Varnum Memorial Armory Museum Now Open for Tours!
The Varnum Continentals continue to closely track the Covid-19 pandemic and follow requirements set by both CDC and the State of Rhode Island. At this time, we are open for tours at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum! TOURS AT THE VARNUM MEMORIAL ARMORY MUSEUM With a limited relaxation of stay-at-home and social distancing measures, we’re […]
1975 National Guard Recruiting Poster featuring William H. Carney
We just found this amazing 1975 National Guard recruiting poster deep in our archives at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum.
An Amazing Addition to the Jesse Whaley Collection!
Late in 2018, the family of East Greenwich, RI, native and World War I hero, Pvt. Jesse Whaley, chose the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum to be the caretaker of his uniforms and wartime personal effects (including a helmet and gas mask). A German grenade blinded Whaley at Battle of St. Mihiel in France on September 21, 1918.
Rhode Island Society of Colonial Wars Donates $9,000 to Varnum Armory
Irving C. Sheldon Jr. (President of the Rhode Island Chapter of the Society of Colonial Wars (SCW)) presented the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum with $9,000 towards the conservation and framing of the historic Bristol flags.
American Revolutionary War Pay Voucher signed by Hopkins, Greene, and Ward
At the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, we have an interesting American Revolutionary War period document featuring the autographs of three prominent Rhode Islanders including Esek Hopkins (first Commander in Chief of the US Navy), Governor William Greene Jr., and Samuel Ward Jr.
An Army in the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum
Growing up, how many of us played with toy soldiers? Some were metal. Many were green plastic. But all gave us hours of enjoyment as we fought mock battles on sandpiles and in the grass. Prominently displayed in the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, however, is a collection of tiny soldiers representing a broad swath of history.
Cold War Memorabilia: Signature of Soviet Spy John A. Walker
The Varnum Memorial Armory Museum has acquired a rare piece of Cold War memorabilia. Here’s the signature of the Soviet spy, John A. Walker, who sold U.S. Navy secrets for 18 years in one of the most damaging espionage cases of the Cold War.
[CANCELLED] Naval War College Museum and Varnum Armory Special Lecture, “The Lucky Few: The Story of the USS Kirk” with Commander Hugh J. Doyle, USN
On Sunday, March 29, the Naval War College Museum and Varnum Memorial Armory Museum will hold a special program in honor of 2020 Vietnam War Veterans Day. The event will be hosted at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, 6 Main St, East Greenwich, RI, 02818. A showing of the documentary, “The Lucky Few: The Story of the USS Kirk” will begin at 3:00 PM and will be followed by a question and answer session with CDR Hugh J. Doyle, USN (Ret.), former Chief Engineer of the USS Kirk during the Fall of Saigon.
Who Carried the British Grenadier Sergeant’s Carbine in our Varnum Armory Collection?
In a rack atop the 19th-century, glass-front bookcase in the Varnum Commander’s Office is a rare English Carbine, a scaled-down version of the British Land Pattern Musket, commonly known as the “Brown Bess”. From 1722 to 1838, the British Army used the Land Pattern worldwide and some were used by colonists as well.
Burnside Memorial Flags Update: Findings of National Interest
Here’s the update you’ve been waiting for! Several weeks ago, we moved six historic, hand-painted silk flags from the Burnside Building (Bristol, RI), to the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum for evaluation and conservation. We’ve painstakingly unfurled the flags and what we’ve found is truly amazing!
Please click through to read more and see some incredible images of these historic and rare flags!