St. Louis Soldiers Memorial Military Museum to Host Memorial Day Program

SAINT LOUIS - Community members are invited to remember the reason behind the three-day weekend this Memorial Day at Soldiers Memorial Military Museum.

At 10 a.m. on Monday, May 26, 2025, the Missouri Historical Society and Soldiers Memorial Military Museum will host their annual Memorial Day Program, complete with a procession, wreath-laying ceremony, POW/MIA remembrance service and more. Located at 1315 Chestnut Street in St. Louis, Soldiers Memorial Military Museum hopes to see people from across the region come out to commemorate the holiday.

“It’s a great event, a pretty powerful event,” said Molly Rose, Soldiers Memorial Site Coordinator. “It means a lot. Our mission here at Soldiers has always been to honor those who made the supreme sacrifice. Memorial Day is just the one day to bring the whole nation together to honor those who made that sacrifice.”

The ceremony will begin with an invocation by Rev. James Williams. A POW/MIA remembrance service, which Rose said “always gets” her, will follow.

The Red and Black Brass Band will perform the National Anthem and “Taps.” Maj. Gen. Charles D. Bolton, Commander of the 18th Air Force at Scott Air Force Base, will provide a keynote address. The St. Louis Mayor’s Office and representatives from the American Legion will also offer remarks.

While the museum’s Memorial Day Program has been a tradition for “many, many years,” Rose said they plan to “change it up a little bit” by adding a procession this year. The Red and Black Brass Band will start the procession, followed by service members. Guests can follow the procession into the Court of Honor, where they can lay a golden carnation at a memorial.

The museum expects anywhere from 200–300 attendees for the event, depending on the weather. Parking at the museum is free on Memorial Day.

In addition to the ceremony, Memorial Day is the final day to visit the exhibit “Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II” at the museum. This exhibit, which was installed in September and will close on Tuesday, is one of the museum’s best, Rose believes.

She added that the museum is here year-round to honor veterans and service members, and she hopes the community comes out to explore the museum and experience the Memorial Day Program.

“Here in St. Louis, our entire museum is dedicated to St. Louisans who made that ultimate sacrifice and those who have served,” she explained. “We love being able to do it to honor all those who have been lost and given us the freedom we have today. It’s a very special event.”

Rose emphasized the importance of the ceremony and taking a moment to honor veterans and service members during Memorial Day. She encourages people to have fun and enjoy the three-day weekend, but to remember the holiday’s significance.

“Our ceremony is about an hour long. Take that hour,” she said. “Spend some time really appreciating what Memorial Day is all about. The reason we get to have all of our fun barbecues is because of the sacrifices many of these soldiers have made. So enjoy your barbecue and have your fun, but hey, also, take some time to just appreciate everything that the nation has been through and the people who sacrificed for that.”

For more information about Soldiers Memorial Military Museum and the annual Memorial Day Program, visit the official Missouri Historical Society website at MOHistory.org.

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