Anyone who wants to learn about the history of the U.S. military and militaries in other countries is encouraged to attend the Missouri Military History Appreciation Weekend.
The free event, now in its sixth year, will be 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Ike Skelton Training Site, Museum of Missouri Military History, 2405 Logistics Road in Jefferson City.
The weekend features living historians and military re-enactors exhibiting uniforms, equipment, weapons and vehicles, museum Director Charles Machon said.
They will represent multiple conflicts, such as the Revolutionary War or the Civil War, World War I and World War II.
"This year, we are featuring weapons demonstrations," Machon said. "At 11 a.m., on Saturday and Sunday, we will be firing and showing how various weapons work along with their histories. We'll be firing Civil War-era black powder rifles as well as German machine guns and rifles from the World War II era."
Static displays outside the museum will feature a Soviet Union armored personnel carrier brought back from Afghanistan, a Soviet anti-aircraft gun and a U.S. C-130 aircraft.
"Inside the museum, we have a large display case dedicated to weapons," Machon said. "There's 30 in all, and they go from the 1880s up to the modern era."
The museum will also have several military organizations on hand talking about the histories of their organizations, Machon said. Among them will be the Civil Air Patrol, the Daughters of the American Revolution and Young Marines.
"Due to the COVID pandemic, we do ask that people observe social distancing and please wear a mask when you come out," Machon said. "We won't turn anyone away, but we strongly suggest that you wear a mask."