Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Hours of Operation

• Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  Sundays, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
  
  Please call ahead and speak to site staff for our Holiday Schedule, (845) 561-1765.

  Presidents Day
  Monday, February 19, 2024
  The Hall of Honor will be open.
  
  
  Easter 
  Sunday, March 31st, 2024 
  The Hall of Honor will be CLOSED in recognition of the holiday.
  
  
  Memorial Day (observed)
  Monday, May 27th, 2024 
  The Hall of Honor will be open.
  
  
  Independence Day 
  Thursday, July 4, 2024 
  The Hall of Honor will be open.
  
  
  Veterans Day 
  Monday November 11, 2024 
  The Hall of Honor will be open.

WHERE THE JOURNEY BEGINS
This gallery features stories, interactives, images and a short film about deployment. It represents the path from entering service, through training and deployment as well as the following features:

• Timeline corridor: offers a photographic representation of America's major 20th and 21st century military conflicts, beginning with WWI and concluding with Operation Iraqi Freedom. Each conflict is separated by a case highlighting one of the five branches of service
• The timeline interactive at the end of the timeline offers information about the full range of conflicts for which there are known or possible Purple Heart recipients
• Deployment Film: This approximately 11-minute silent film features images of military personnel being deployed overseas, from WWI to the present
• Temporary Exhibit: The Hall of Honor has a Temporary Exhibit case which offers us the opportunity to provide rotating, subject focused exhibits. The current exhibit highlights the contributions of Chaplains during the Purple Heart journey.
• Serpentine Wall:The Wall offers images of entering service and initial training
• Changing Nature of the Combatant: Uniforms and equipment representing the evolution of the uniforms and equipment of service personnel. The Interactive kiosks offer detailed information about the artifacts on display.

THE ROLL OF HONOR
Visitors may sit at one of the six computer stations and access The Purple Heart Roll of Honor by engaging with our interactive computer database. The Roll of Honor is an ongoing work in progress, as there is no comprehensive list of Purple Heart recipients. The Roll of Honor does represent all 50 States, Puerto Rico, Guam, Samoa, the Philippines and the District of Columbia. There are recipients from the American Civil War through today.

THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT
This gallery features cases highlighting the day of incident through images, documents, letters and personal recollections of Purple Heart recipients.

• The Changing Nature of Warfare Case: This case represents the changing nature of the weapons and equipment of war from the Civil War to today. The Interactive kiosks offer detailed information about the artifacts on display.
• UH1-H Helicopter: The UH-1H model on display is an original helicopter. Although it is not clear if it was used in Vietnam, the model is correct for the 1968-1970 time period we are interpreting in the display. It is configured for Medical evacuation or "Dust Off" as it would have been called at that time.
• Evacuation Film: Set in the helicopter the video has ambient sounds to accompany the visual journey of evacuating the wounded from the battlefield. It represents a timeline from the Civil war to the present.

CARE AND TREATMENT
This area presents images, documents, stories and artifacts highlighting the nature of care and treatment of the wounded over our Civil war through today timeline.

• Changing Nature of Care Case: The artifacts in this case are highlights of medical equipment, medications, prosthetics and surgical equipment. The Interactive kiosks offer detailed information about the artifacts on display.

ROAD TO RECOVERY
This area provides the visitor to learn about how recipients deal with the long-term consequences of their injuries.

• The Lenticular Wall: This wall offers "then and now" images of 36 Purple Heart recipients. It is designed to let the visitor understand that Purple Heart recipients are all around us as family, neighbors and friends.

ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
This gallery area commemorates Purple Heart recipients who have lost their lives due to enemy action.

• Ultimate Sacrifice Interactive: The interactive provides interviews with Gold Star* family members, voice-talent readings of letters home as well as images and documents and commemorations for those who lost their lives.
• *A Gold Star lapel pin is given to family members of those who were killed by enemy action. It derives from the Gold star banner that was formerly hung in the front window of a house to indicate the death of a son or daughter caused by enemy action.
• Serpentine Wall: This wall highlights the experiences of mourning and commemoration of those who have lost their lives.