museum chronicles the history of Memorial Day in Waterloo, presents the key figures who started and promoted the event, and discusses what led to Waterloo receiving official recognition as the birthplace of Memorial Day. It was interesting to learn that various other places around the country vied for the same recognition, but that Waterloo provided the most compelling and comprehensive set of evidences. There are some related exhibits on the second floor, one on the subject of Vietnam War.nnAdmission is free. A visit should not last more than an hour.

Excellent tour. Very sweet and knowledgeable tour guide. I highly recommend this museum!

I was in Waterloo to visit my family, the LeBruns. They took me to this museum and I was very impressed. The history and knowledge this museum offers is exceptional. Each room told a story and the exhibits were amazing. I love the fact that this museum is dedicated to the birth of Memorial Day which started in Waterloo and tells the story of The Civil War to the Vietnam War. It would be very hard to find an American family that this museum doesn’t touch their lives.nnI heard Waterloo wanted to close the museum and put the exhibits in a library. If you did this the respect and dignity this museum has would be lost. I saw the museum sign and asked my family if they would take me there. I would never had known about it if it had been placed in a library. It deserves to be where it is out of respect. If you want people to know where Memorial Day started and give them a reason to remember your town then this museum should stay where it is now.nnI noticed it being Memorial Day that the building needed painting. I would think the government has grants to help with the cost of repairs and upkeep. I also would suggest the different flags outside the building that would help attract more people. With a little love and care this could really be a hot spot in Waterloo. The right publicity I could see Good Morning America doing a segment there on Memorial Day and historical magazines doing a story about the museum in a little town called Waterloo,NY. After all, it is the birthplace of Memorial Day.

We go to that town a lot.

Good place to learn some local and national history