Memorial Museum and neighboring Melbourne Military Memorial Park in Melbourne, FL I believed I would find a big bell, a couple pictures and maybe an empty field. But let me be the first to tell you that I was pleasantly mistaken. This is a very interesting place!As you approach the front of the museum, you realize the structure seems somehow familiar. And it should. The building that houses the artifacts used to be a typically round water treatment facility
. Lucky for us, all of those parts have long since been removed and the remaining structure is a super-strong shell to house the replica of one of America's greatest treasures. This is the centerpiece of the Museum - the Liberty Bell, with all the original markings, just none of the cracks.
This version of our Symbol was cast in the same foundry
that created the Bell in Philadelphia, shares the same inscriptions, and was made in celebration of our country's Bicentennial. The coolest part? There is a rubber mallet offered for guests to actually ring the Bell! The multi-tonal sound is mellow and slightly higher pitched than I was expecting.In addition to the Bell are many artifacts relating to every war the in which the United States has been involved. Non-war related items date back to pre-Revolutionary times. Other displays include fascinating reproductions of famous documents, many portions handwritten by the original authors.
The adjacent room is the military portion of the museum and includes historical and memorable pieces from at least 16 different countries. Uniforms, helmets, patches, and weaponry
are assembled here and somehow create a poignant sense of reality among viewers. Be sure to check out the photographs of graduating military classes from the 1910's and earlier.Outside the Museum are the grounds of the Melbourne Military Memorial Park where national days of observation are celebrated. To quote from the pamphlet, this three-ring area has "a monument for each branch of the military organizations, a civil war monument, and ten monuments with descriptions of the ten major wars."
All in all, this is a great way to educate a group, celebrate the lives lost in conflicts around the world, or to simply ring the Bell that symbolizes America's freedom
. It's a cool place.Admission is free, however they do accept donations and sponsorships. To learn more about the Liberty Bell Memorial Museum, please click the name.
Click HERE for a map.
I was the docent on duty at the Liberty Bell Museum on Saturday 10/9/2010 when the Lady who created this Web Site visited our Museum and took these pictures. I would like to thank her for the kind comments and her endeavor in creating this Web Site.
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