Vietnam Experience to feature holograms, patrol boat
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Beginning Nov. 8, people can get a feel of what it's like to be standing in a war zone.
That feel will be courtesy of the new two-and-a-half acre Vietnam Experience Exhibit opening at the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant.
It will feature technology intended to bring the Vietnam War to life.
Visitors will be able to climb inside rare artifacts such as a MK1 River Patrol Boat floating on a newly constructed lagoon. They'll also be able to enter a mess hall and an observation tower, as well as hear the sound of jet aircraft and helicopters flying above their heads.
Landscaping around the exhibit twill give guests the impression of being located on the edge of a jungle. Additionally, holograms bring Marine officers to life in a 3-D production.
The new exhibit is part of Patriot's Point ongoing efforts to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War.
It not only honors the veterans that served in that war, it educates new generations about it, said Mac Burdette, the museum's executive director.
"The Vietnam Experience is something that will not only bring the history of the war to life, but will also serve as a place for Vietnam veterans, their families and others to reflect on wartime experiences," Burdette said.
Patriots Point is on the Charleston Harbor in Mount Pleasant. In addition to the museum, Patriots Point is home to a fleet of National Historic Landmark ships and the only Vietnam Support Base Camp in the U.S.
The Charleston County Council, Bennett Hospitality and the Charleston Harbor Benefactors Society funded the exhibit.