Soldiers Memorial Military Museum

10/16/2026

Soldiers Memorial Military Museum is heading to Jefferson Barracks for a special bicentennial celebration 🇺🇸

Join us Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. We’ll be there sharing information about the museum and showcasing items from our teaching collection.

Explore 200 years of history at the oldest operational U.S. military installation west of the Mississippi!

Join us for the Jefferson Barracks Bicentennial Celebration! 🎉

We’re excited to welcome you to Jefferson Barracks for a once‑in‑a‑lifetime 200th anniversary celebration of the oldest operational U.S. military installation west of the Mississippi!

📅 Date: Saturday, October 24
⏰ Event Time: 10:00 AM –1:00 PM
🚪 Gates Open: 9:00 AM (entry may close once capacity is reached)
📍 Location: Jefferson Barracks Air National Guard Station (ANGS) (Access to the base and festivities will be through the Main Gate at Hancock Ave and Center Drive. Plan to park near the Jefferson Barracks Telephone Museum via Gregg Road or the General Atkinson Shelter off Grant Road. There will be signs to guide you).

✨ What to Expect
• Family‑friendly activities
• Delicious food trucks
• Historic sights and special presentations
• Keep your eyes on the sky for exciting flyovers! ✈️

🅿️ Parking
Parking is available in Jefferson Barracks Park, with guests entering the installation on foot.
ADA parking: 74 Kearney St. (St. Bernadette Catholic Church)

🎒 What to Bring
• Clear or small bags (10” x 8” x 10” or smaller)
• Larger diaper or medical bags allowed (subject to inspection)
• Factory‑sealed, non‑alcoholic drinks; reusable bottles may be inspected
• Strollers and wagons welcome
• Cameras with non‑telephoto lenses allowed

🚫 What to Leave at Home
Weapons, alcohol, drones, and anything prohibited by military security.

10/16/2026

During World War II, Jules A. Addor served as a Carpenter's Mate, 2nd Class in 6th Naval Battalion Construction "Seabees" of the U.S. Navy. Prior to service, he was employed in carpentry.

Sadly, he was killed in action in 1942 in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.

His name is inscribed on the Court of Honor at Soldiers Memorial, and he was awarded the Purple Heart.

Today we remember his service and sacrifice.

10/14/2026

On November 4, 1927, US Army Air Corps Captain Hawthorne C. Gray launched a balloon flight to break the world altitude record and test equipment for aircraft operations in the substratosphere.

🕑 2:13 PM: Gray enters the balloon.
🕝 2:24 PM: The balloon leaves the ground.
🕒 2:44 PM: He disappears into a cloud.
🕞 3:17 PM: Gray notes, “Clock frozen.”
🕓 4:05 PM: The balloon reaches a peak altitude of 42,470 feet.
🕟 4:28 PM: The balloon’s descent slows, suggesting Gray has lost consciousness.

The balloon and gondola were found the following day near Sparta, Tennessee. Gray was still inside, unfortunately having died during the flight.

But his sacrifice wasn’t the end of the story...

🔗 Read the full blog to see how his flight inspired a new generation of stratospheric explorers, and how the National Geographic Society, Dow Chemical, and Goodyear teamed up to build the largest balloon ever made to finish what he started: https://mohistory.org/blog/stratosphere-flights

10/14/2026

“We in America do not build monuments to war. We do not build monuments to conquest. We build monuments to commemorate the spirit of sacrifice in war — reminders of our desire for peace.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt upon dedicating Soldiers Memorial Military Museum on Oct. 14, 1936.

10/12/2026

Opening November 11 at Soldiers Memorial, War Toys: Ukraine shares the experiences of children affected by war through their drawings and staged photographs by internationally recognized photographer Brian McCarty.

The exhibition offers a powerful look at how children process and communicate their experiences of conflict, bringing their stories to light and highlighting the importance of psychological support for children and families.

This exhibit is a program of ExhibitsUSA, a national division of Mid-America Arts Alliance and National Endowment for the Arts.

📅 November 11, 2026– January 3, 2027
📍 Soldiers Memorial Military Museum
🔗 For more information: https://tinyurl.com/yhh5njuy

10/09/2026

The St. Louis Regional Veterans Day Parade returns to downtown this November! 🇺🇸

Wave an American flag, make a thank-you sign for a veteran, and enjoy FREE activities throughout the morning. We'll have face-painting, a patriotic bouncy house, and balloon animals!

Plus, keep an eye out for our special Honorary Grand Marshal: Uncle Sam 👀

The celebration begins at 9am, and the parade arrives at 10:30 on Chestnut Street, on the south side of Soldiers Memorial.

📅 Saturday, November 7
📍 Soldiers Memorial Military Museum
🎟️ Free

Find more event details here to plan your visit: https://tinyurl.com/mszkxxe3

10/08/2026

During World War II, Willard C. Kreitler served in Company C., 603rd Tank Destroyer Battalion, 6th Armored Division.

Prior to service, he was employed as a lumberman, raftsman, and/or woodchopper.

Sadly, he was killed in action in 1944 in France.

Today we remember his service and sacrifice.

10/07/2026

🚌 Hop on a free shuttle from your local St. Louis County Library branch and ride straight to Soldiers Memorial Military Museum.

Join us for an outdoor guided tour of Soldiers Memorial, exploring its architecture and memorial elements in the heart of downtown St. Louis.

Along the way, a museum staff member will share the story of how the 1923 bond issue reshaped this corner of downtown into what you see today 🗣️ On the return trip, ask away during a live Q&A.

📍 Clark Family Branch Library
🗓️ Wednesday, October 28
🕛 9:30am-12pm
🎟️ $18
🔗 Register here: https://tinyurl.com/5crt3ayk

10/06/2026

📆 You're invited for a morning of conversation at the Library & Research Center.

2026 marks the 100th anniversary of "Down the Old Santa Fe Trail: The Journal of Susan Shelby Magoffin," and we're celebrating with a discussion of the journal's lasting significance in Santa Fe Trail scholarship.

We'll also mark the 180th anniversary of the Mexican-American War and explore Missouri's pivotal role in the conflict, plus much more.

📍 Library & Research Center
📆 Saturday, October 10
⏰ 9:30am
🎟️ This event is free, but you can reserve your spot using the link in our bio!

10/05/2026

Thank you for joining us for our Hispanic Heritage Celebration honoring Hispanic women veterans.

We’re grateful to our incredible panelists — Esmeralda Aharon, Ana M. Jerez, Frances Sablan, and Josephine Santana — and to moderator Gabriela S. Ramírez-Arellano for sharing powerful stories of service, resilience, and leadership.

And thank you to everyone who came out to listen, connect, and be part of the conversation.