Essay Sample on A Visit to the War Museum

Introduction

I have always been curious about war, the events that unfold, the reasons behind them, and the heroes who risk their lives to ensure our country is at peace. On the chilly afternoon of February 10th, I decided to visit a war museum to feed my curiosity and to gain a better understanding of previous wars. I was excited about the idea of walking through years of history, reliving moments I had never imagined existed. I had already visualized the whole tour, and in my mind, this would be a place with brown walls, rusty furniture and an environment that smelt like years of bloodshed and turbulence. In my mind I was seeing soldiers running around taking cover after a grenade had been launched, I would smell fire and taste death. The tour I knew was going to change my life and feed my hungry creative soul.

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At the entrance, we were met by a neatly dressed tour guide who welcomed us and informed us that he would take us through the museum and in case we had questions we should ask him. I noticed that the walls of the museum were filled with illustrations and drawings that told a deeper story than any words ever could. The images on the wall captured fear, anxiety and a will to continue despite the dangers ahead. One particular painting that caught my eye was illustrating a soldier standing behind a stack of the sack with a gun pointing at the horizon. The atmosphere looked cold and bleak with a lifeless form at its wake. There was smoke in the air, and I would guess it was either dusk or dawn. The painting labeled "an observer" took me to the war grounds. It filled my heart with a sense of nostalgia I did not know existed. I thought back at the man's courage to leave his family at home to come to a foreign land to fight a war for his country's sake.

The guide explained that the painting and photographs on the wall were used to encourage citizens to enlist in the war and foster a sense of patriotism. Our second stop was the artifacts sections where we observed an array of small and large artifacts used during the war. I found myself drifting away from the crowd and observing the great way in which time has been captured in the museum. The guide showed us a trove of period artifacts that illustrated the steps Hitler took to rise to power and how the Nazi regime developed. There were newspaper cuttings from years back, letters, photographs that depicted the nature of rallies at the time. Each artifact, photograph, and a piece of writing told a story. It captured one's heart and whispered the untold and silent words it has held inside for years. My background of the Nazi regime and holocaust helped me see how the atrocities that marked the era develop and I was able to not just see with my eyes but also experience with my heart and mind.

Further, into the museum, we were met with the D-Day Invasion which is one of the deadliest and most complex gambits in the history of war. It began after the midnight on June 6th, 1994 and involved over fifteen thousand British, Canadian, and American troops who attacked the French coast of Normandy from air, land, and sea. It documents the facts of the invasion and provides a visual account of how things went down, and I found that very intriguing. Our guide encouraged us not only to experience them; as such, he let us touch the long-lasting artifacts. Everything in the museum represented something in the past. There was a section where some remnants of the armory used during the war were kept, and we were able to experience the realism the arms brought. The ambiance in the museum for me was cold and calm. It allowed one to feel just by looking and I appreciated the semblance of a war ground is provided.

Conclusion

The museum tour was eventful, and I was able to learn a lot from our experienced and well-spoken guide. He provided extra information whenever needed and ensured that we all understood what part of history he was describing. I was also able to feed my curiosity, and I must say the visit to the museum was a success. I had high expectations about the things I would find at the museum and the tour did not fail me. Visits to war museum are emotional since they expose you to a time in history marked by fear, bloodshed, death, and destruction among others. The experience one gets, however, is priceless as you have the chance to relive years of history in a day. The tour gave me insights into the past and present that changes my life.