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November 2023 by Dean Goodenough
Great place with friendly & knowledgeable people
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October 2023 by John R.
Drove from June Lake on a Wednesday only to find out they're closed. Here are the hours posted on the front door as of 10-19-2023.
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September 2023 by John W.
Amazing Ordnance Museum in Hawthorne, Nevada. This did not happen by accident, but an accident caused it to happen. The Hawthorne Ordnance Museum commemorates the history of the country's largest Ordnance Depot. Established before World War II because in July 1926, during the same week that a fire destroyed the Hawthorne business district, the Navy's principal ammunition depot in Lake Denmark, NJ blew up, destroying the town and killing over 50 people and injuring hundreds more.
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July 2023 by Ray T
Passed by many times on our way to Las Vegas but never stopped in until now. Wow! An absolute treasure of military hardware and history on display. Very awesome and inspiring. The place is much larger than it looks from the outside. Nice and cool inside and they also have great souvenirs for purchase.
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July 2023 by Stephanie M.
Very cool museum! The staff was incredibly friendly. Amazing history and great artifacts!
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June 2023 by C D
A most incredible array of different era personal effects, individual equipment, and hands-on "stuff". If available, DO engage with the elder staff and their personal stories. Wonderful folk. The munitions display was unlike any I've ever seen including my time in the military. Interting and fascinating for non military as well.
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June 2023 by Trezure Fenton
So much fun. A ton of artillery to look at as well as a bunch of different guns on display for you to handle. The kids really enjoyed it and it's cool the different uniforms they have
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December 2022 by Wolf Smith
You won't believe how much Ordnance history is jam-packed on this property. And it's less than 2.5 hours from Reno, near picturesque Walker Lake.We had to rush our visit, so we weren't able to spend the kind of time a museum such as this deserves. However I will return to see this place any time I can.Anyone with an interest in U.S. Ordnance, like rockets, missiles, mines, and artillery shells will enjoy this museum.There are items and articles from the local military base and Ordnance manufacturing plant.For a free museum, you will get a great educational experience any collector or historian would shell out good money to visit.Check the gift shop for inert ordnance, ammo cans, and things like tshirts and decals.Your purchases help support this fine museum! BRING CASH IF YOU WANT TO BUY ANYTHING FROM THE GIFT SHOP. THEY DO NOT ACCEPT CARDS.
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December 2021 by Jose Gutierrez
I love this place. Small town museums are the best. You get a guided tour with a local and they share the museums history with you. Our guide walked us through the entire museum and described the displays to us. Very cool. Stop by if you get a chance check hours of operation before going.
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December 2021 by Rachel Spencer
Enjoyed this visit. Greeted by a war vet that walked is through the exhibits. Definitely worth the stop.
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December 2021 by Jim Evans
A must see experience, you are doing a disservice to yourself if you skip it. The volunteer staff is passionate and knowledgeable. This place had taken to the time to set up rooms to mimic a barrack and press print room. Did I mention they have a tank inside that you can look into. I could have spent another hour or 2 looking at all the details of things are just when you think you have seen it all up look up to see more. This place is free and runs on donations.
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December 2021 by Raymond Pfand
The Hawthorne Ordnance Museum is an awesome museum. If you were or are into military ordnance you will not want to miss this museum. I am a retired US Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician and there are so many items I recognize or have worked on. You can't beat the admission price, free. There is a great gift shop and a map with pins that show the visitors home town. You could spend hours looking at all the displays. The curators are very friendly and. The museum is just off of the main route through town.
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December 2021 by Jennifer Barnett
If I could give this place 6 stars i would. I didnt expect to love it as much as I did. The whole family loved it as well. This is the place to be in Hawthorne. There isnt a set tour but there are multiple retired veterans with great knowledge on the contents in the museum and are thrilled to answer any and all questions. They are very nice. Go here if you're in Hawthorne
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October 2021 by Heidi W.
Awesome museum!! So much history and so much awesome stuff on display. The museum is free but please buy something and/or donate what you can to keep things like this growing and thriving to preserve the history. Wanda was so full of information on the day we came I really enjoyed looking around and hearing stories. They are currently open M-W-F 10-4 and Sat 10-2 Come see all the cool stuff. I realize I was listening to all the stories and didn't take too many photos to share but there are a few to give you an idea.
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August 2021 by A. W.
There may be nowhere more appropriate than Hawthorne, NV to operate an ordnance museum. Hawthorne is, afterall, home to the "World's Largest Depot", which in its case is in the business of munitions. Take a look out across this otherwise empty desert valley and you'll spot hundreds of prism-topped crypts holding who knows how many live rounds of any number of weapons of war. I'm no gun nut, scholar of war, nor nostalgic service member, but I do love small town private museums operated by volunteers. And while this museum is very specific in what it displays and how it does so, the bigger story it tells hides just below the surface like live munitions, patiently waiting for the call in the cool air of innumerable, desert ammo cellars.The museum itself is chock full of all manner of efficient destruction. If you're a reader, you're in for a treat- plenty of placards. About halfway through my self-guided tour, a volunteer joined me to better describe what it was I was looking at. He spoke with such knowledge and enthusiasm that you'd think he was guiding me through a formal garden or art museum. As he so thoroughly described how each weapon worked to impose the most destruction, he somehow avoided the elephant in the room- that these machines were meticulously engineered to kill other humans not too different than ourselves. Like it or not and regardless of which country you call home, the history on display here is yours. Like any decent museum, it's a place for questions rather than answers. Is it a relic of a violent past, or an omen of a violent future? Is this what it means to be American? What is patriotism anyway? What's the purpose of a flag? How are these weapons tied to the incredible landscape that they exist in? Is my country a place or a thing? Regardless of your leanings, you should visit the Ordnance Museum and ask your own questions. If you're having trouble finding answers, ask one of the friendly museum volunteers. They're sure to have a story or two to tell.
