PA Museums Announces Statewide Awards for Museums and Individuals
Congratulations to the Senator John Heinz History Center for receiving an Institutional Award of Merit from PA Museums, and congratulations to Individual Award winner Sime Bertolet.
PGH Museums Affiliate Promotion
“The Vietnam War: 1945-1975” exhibited from April 13 through September 22 of 2019 at the Senator John Heinz History Center examined the controversial conflict that shaped American society.
Through powerful photographs, compelling storyboards, 20 audio/visual displays and artifacts included a 20-foot UH-1H “Huey” helicopter, the exhibit took visitors on a journey spanning the duration of U.S. involvement in Indochina, from the post-World War II advent of the Cold War to our prolonged exit in the mid-1970s.
“The Vietnam War: 1945-1975” brought to light deeply personal stories of the men and women who were impacted by the war, with a closer look at western Pennsylvania’s role, from the local soldiers who fought in combat, to those who served in support services, and protesters who participated in the anti-war movement and humanitarian causes.
To honor the region’s fallen veterans, the exhibit displayed a 22-foot-wide, 8-foot-tall replica of the Vietnam War Memorial that includes the names of 752 Americans killed during the war from eight western Pennsylvania counties.
The multimedia show, developed in partnership with the New York Historical Society, showcased key players and turning points of the complex war and explored how the conflict heavily affected our nation’s trust in government, economics, popular culture, and the identity of Americans at home and abroad.
Visitors were able to get up close with the exhibition’s largest and most iconic artifact, the “Huey” helicopter with its 48-foot wingspan, used by the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1970.
Visitors were also able to sit in the re-created 1960s living room that demonstrated why the conflict is often referred to as the first “television war.” Decorations included vibrant anti-war posters, artwork by Vietnam War vets and music by such artists as Creedence Clearwater Revival, Marvin Gaye and Jimi Hendrix, whose songs defined the soundtrack of a generation.
Congratulations to Sime Bertolet. PA Museums is happy to celebrate Sime’s accomplishments as Executive Director of the Berks History Center in Reading. Under his leadership, the Historical Society of Berks County rebranded itself as the Berks History Center, completed a MAP assessment, and secured funding for the renovation of the Henry Janssen Library and adding staff positions in curatorial and marketing. Sime Bertolet was active in the museum community with PA Museums, and he served a term as Treasurer with our Board of Directors.
Please be reminded registration is now open for our 2020 Virtual Statewide Museum Conference coming up August 24-28, 2020. Our Virtual Conference is “Pay What You Wish."