Traveling trunks taken to classrooms

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Daryl Knee
  • 90th Space Wing Public Affairs
F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. --  Members of the Warren ICBM and Heritage Museum are updating a program that has been in place for about 15 years.

Paula Taylor, museum director, has been taking trunks filled with various education tools to school classrooms ever since she started working here in 1983.

"We have the opportunity to visit college level or preschool level classes to disseminate our mission to as many age groups as possible," Mrs. Taylor said. "And, oh my gosh, the kids love it."

When visiting the lower school levels, the trunks taken contain many items dating from the late 1800s to the World War II era. Mrs. Taylor passes out dolls equipped with accurate clothing for their time and different historical toys to the students to provide hands on learning.

"We think the students learn more if they have something to hold onto," Mrs. Taylor said. "It lets them draw a comparison of what we use today to what they used back then."

Mrs. Taylor then discusses trail life and life on the post as a spouse or child. She explains the different perspectives of the Soldiers stationed at the post throughout Warren's past.

"We try to bring history alive," said Tech Sgt. Dan Lyon, assistant museum curator. "We always wear our old regalia when we do the visits to make it that much more real."

The traveling trunks outreach program's demonstrations can last from 45 minutes up to two hours.

"We can't leave," Mrs. Taylor said. "We have to physically take away the toys from the children when the presentation is over. We go into the schools to help meet their curriculum and come out with the students knowing the mission of the base and museum."

These programs and demonstrations are an extension of the museum.

"9/11 changed the way we do things," Mrs. Taylor said. "We are not as easily accessible anymore, so we put together programs that allow us to share our mission outside the gates.

"I'm really proud of our programs," Mrs. Taylor said. "We've done a substantial amount of work covering this vast amount of history. We'll continue to grow and offer more and more programs"

School teachers can call the museum at 773-2980 to schedule a time when they can bring the educational demonstrations to the students.

(Editor's note: This is part three of a three part series on museum programs.)