An Afternoon of Fun at the Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center

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Thank you, Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center, for inviting us to visit and for sponsoring this post!
An Afternoon of Fun at the Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center | Duluth Moms Blog
 
This grey, mild weather. It’s enough to get anyone down, but moms in particular. Where are our hot summer days, perfect for slathering up the kids with sunscreen and tossing them out in the backyard to play all afternoon?! How much longer do we need to think of alternative plans with which to entertain the whole crew?
 
Just when we thought we’d have to resort to drastic measures (I was seriously considering setting up the wading pool in the living room), Duluth Moms Blog got a call from Hayes Scriven at the Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center over the bridge in Superior. Would we like to come take a visit of the center?, he asked.
 
Sarah, and her two kiddos Ara (3) and Orion (1), decided to check it out. Here’s what she had to report.
 
Instantly, and before we even walked into the front doors of the center, we were greeted with warm and welcoming smiles. Many friendly volunteers, veterans, and families were congregating for a Flag of Remembrance Ceremony. The American flag is respectfully raised at 9 am each Friday by an honor guard from American Legion Post #435. The honor guard lowers the flag the following Friday. The flag is then returned to the family with a certificate commemorating the event and the Veteran’s name is written in the Flag of Remembrance memorial book.
 
 An Afternoon of Fun at the Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center | Duluth Moms Blog
 
Family or Friends who would like to honor a deceased veteran are asked to provide the flag of the deceased Veteran to be raised over the Center, a photograph of the Veteran for display in the Center’s lobby, and a short biography of the veteran to accompany the photograph.
 
Most of the time, my kids don’t know how to sit still or stay quiet, but I was surprised to find them both watching in awe through the short 10 minute ceremony. It was really powerful to witness. Of course, once the ceremony ended, the first thing my kids noticed was that the Historical Center sits right next to Superior Harbor View Park! It’s a great park with equipment for all ages and abilities. It’s also fenced in by wood to protect little ones from the traffic of the highway and the Historical Center parking lot (yay for safety!). 
 
The inside of the museum is set up so visitors can visualize how the soldiers lived during the different wars and what the environments were like during each era, while the tour itself felt modern and organized. Like I said, my kids hardly ever stay entertained for long periods of time, but we spent over 2 hours looking through the Center and taking in the infinite number of details and displays. I admit, I was terrified to bring 2 kids under 4, but they really did have a blast! Orion was in awe over the huge airplane and other big machinery. They even had a bomb (empty, of course)! The Center also has a cute little dry erase wall where you can write encouraging love notes and thank you notes to our local veterans who have served.
 
Hayes gave us the scavenger hunt to complete during our visit. If the kids finish the scavenger hunt as they walk through the Center, then they get a little trinket from the gift shop on their way out. Ara got a little metal airplane that she absolutely loves. I also splurged five dollars to get her engraved dog tags.
 
An Afternoon of Fun at the Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center | Duluth Moms Blog
 
One of my favorite parts about the tour was the “Soldiers Without Guns” wall. It was a wall dedicated to the women who served during World War II. I absolutely loved that they had a solid section of the Center dedicated to how working women were an integral part of the war effort. The gift shop was also decorated with many Rosie the Riveter items. 
 
My kids loved the area of the Center that gave them the opportunity to try on replicas of uniforms that soldiers once wore. So often museums are strict with little ones re: no touching, but the Historical Center had SO many interactive things to do! The kids got to trace and transfer names from the Memorial Wall of Names onto paper (which is an activity that’s included in the scavenger hunt). We read so many names of local veterans who served; it was really cool to see.
 
An Afternoon of Fun at the Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center | Duluth Moms Blog
 
When the tour was over, the fun didn’t stop! After Ara got her surprises from the gift shop, we headed outside to go to the park. We were pleasantly surprised there was a HUGE army tank outside that the kids could go up to. It took our breath away! And because the park is next to the Center, we spent some time playing. There are tables so you can easily pack a picnic lunch and make a full afternoon outing at the Historical Center and the neighboring park. We ended up spending almost three and a half hours there for fun, and my kids never once complained that they wanted to go home! 
 
An Afternoon of Fun at the Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center | Duluth Moms Blog
 
The Center offers a ton of activities and tours for families, classes, and kids, so be sure to take every advantage of the Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center. It’s truly a gem of a place here in the Northland, and it excels at making learning about the brave history of our Veterans fun and accessible for kids.