Back by popular demand all three of Carrabelle’s wonderful museums will open their doors free of charge on Saturday, September 21, 2019, 10 am - 5 pm as part of Smithsonian magazine’s 15th annual Museum Day. This national celebration honors museums that follow the example of the Smithsonian with free admission. In salute to this day, Carrabelle History Museum, Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum, and Crooked River Lighthouse Museum will have special activities and exhibits.

Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum is proud to be celebrating the Smithsonian’s Museum Day for the 13^th year in a row. On this day, the museum has the privilege of dedicating its new building to Sidney Winchester, a Carrabelle native, U. S. Army veteran and key supporter of Camp Gordon Johnston Museum.  Sidney Winchester proudly served in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne. He was a charter member of the Camp Gordon Johnston Association and continued to serve as director and President repeatedly over the next 20 years. Sid was the energy behind the CGJ reunion parade and was instrumental in acquiring the DUKW and Lieferwagen. Even after his cancer diagnosis, he continued to work on behalf of the museum. The building dedication ceremony honoring Sid Winchester will be at 11 am.

In addition, Camp Gordon Johnston Museum has an new display of a half-scale model of a Higgins Boat (LCVP). The “Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel” (LCVP) or Higgins Boat was used extensively in amphibious landings in World War II by the American military, including D-Day, the Battles of Guadalcanal, and Iwo Jima.  This half-scale model Higgins Boat now has a platform that will allow “half scale soldiers” to try it out. Also, in keeping with this year’s theme, “Year of Music”, the museum will be playing WWII era music throughout the day as well as a short film highlighting the beach assault training that took place in 1943 on Carrabelle Beach.

Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum honors the military men and women as well as civilian personnel who trained and worked in Carrabelle and Franklin County during 1942 through 1946. The 4,000 sq ft Camp Gordon Johnston Museum houses numerous displays of military artifacts, photos and memorabilia of many types. Camp Gordon Johnston Museum's new facility is across from Carrabelle Beach Park at 1873 Highway 98 West, Carrabelle, FL.