Why a Museum of the Peace Corps Experience?

Peace Corps Volunteers carry home their stories, their changed world perspectives and tangible artifacts associated with memorable situations.  We believe these objects and experiences should be preserved and made public through web-based virtual exhibits and in a physical museum.

The purpose of the Museum of the Peace Corps Experience is to extend the reach of Peace Corps beyond international host communities and individual volunteers.  By exhibiting artifacts and telling Peace Corps stories to far-reaching audiences the Committee hopes to inspire deeper cultural understanding and a commitment to service.

The Committee, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, is an affiliate group of the National Peace Corps Association and embraces all three Peace Corps goals:

1. Help the people of interested countries meet their need for trained men and women.  
2. Help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
3. Help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.

As an institutional member of the American Alliance of Museums, the Museum preserves and exhibits artifacts, shares Peace Corps stories and educates viewers, all in compliance with best practices and the highest standards of museum management.

Peace Corps Connect Austin, Texas June 2019

The Heart of Texas Returned Peace Corps Association, otherwise known as the HOT RPCVs did a great job welcoming all of us to PCC.

The Committee for a Museum of the Peace Corps Experience, (CMPCE) had a very successful visit with all of you who stopped by our exhibit table to talk.  Thank you for buying our tee-shirt, “There is a Volunteer Among Us” and signing our membership list and attend our presentations.  Thank you so much!

Nicola Dino at the CMPCE table.  John Rude, Judith Madden-Sturges, and Michael Haviland were also at the conference.

We met old friends and made new ones.  It is gratifying to make connections at PCC with people who share the values of both NPCA and MPCE.  Those of us working on the Museum for the Peace Corps Experience truly want to expand Americans’ understanding of other cultures and encourage appreciation of our common humanity.

Stay tuned as we continue to move forward with our goal to make the Museum a rewarding place to visit.  Meanwhile, we will place some items on exhibit during the premier of “A Towering Task” on September 22, 2019 at the Kennedy Reach Center in Washington, D.C.  We will also have presence at the Peace Corps Place when NPCA moves their offices to Northeast Washington.  And of course, we will have a least two exhibits for the Sixtieth Anniversary of Peace Corps in 2021.

Have a great summer — and please contact us if you would like to help!