Michigans Own Inc

Our Passion

Without nourishment, memories wither and fade into a vague, uncelebrated, unappreciated thing we call the "The Past."

Selected memories are particularly deserving of continued feeding and appreciation.  Foremost are the memories of those men and women whom fate thrust into an armed struggle on our behalf.

The Michigan Heroes Museum (MHM) exists to nurture the memories of people from Michigan farms, offices, and factories who heeded the summons to military service during America's foreign wars, from the Spanish-American War to the War on Terrorism.  MHM is unique in the United States in that it is the only repository devoted to the wartime experiences of one state's people.  In addition, the Museum includes a section dedicated to the Medal of Honor recipients, and this collection contains more Medals of Honor than any other museum in the United States.

However, it is not a museum of war, nor an archive dedicated to the strategies of war nor the machinery of battle.  Instead, it is a shrine to ordinary lives, caught up in and sometimes ended by – the extraordinary experience of war.  It is also an eloquent statement about the passing of time and the debt that subsequent generations owe to those who preceded them to preserve our Freedoms.

Located in Frankenmuth, Michigan, MHM holds over 900 exhibits, each devoted to a Michigan soldier, marine, sailor, airman, or astronaut.  Youthful faces peer at a visitor from photographs on the walls and display cases, some accompanied by pictures of the older men and women that the young warriors became.  Other faces – of those who fell – are frozen, exclusively forever, in young adulthood.  Our mission is simply to Honor, Respect, and Remember Michigan citizens' personal contributions to our nation's military and space programs.

A powerful sensation of bygone times, distant places, and desperate struggles cling to the fabric of the old uniforms worn by those on display.  The garments, the sundry accessories of brass and leather the soldiers used, and the battle souvenirs and citations they received – all leave visitors pondering the men and women more than the war (during which they served).  The artifacts communicate a sense of connection to the warrior that our present freedom and well-being are attributable to these men and women.

It is clear that these heroes could do what they did because somewhere in their souls, they understood that they were doing it for future generations.

The displays at the Michigan Heroes Museum reflect American military adventures and tragedies through the personal histories of people who might have otherwise been forgotten in the relentless press of day-to-day life.  However, the Michigan Heroes Museum focuses not just on the military's past nor only on combat.  MHM also honors the peacetime bravery of Michigan's astronauts and space pioneers, from the beginnings of rocket science to the marvel of modern space flight.

The many artifacts have been diligently researched and carefully preserved by the Museum's staff throughout the years.  They are weighty with the emotions of those who lovingly bestowed them to the Museum.  Many a widow, saddened to think the remnants of her husband's military service might end up ignored in an attic after her death, have entrusted them to the Museum, confident they would be maintained and honored.  As a result, the Michigan Heroes Museum's collection is rooted in the cherished memories of hundreds of Michigan families.