Explore history, art on Brazos Valley Museum Trail
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – If you’re looking for a fun activity to do with friends and family, the Brazos Valley Museum Trail is something to add to the list. The museum trail is made up of several museums and art galleries from across the Brazos Valley that help participants learn more about the history and the arts in their own backyard.
The Museum of the American G.I. is a part of the trail. It’s a living history museum with military equipment, uniforms and other rare memorabilia.
“Everything that we have is original, whether it is our posters or our uniforms or our vehicles,” museum director Leisha Mullins said.
The vehicles on the museum’s first floor range from World War I to the Vietnam War.
“We’re one of the rare places that have vehicles from all of these different eras that are actually functioning,” Mullins said. “When you come in, you never know what you’re going to be able to see.”
The museum’s second floor has military uniforms from World War I to the Vietnam War. One thing that sets The Museum of the American G.I. apart; its variety of female uniforms. There are military nurse uniforms on display along with uniforms of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) and the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES).
“There are a lot of women who have served in the military, and we like to highlight their service as well,” the museum’s assistant director Jacob Anderson said. “It’s just as important.”
To learn more about The Museum of the American G.I., click here.
Another museum a part of the tour is The Children’s Museum of the Brazos Valley. The museum offers STEAM and art-based learning through a variety of hands-on activities.
The museum’s Main Street area is a hands-on exhibit many kids enjoy. It’s an area that encourages creative play and allows kids to roleplay in different areas like the grocery store, doctor’s office and the bank.
“We just love having all the kids here running around, making tons of noise,” the museum’s innovation and exhibit curator Nicole Cross said.
The Innovation Station is where a lot of the STEAM-based learning is done at The Children’s Museum. There are typically daily crafts or experiments that coincide with the museum’s monthly theme. July is space month.
“We’re learning about the different layers of the atmosphere all the way out to exoplanets,” Cross said.
There are also several activities that promote inclusivity like the Coloring Challenge. This allows kids to color while wearing 3D glasses and get a taste of recognizing colors like someone who has red/green color blindness.
More information on The Children’s Museum of the Brazos Valley can be found here.
The Brazos Valley Museum Trail runs until Sept. 4. Trail locations and information on a special drawing can be found here.
