Press Release
January 23, 2018
Contact: Steve Hawkins
Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-0754
shawkins@okhistory.org
www.okhistory.org/historycenter
Oklahoma History Center Adds Helicopter Flight Simulator to Vietnam Exhibit
OKLAHOMA CITY — In the fall of 2017, the Oklahoma History Center opened its newest exhibit, “Welcome Home: Oklahomans and the War in Vietnam.” Hundreds of patrons have visited that exhibit since the opening. A new attraction has just been added that heightens the interactive aspect of the exhibit. Digital Design of Green Bay, Wis., a company specializing in interactive multimedia applications and exhibits, has produced a helicopter flight simulator that puts the patron in the pilot’s seat of a Huey helicopter.
With a widescreen monitor displaying the flight path, the operator has the task of leaving a landing pad and flying over a tropical jungle to a site to rescue their fellow soldiers and return them to safety. It should be noted that this is a rather difficult task and small children should not attempt the operation.
“Welcome Home” looks at more than the historic events that occurred during the war. It explores the impact of the war on Oklahoma families, as told through the stories of the young men and women who served their country in the armed services and the immigrant families who fled Vietnam and came to Oklahoma seeking freedom and opportunity. Artifacts on display include uniforms, POW items, weapons and personal communications to and from service members and those at home.
“Welcome Home: Oklahomans and the War in Vietnam” will be open for two years in the E. L. and Thelma Gaylord Special Exhibits Gallery. The Oklahoma History Center is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr. in Oklahoma City and is typically open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Oklahoma History Center is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, National Archives and is an accredited member of the American Alliance of Museums. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.
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