Project: The Corporal Larry E. Smedeley National Vietnam War Museum
Location: Orlando, Florida
Description:
The Corporal Larry E. Smedley Vietnam War Museum Inc., originally known as National Vietnam Veterans War Museum, was established in the year 2000 by The Vietnam Veterans of Central Florida.
Housed in a 1.69 acre track of land, The museum’s exhibitions include exterior static exhibitions such as a U.S. Navy Patrol Boat River, also known as “River Rat”, a Douglas A-4B Skyhawk aircraft, an A2 Jeep, a Bell UH-1 (Huey) Dustoff helicopter, and the first dedicated monument to fallen Vietnam War Veterans in the State of Florida, with 167 names of men and women from Orange County, Florida. Numerous artifacts from the Vietnam era, a room size to scale firebase recreation model that took eleven years to complete and an educational media/research room are housed, stored and exhibited in “The Main Center” building.
The museum received a grant from Heritage Preservation’s Conservation Assessment Program (CAP) which is supported through a cooperative agreement with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The program is managed by “Heritage Preservation” based in Washington D.C. ho selected William B Medellin Architect P.A. to perform an Architectural Assessment of the existing conditions.