Evansville Wartime Museum

What Evansville Wartime Museum does

The Evansville Wartime Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit history museum located in Evansville, Indiana, founded in 2012 and opened to the public in 2017. It preserves and exhibits wartime artifacts with an emphasis on World War II, anchored by two flagship assets: Hoosier Spirit II, a flyable P-47 Thunderbolt that holds the Indiana State Aircraft designation, and Rosie's Revenge, an operational 1943 Sherman Tank. The collection comprises more than 13,000 artifacts in total, and the institution serves a broad public audience including families, school groups, seniors, veterans, and heritage tourists.

The business model blends earned, contributed, and sponsored revenue. Earned income is generated through $14 general admissions, $100 tank rides on Rosie's Revenge, $100 helicopter rides, and bus tours. Contributed income comes from individual donations and a membership program, supplemented by corporate and civic sponsorships. The museum operates with a small team of 5 employees and a broader volunteer base, and in 2024 it received the federal American WWII Heritage City designation, reinforcing its role as a regional heritage tourism anchor.

In April 2024, a macroburst damaged the facility, and the museum reopened in August 2024. Earlier recognition includes the 2023 Outstanding Historical Organization Award. The institution does not disclose financial results, and its competitive position rests on the rarity of its collection pieces, its state aircraft designation, and its embedded local stakeholder network rather than on technology or scale advantages.

Name

Evansville Wartime Museum

Legal name

Evansville Wartime Museum

Website

https://evansvillewartimemuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Evansville Wartime Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit in Evansville, Indiana that preserves WWII history through a collection of 13,000+ artifacts anchored by a P-47 Thunderbolt and a 1943 Sherman Tank, serving families, veterans, school groups, and heritage tourists via admissions, memberships, and premium ride experiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historical Museum and Cultural Institution

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Historical Sites (71212)

akta.pro primary industry

History Museums (THAJADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF), Cultural Heritage & Historic District Tours (THAJAAAB), History, Heritage & Museum-Focused Study Tours (THAKAGAN)

Keywords

• Historical museum exhibits
• Wartime history preservation
• Interactive museum experiences
• Educational school tours
• Veteran storytelling programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Evansville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. General Admission: Visitors pay admission fees for entry to the museum, which includes access to all galleries, exhibits, the Hoosier Spirit II, Sherman Tank, and flight simulators. Revenue is one-time per visit.
2. Museum Memberships: Annual memberships lasting 12 months from purchase date offering benefits including museum discounts, invitation-only events, and North American Reciprocal Museums (NARM) membership with complimentary passes. Sold online via Zeffy platform.
3. Donations: The museum is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations accepted online, by mail, or in person. Donations can be directed to specific initiatives including vehicle restoration, collections care, educational programs, exhibitions, and maintenance. Also accepts planned giving and stock gifts.
4. Tank Rides: Rides on the 1943 Sherman Tank 'Rosie's Revenge' offered at $100 per person. Each 30-minute ride includes safety briefing, history lesson, actual tank ride, and Q&A session. Held first and third Saturdays April through October. Each trip holds four people.
5. Historical Aircraft Experiences: Helicopter rides on Huey helicopters at $100 per person. Warbird aircraft tours and rides available during special events like Warbird Weekends with B-29 and P-51 aircraft. Event admission separate from ride purchases.
6. Bus Tours: Approximately 90-minute bus tours visiting dozens of WWII sites in Evansville. Tours offered on specific dates throughout 2026. Attendees use large yellow school buses departing from and returning to the museum.
7. Pledge Programs: The museum offers P-47 Thunderbolt pledge program where donors can contribute to the ownership and preservation of Hoosier Spirit II through the Evansville P-47 Foundation.
8. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorships available for community engagement, workforce development, and brand exposure. Also includes outreach program fees for the museum team traveling to locations within 50 miles of the museum.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Evansville Wartime Museum operates walk-through galleries and exhibits covering Evansville's wartime history from WWI through present day. Core experiences center on the operating P-47 Thunderbolt 'Hoosier Spirit II' and 1943 Sherman Tank 'Rosie's Revenge', supplemented by Gleim flight simulators, tank rides, helicopter rides, bus tours of WWII sites, and veteran-led guided tours. Educational programs serve over 1,000 K-12 students annually and the museum maintains a digital archive of 13,000+ artifacts.

Product overview

Evansville Wartime Museum operates as a physical museum offering walk-through galleries and exhibits covering wartime history from WWI through present day. The core experience centers on exhibits featuring the Hoosier Spirit II (P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft) and Rosie's Revenge (1943 Sherman Tank), enhanced by three Gleim Flight Simulators included with admission. Additional offerings include tank rides, guided and private tours, 90-minute bus tours of WWII sites, the Lunch, Learn & Share lecture series, Warbird Weekend special events featuring historic aircraft, documentary films, event rentals, museum membership, and a digital archive of over 13,000 artifacts. The museum functions as an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Museum Exhibits and Galleries Walk-through galleries and exhibits covering Evansville's wartime history from WWI through present day, including the Homefront Gallery, Community Gallery, WWII Honor Gallery, WWI Honor Gallery, Korean and Vietnam War Galleries, and the Rechnic Family Holocaust Exhibit. Accessible to general visitors via museum admission.
• Hoosier Spirit II (P-47 Thunderbolt) Operating P-47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft manufactured at Republic Aviation in Evansville during WWII. One of the few flying P-47s in the world, it serves as a centerpiece exhibit representing the city's wartime contributions and is viewable as part of general admission.
• Tank Rides on Rosie's Revenge 30-minute paid ride experience on the 1943 Chrysler M4A4 Sherman Tank at $100 per person, including safety briefing, history lesson, actual tank ride, and Q&A session. Offered on the first and third Saturdays from April through October, with a 5-foot minimum height requirement.
• WWII Bus Tours of Evansville Sites Approximately 90-minute guided bus tours visiting dozens of WWII historical sites across Evansville using yellow school buses departing from and returning to the museum. Scheduled on specific dates with bookings via Clover Online.
• Private and Education Tours Private tours available to groups, schools, and organizations of 10 or more, led by museum docents (many veterans). Approximately 90 minutes standard; education tours run 120 minutes with special scheduling, pricing, and one complimentary chaperone per ten students.
• Annual Museum Membership Annual 12-month membership program offering museum discounts, invitation-only events, and North American Reciprocal Museums (NARM) reciprocal benefits with complimentary general admission and discounted event tickets at participating museums. Purchased online via Zeffy or at museum front desk.
• Huey Helicopter Rides and Warbird Weekends Special event weekends featuring visiting historic aircraft including B-17 Flying Fortress, B-25 Mitchell, UH-1 Huey, B-29 Superfortress, and P-51 Mustang with paid rides ($100 per Huey person), ground tours, and museum special-event admission ($20 individual / $60 family).
• General Museum Admission Paid one-time entry to the museum galleries and exhibits at $14 per adult, $9 for youth (6-17), seniors (65+), active-duty military, veterans, and first responders, free for children under 6. Includes access to all exhibits, Hoosier Spirit II, Sherman Tank, and flight simulators.
• Donations and Sponsorship Program 501(c)(3) donation program accepting contributions online, by mail, or in person for vehicle restoration, collections care, educational programs, exhibitions, maintenance, and the P-47 Thunderbolt pledge. Includes planned giving, stock gifts, artifact donations, and corporate sponsorship opportunities.
• Lunch, Learn and Share Lecture Series Free bi-monthly lecture series for adults 55 and older featuring presentations on local and national historic topics by recognized speakers. Held on first and third Thursdays, sponsored by the Bronstein Foundation with reservations required.
• Museum Event Rental Private event rental opportunities at the museum facility for groups and organizations. Available for various event types excluding weddings, showers, and children's birthday parties.
• Digital Archives Database Online searchable database of the museum's collection of more than 13,000 artifacts accessible to researchers and historians at evansvillewartimemuseum.catalogaccess.com. Includes artifacts donated or on loan from the community, with ongoing digitization efforts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves over 1,000 elementary students annually through school partnerships
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• VFW Post 1114minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 April 2024VFW Post 1114 at 110 N. Wabash Ave served as temporary location for the Lunch and Learn program while the museum completed building repairs. Free sack lunch provided at events.
• Indiana Historical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2023The Indiana Historical Society awarded the Evansville Wartime Museum the Outstanding Historical Organization Award in 2023. The IHS is a Smithsonian Affiliate and member of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, recognizing the museum's professional standards and community service.
• Evansville P-47 FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 October 2020The Evansville P-47 Foundation purchased the Tarheel Hal P-47 Thunderbolt (later renamed Hoosier Spirit II) on October 17, 2020. The foundation continues fundraising efforts for ownership and preservation of the aircraft.
• U.S. Department of Interior National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National Park Service designated Evansville as an American WWII Heritage City, the only such designation in Indiana. The museum was the catalyst for this designation, recognizing Evansville's wartime contributions.
• Bronstein FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Bronstein Foundation sponsors the free Lunch Learn and Share lecture series for seniors 55+, held on first and third Thursdays. This sponsorship enables free programming for the senior community.
• NARM (North American Reciprocal Museums)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe museum is a member of NARM, providing reciprocal benefits with other participating museums. Members receive complimentary general admission tickets and discounted event tickets.
• Evansville Attraction PassminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGeneral admission tickets to the museum are included with the Evansville Attraction Pass, a multi-attraction discount ticket program for visitors to the Evansville region.
• LST-325 Ship MemorialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe museum lists the LST-325 Ship Memorial as another Evansville site and museum to visit, alongside the Evansville Museum and Evansville African-American Museum.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Military Aviation Museum: Virginia Beach museum dedicated to WWII-era military aircraft, with flying warbirds and restoration programs; closely comparable focus on operational WWII aircraft as a public exhibit and experience.
• National WWII Museum: The flagship U.S. WWII museum in New Orleans; directly comparable as a WWII-focused museum with immersive exhibits, oral histories, and educational programming, though significantly larger in scale.
• EAA Aviation Museum: Oshkosh, WI aviation museum with restored aircraft, flight simulators, and youth education programs; comparable as an aviation-focused museum with simulator-based experiences and school programming.
• Lone Star Flight Museum: Texas-based aviation museum housing WWII-era warbirds with flight experiences and educational programming; comparable model of preserving and flying historic WWII aircraft for public engagement.
• Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum: Charleston, SC museum complex featuring historic naval vessels and WWII exhibits; comparable as a WWII heritage site combining large physical artifacts with educational tourism programming.
• National Museum of WWII Aviation: Colorado Springs-based WWII aviation museum with restored aircraft, flight experiences, and educational programming; closely mirrors the EWM model of combining WWII artifacts with interactive aviation experiences.
• Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum: Hawaii-based WWII aviation museum featuring historic aircraft, flight simulators, and WWII history exhibits; comparable as a site-based WWII and aviation museum with hands-on simulator offerings.
• Mid-Atlantic Air Museum: Pennsylvania aviation museum with restored WWII aircraft and an annual WWII warbirds event; comparable community-scale warbird museum with event-driven visitation.

Regional players

• Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science: Another museum operating in Evansville with overlapping arts, history, and science programming; relevant as a regional peer competing for the same local visitors and school-group trips.

Broad incumbents

• National Museum of the United States Air Force: The U.S. Air Force's flagship aviation museum at Wright-Patterson AFB; a much larger, government-operated broad incumbent with overlapping WWII aviation and military artifact content.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@evansvillewartimemuseum899
• Facebookfacebook.com/evansvillewartimemuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/evansville-wartime-museum

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Evansville Wartime Museum