WGCU News featured the Veterans History Museum in a Culture and Connections story by reporter Elizabeth Andarge, published October 2, 2026. The story follows the museum from its start in 2006 to its new home inside the Collier Museum at Government Center.
What did WGCU report?
According to the story, the museum began with two veterans collecting military memorabilia at flea markets and yard sales. When they were offered space at the Naples airport, they set up two picnic tables to show their collection. Today it is a volunteer-run museum with artifacts from conflicts across American history.
Museum President Dave Hinds, a Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War, told WGCU about the cases added since the 2025 move:
“We started adding some extra cases: the Korean War, Vietnam War and the Gulf Wars. Plus, we honor the women in the military.”
Dave Hinds, museum president, to WGCU News
Hinds said one of the museum’s biggest challenges is making sure younger generations remember the history behind the glass cases. Two young siblings who visited during the story came for the aircraft models and uniforms, and left talking about the human cost of war and the value of peace.
“When people walk in, we try to have something from every war to remind them of their great-grandparents, their fathers, their sons, their brothers.”
Dave Hinds, to WGCU News
Read the full story on WGCU.org
New plane models on display
New custom plane models are now on display, along with other items from the collection. The models line a long table in the gallery and show military aircraft from several eras. One highlight is a model of the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, signed by the entire original crew.
The museum’s collection holds approximately 10,000 artifacts. Pieces rotate through the galleries, and items not on display are kept in storage until their next rotation, so there is often something new to see.
Admission is free. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., inside the Collier Museum at Government Center, 3331 Tamiami Trail East, Naples.
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