The Liberty Bell Memorial Museum is located in Wells Park at 1601 Oak Street in Melbourne, Florida adjacent to Melbourne Military Memorial Park. The museum is free to enter, and is divided into two main components: The Rotunda of American History and Freedom Hall.[1]
Liberty Bell Museum in Melbourne, Florida | |
Established | 1985 |
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Location | Wells Park, 1601 Oak Street Melbourne, Florida 32901 |
Coordinates | 28°04′56″N 80°36′48″W / 28.0821°N 80.61331°W |
Type | Military and Local Interest Artifacts; U.S. History |
Website | honoramerica |
History
editHonor America Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to American history and heritage,[2] founded the Liberty Bell Memorial Museum. It is housed in a former concrete ground water storage tank and the pump house of the original Melbourne Water Works[3] [4] Architect Joe Vislay designed the water storage tank and pump house and contractor Robert Stitzel built it.[4]
In 2005, the organization expanded the museum, adding the Freedom Hall annex .[1]
In 2013, the museum won the Colonel John H. Magruder III Award given by the |Marine Corps Historical Foundation for excellence in depicting Marine Corps history.[5][6]
Exhibits
editThe Rotunda houses exhibits relating to American history, including a timeline of the history of the American nation, patriotic and historic artifacts, ephemera, Florida-specific history,[1] and a full size replica of the Liberty Bell.[7] The replica bell was cast by Whitechapel Bell Foundry, the casters of the original bell for the Pennsylvania State House (now called Independence Hall). It was purchased with funds raised by local schoolchildren during the U.S. Bicentennial Celebration.[1]
Freedom Hall houses militaria relating to each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces and educational exhibits regarding major conflicts in which the United States has been a belligerent.[1]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b c d e "Liberty Bell Memorial Museum -". Retrieved 2017-04-24.
- ^ "Honor America, Inc". honoramerica.org. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
- ^ Debra K. Minor, "Museum Rings Praises Of Liberty Bell", Orlando Sentinel, July 3, 1988.
- ^ a b Honor America Inc. "Liberty Bell Memorial Museum" brochure, circa 1990.
- ^ Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. "Thirty-Second Annual Awards Dinner" brochure (2013), page 13.
- ^ Maria Sonnenberg, "Melbourne museum honors America year-round: Liberty Bell Memorial Museum celebrates country and county", Florida Today, July 4, 2013.
- ^ Florida Today. The Fact Book: Your Guide to Brevard County (Melbourne, Florida: Florida Today, February 28, 2004), p. 119.
Gallery
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Front view of museum
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Front view of museum
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Melbourne Military Memorial Park