Alright! If you’re into history, military vehicles or you’re just a fan of cool vehicles, the heartland museum will be your paradise. HMMV or Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles, located in Lexington, Nebraska is a full package of what pleases military and history buffs, filled with tanks, jeeps, trucks and even helicopters.
The good news is that it doesn’t have the first rule of museums: Look but don’t touch. In this museum you can even step into some of the vehicles to feel their stories behind them, too. It’s the home of military vehicles and always welcomes their fans or those who are looking for an unforgettable experience.
Read more: Top 3 Military Vehicle Museums to Visit
What is the story behind the heartland museum of military vehicles?
Usually, places like military museums are government-funded, but the heartland museum of military vehicles is built of pure passion and love. The story began in the 1980s, when a group of enthusiastic and passionate locals started to collect the military vehicles.
At first, their goal was to keep the military vehicles safe, restore and display them for their future generation. So, they can have a better understanding of their history. But this small collection slowly over the years turned into a big collection of more than 100 military vehicles, uniforms and weapons.
The HMMV is run by volunteers with their love. Nowadays, this museum has many visitors from all over the world. One other thing that makes this place more special is that many of the vehicles are more than a piece of metal. It means they’re a completely functional and real working piece of their history.
What can you find in HMMV?
If you have the chance, but you’re not sure why you should visit it, keep reading. This museum is more than just a bunch of rusted war machines. Each of them has a story behind it, and the collection is complete. Here are some highlights:
1. Tanks and armored vehicles
Many types of tanks (armored personnel carriers and self-propelled guns) that actually were used in battles are waiting for you to visit them. You can feel their strength and have a real sense of their size by standing next to them.
2. Jeeps, trucks and military transports
Have you ever thought about the soldiers’ transportation, when they have to travel through extreme weather, rough battlefields and terrains? This is what jeeps and trucks do for them. You can find classic world war II jeeps and many other trucks that were used once, in different wars.
3. Helicopters and aircraft
What could be more interesting than visiting a real helicopter, especially when you’re a history and military nerd? You can find helicopters that transferred troops in Vietnam’s war. Some of the aircraft remained untouched, displaying the scars of the war.
4. Weapons, gear, and soldier’s artifacts
Letters, medals and many personal items that belonged to soldiers once, are there. They are valuable reminders of who served their country and build the history for the future generations. The uniforms, radios and other equipment make you think of those unforgettable days.
Quick Facts About the Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Location | Lexington, Nebraska |
| Number of Vehicles | Over 100 exhibits |
| Special Feature | Visitors can touch and enter vehicles |
| Admission | Free (donations welcomed) |
| Reference Website | miltrade |
What makes this museum so special?
You may face this question: with the numerous military museums, why should you visit this one? This is their home and we tell you why in the following:
- It’s touchable: Museums usually are filled with items, behind the bothering glasses. But here, you can get up close to the vehicles, touch them and even climb some of those biggies.
- It’s run by passionate volunteers: This place represents the love of those who are interested in history and military stories and somehow is dependent on any corporate-funded projects.
- Many vehicles still work: This museum is more than some pieces of rusted metals, looking like war machines. Many of them still function and this is what makes exploring more fun and worth experiencing.
- This museum is more than just machines: Mixing war machines, stories of wars and soldiers and miracles of engineering is way too fun.
Here is a list of some of the items you can find there, that is another reason for visiting:
- M48 Patton tank
- Sherman tank
- M113 armored personnel carrier
- Armored Humvee
- WWII Willys jeep
- Kaiser Jeep M715
- Deuce and a half
- Huey UH-1 helicopter
- OH-58 Kiowa helicopter
- M1 Garand rifle
- M1911 pistol
- Various military uniforms, medals, letters and personal items
Get ready for your visit.
Now that you’re interested in it, it’s time for planning. Here are the things you have to know about this experience:
- Location: Located in Lexington, Nebraska, right off I-80, this is a perfect stop when you’re on a trip.
- Admission: Believe it or not, visiting this place is completely free. You can help them by donating if you want to.
- Hours: You can check their website to find more info about the days and hours of visiting.
- Events: If you get lucky, you can participate in time-to-time events, when they fire up the engines and run some of the machines.
- Gift shop: Buy a souvenir to always keep your military day in your mind.
Final thoughts
As I mentioned before, the heartland museum of military experience is more than a collection of old war stuff. It has stories to share, where you can feel the history. It doesn’t matter if you’re interested in machines, history wars or you’re just looking for a new and one-of-a-kind experience.
You can find them all in HMMV. So next time you visit Nebraska, don’t even think and plan your visit. You have my word that you will never regret it. I promise you a perfect memory, and lots of fun stories that you can share with your friends.
Read more: National Museum of Military Vehicles: A Must-Visit Destination for Collectors and History Buffs
FAQs
How can I find out more before a visit to the Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles?
Quite frankly, before my initial visit I checked out miltrade and found lots of fascinating information about the history of the vehicles. I would recommend you do the same.
Can visitors touch or get inside the vehicles in this museum?
One of the things that made me fall in love with this museum is exactly that. You can actually approach, touch them, and even enter some of the vehicles.
What types of vehicles are in the museum?
From M48 Patton tanks to Huey UH-1 helicopters, there’s a complete and interesting collection here that miltrade has often featured.
Is there an entrance fee to the museum?
Believe it or not, the visit is completely free. You can, if you like, make a voluntary donation to help it continue.
Why is a visit to the Heartland Museum so unique?
This is not a dry exhibit. The enthusiasm of the volunteers, the history behind every vehicle, and the ability to touch actual history make it special.
