3401 US Highway 29 Danville, VA 24540
**The museum permanently closed in 2023**
This spot is more for the big kids (A.K.A. the dads) in the family, but if you have a war history buff or older kids interested in tanks and calvary artifacts, then you’ll want to make the 1.5 hour drive to the A.A.F. Tank Museum in Danville, Virginia. The little ones are welcome to tag along and you can definitely spend a few hours wandering through the extensive collection. It’s pretty kid friendly except for a couple war reenactment exhibits that are easily skipped over. The museum also hosts interactive events throughout the year, such as flamethrower demonstrations, miniature radio control tank battles, and days where you can actually climb into the tanks and watch them drive around!
About the Museum
The American Armoured Foundation, Inc. (A.A.F.) Tank and Ordnance War Memorial Museum’s mission is to collect, restore, display, and preserve as many Tanks and Cavalry artifacts as possible. While doing so, they also educate the general public as to the sacrifices made by so many military men and women throughout the years. When seeing all of the uniforms, weapons, and artifacts you are staunchly more aware of the realities of war and the sacrifices made by so many before you.
Exhibits
You can see the full list of exhibits on the website, but below is the map of the space. It’s so much bigger than I expected, and you can easily spend a couple hours wandering through everything!
The beginning of the museum is mainly uniforms and helmets. It was pretty interesting to see all of the different styles worn over the years. I’m honestly sure how they were able to get some of these extravagant helmets on their head, let alone fight in a battle with it on!
There was also a historical toy exhibit that was fun to look at. If you bring Grandma and Grandpa with you I’m sure it would be a nostalgic time for them to reminisce with the toys of their youth.
The rifle display room was the one space that I quickly ushered my toddlers out of because there was a gory wounded soldier scene depicted behind one of the glass walls. Luckily they weren’t even tall enough to see it, but I didn’t want to take any chances. It was the only thing in the whole place that was too grown up for them, so just steer clear of that room if you have littles on board.
Tank Warehouse
After you wander through all of the rooms at the beginning, you will suddenly come to the giant warehouse that holds all of the large tanks and vehicles. This is where it gets pretty interesting, because if you aren’t in the military you have probably never seen an armored vehicle up close before. You aren’t able to touch or climb on the tanks, but there are so many you will just be amazed by their size.
There are also some other non-war historical items like dresses from historical figures, vintage cars, and a military helicopter.
Flamethrower Demonstration
We went to the museum on their flamethrower demonstration day. They have an outdoor area setup so you can decide if you want to be in the hottest zone or not. The demonstration itself only lasted a couple minutes. They torched a grill and a mannequin so you could see how fast it burnt up. For the kids it was just an exciting fire show. For the adults you will realize the terrors of war firsthand.
Remote Control Tanks
During our visit there was an area with a few remote control tanks. They had an obstacle setup so you could see how well you could navigate your tank up the ramp. The kids enjoyed seeing these vehicles drive around and the operators made it fun by driving up close and interacting with guests.
In the back of the museum there is a large area where they have remote control tank battles during certain events at the museum. We didn’t visit during one of these events, so I can’t speak on it. But it looks like it would be a fun space to see the tanks battle it out!
Gift Shop
Before you leave don’t forget to visit the gift shop. There are toys for the kids, memorabilia for the adults, and even some models you can take home to build yourself. My husband is a bit of a war history buff, so he spent some time here! My kids just wanted the toys!
Admission
If you want to plan a visit, keep in mind that the museum is only open on Friday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm and last admission is at 3:15pm. Cost is $15 per adult, $10 for children age 5-12, and kids 4 and under are free. Memberships are available if you plan on visiting frequently. And don’t forget to check their calendar for their upcoming demonstration days! December 19th is half price admission day, so if you have family in town this might make for an interesting day trip!
If you’re looking for something a little closer to home, don’t forget to check out the NC History Museum in downtown Raleigh. They don’t have tanks, but it still might appeal to the history buff in your family!