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The Red Oak Victory's Onboard Museum shapes up!
The mission of the Richmond Museum of History is to collect, preserve, and display the history of greater Richmond. As the largest and single most important artifact owned by the Richmond Museum Association, the Red Oak Victory is perfectly suited (and sited) to tell the story of the most important period in Richmond’s life, the World War II years. Of the 747 ships launched at Richmond during the War, only this vessel remains to tell the story of that incredible time, never to come again, when men and women from all over this country worked side by side to create the greatest ship-building enterprise the world has ever seen. In the process, Richmond, and the world, changed forever. It is the mission of this museum to show what happened in the four Kaiser shipyards during those four short war years. It is also its mission to show the history of the ships that were built here, particularly of the Red Oak herself, her service and her resurrection.
This is a work in progress, like the ship itself. Eventually, the displays will wrap around the entire hold. The ideas for the initial layout and artwork came from Sarah Diaz-Bastin, an artist who grew up in the Richmond area. Working with the National Park Service, whose Rosie the Riveter Park encompasses the Shipyard 3 area where the ROV is now berthed, the ROV will eventually become the centerpiece of the Park, the key link in the chain that binds together the stories of Richmond, the world, and the War.
Donald Bastin, Executive Director, Richmond Museum Association
Lois Boyle Shows Visitor a Model of a Victory Ship - Sextant
Museum Visitor with WWII Home Front Posters - Artillery and Home Front Artifacts
Photos by David Moore |
