By Dominic Konareski
Voice Staff Writer
West Haven is home to many things. Some are well-known, others are not so well-known – what if something is so great, but most of the town has no clue it even exists? That’s what the West Haven Veterans Museum and Learning Center have faced over the years.
The West Haven Veterans Museum and Learning Center have called West Haven home since 2010, showcasing the 102nd Infantry Regiment along with paying homage to history and veterans of all eras.
Hidden away inside a camouflaged building next to the West Haven train station on 30 Hood Terrace is 9,000 square-feet of pure American military history. Many call it the ‘hidden gem’ of West Haven as once you enter you get truly brown away by the size of just how much history is inside.
The museum was incorporated on Jan. 10, 1992, at the Gulf Street Armory in New Haven as the 102nd Infantry Regiment Museum. The 102nd was activated in 1672 and had been part of the American Revolution to most recently Operation Enduring Freedom. The Regiment was organized originally with 3,755 officers and enlisted men in August of 1917. Now in 2025, it consists of one battalion in the Connecticut National Guard.
When the museum moved from New Haven to its current home in West Haven, wood from the New Haven Grays room inside the Gulf Street Armory was removed and re-constructed inside the West Haven location to its original form. The Grays were founded in 1816 and would later become part of the 102nd.
The Museum is now in the midst of year 15 in West Haven as it continues expanding inside with more displays and militaria. Everything in the museum has been donated or given by its own members / volunteers, which mainly consists of veterans themselves.
Along with donations for the displays, the museum also relies on grants and donations from its guests in order to stay active and open.
Recently, the Museum got its first official roadside sign after years of effort to make it happen. The museum also is sporting new hand-crafted wood display cases and carpeting.
WHVM Manager Arlene DeGrand Painter, who has been volunteering at the museum since 2015, said it makes her “very proud” to see how far the museum has come and that she is very thankful to the city and former Human Resources Commissioner Beth Sabo, who have played a critical role in helping the museum. Painter also credited the Connecticut Cultural Fund, Connecticut Office of the Arts and the Orange Lions Club amongst the several key contributors.
Painter’s father, Martin DeGrand, was one of the biggest factors into having the museum come to West Haven and being in its current location as he arranged the building space on Hood Terrace to be the new location of the museum. DeGrand himself was a Navy Veteran and because of him, the museum is able to operate rent and mortgage free with no electricity payments.
One of the most important sections of the museum is the Wall of Honor, which pays homage to service men and women who served the country. The wall has a TV that displays a photo of the honoree, their name and a short bio.
Museum President Bill Benson, who is a Vietnam Veteran himself stated that the museum wants to “honor all our military,” Benson also said the wall focuses on those who may get “passed up” as he wants all service men and women, no matter if they were in wartime service or not to get recognized.
The museum, although already with massive displays, does change things up every now and then to display new militaria and is open to all historical donations to be displayed from uniforms to war bond posters.
You can stop by the Museum any time during its operating hours for a self-guided or private tour, or to even take some time to read up in their media room / library that is full of books that are based on American war history.