National Museum of Military Vehicles — Attraction in Dubois

The National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois, WY is an absolutely phenomenal and world-class experience! From the moment I walked in, I was blown away by the incredible attention to detail and the passion behind every exhibit. The collection of restored tanks, jeeps, aircraft, and artillery is simply stunning—each piece beautifully preserved and thoughtfully displayed.

What really sets this museum apart is the storytelling. You’re not just looking at machines; you’re stepping into history. The interpretive plaques, multimedia displays, and knowledgeable staff all work together to bring stories of bravery, ingenuity, and sacrifice to life in a powerful way. This is the second time we visited - we were lucky enough to have Dan Starks, the owner, give us a guided tour our first time. Now THAT was quite the experience.

The layout is easy to navigate, and I especially loved the recently added Vietnam War section. (The reason for our return visit) I was absolutely blown away by how well it was done — immersive, informative, and emotionally powerful. It not only captures the military history of the era but also conveys the complex human stories behind the conflict with great depth and sensitivity.

I can’t recommend this museum highly enough. Your $23 general admission gets you 2 days into the museum, an amount of time you can easily spend here if your goal is to really dive into the history. We have a family of 5, 2 adults and 3 kids with the oldest being almost 5 years old. He was starry eyed the whole time, especially with a little challenge issued by the friendly staff to find a snake hidden somewhere in the exhibit. If the kids could find the snake and give the staff the color, they got a little prize. Whether you're a history enthusiast, a veteran, or someone just passing through, this is an...

A national treasure in Dubois, Wyoming!!! It is not just about the museum and its incredible artifacts, but to understand this is one mans personal collection (accepting no state, federal or other donor funds) and his passion for honoring veterans and preserving history for generations to come. We were fortunate to have participated on a 3+ hour tour with Dan - check Facebook the day of your visit and take advantage of the tours offered. We also came back a second day for two additional hours to get more into the weeds but barely scratched the surface. You get 2 consecutive days of admission for the price.

The museum opened August 2020 with the very large WWII exhibit and the weapons vault. In May 2021, the Korean and Vietnam war exhibits opened. Have been to museums all over the world and this is one of the best designed ones (was told Disney Imagineers assisted). The lighting, the backdrops, information and storyboards, etc. are all top notch.

To give you a sense of what you will see, the weapons vault has Patton’s service revolver, Wyatt Earps Colt 45, and the best piece, the musket that fired “the shot heard around the world” - the first shot at Bunker Hill to start the Revolutionary War. And over 400 other weapons. In the main exhibit halls you have a Higgins Boat, Sherman Tank (his first purchase), a Vietnam helicopter and hundreds of other cool things. My personal favorite is the Red Ball Express where you feel like you are walking through the middle of the truck convoy.

We were told they are in the early planning stage to open an annex to display artifacts from post-Vietnam to present. Spend a couple of days in Dubois to visit this museum and not drive by it on the way to the Tetons or Yellowstone. We will definitely be back. ...

One thing I found most fascinating was the ability to see how big some equipment was compared to others. Photos of individual pieces only show the scale of size if the photographer is intentional about it. To see it fully restored Panzer next to a fully restored Sherman is quite a site. The impressive presentations of war time comparison of equipment, supplies, production and how groups of people in different countries is informative as well.

Another thing to appreciate is the quality of the restorations. A tour guide said that 95% of the equipment is fully operational. I like museums that have un-restored items as well, but this museum has most things looking like they are brand new. It shows you how they looked as they were coming off the ships in ww2 rather than something that was unfunctional and worn-out 60 years ago and has been rusting out ever since.

Even the items that do show rust and wear can be further appreciated more than other museum's items because these are in "used condition" rather than "salvageable parts condition". This shows what items may have looked like after hard use, but still fully ready for service.

I would give yourself no less than 2 hours to get through it if your only going to read a few plaques in each room. If your into military history you could spend...