coronavirus long island

Reopen News: Museum exhibit adapts WWII posters to COVID fight

ByJeremy Murn WABC logo

Friday, July 31, 2020

Museum exhibit adapts WWII posters to COVID fight

A new art exhibit at a museum on Long Island has repurposed posters created during World War II and adapted them to the fight against COVID-19.

OLD BETHPAGE, Long Island (WABC) -- A new art exhibit at a museum on Long Island has repurposed posters created during World War II and adapted them to the fight against COVID-19.

The Museum of American Armor in Old Bethpage reopened on Friday from restrictions in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The museum teamed up with Dr. Erik Villard, Digital Military Historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History, to present his innovative reinvention of motivational patriotic posters first created by the War Department during World War II.

From G.I.s prepared to throw hand sanitizers, as opposed to hand grenades, to a masked Uncle Sam leading a charge against COVID, the posters are situated throughout the museum, adjacent to its tanks, artillery pieces, and uniformed mannequins.

"Dr. Villard has repurposed World War II posters which were encouraging the homefront and our fighting men to spur them on against the enemy. And now 75 years later we're repurposing them, or Dr. Villard has and using them in our museum to remind people to be on guard, to be vigilant against COVID," volunteer Kevin Carroll said.

The Museum of American Armor has some 40 operational military vehicles within Nassau County's Old Bethpage Village Restoration.

Its re-opening hours are Friday to Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

An admission donation of $15 for adults is requested, $10 for seniors and veterans, and $8 for children.

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