This American World War I helmet is currently on display as part of the Salem Museum’s feature exhibit “Cheers for 30 Years: the 30 Year History of Salem Museum!”
The first thing visitors notice about the helmet pictured here is the dent in the front of it. This dent shows where Thomas Shilling, a soldier from Salem, was struck in the head by artillery shrapnel during World War I. This helmet saved his life and allowed him to return home to his family. Artifacts like this are reminders of the individual journey that objects can take, and how they can impact people’s lives.
“Cheers for 30 Years” celebrates the Salem Museum’s 30th Anniversary this year with a look back at artifacts and the stories they tell, now preserved in the Museum’s collections. Some favorite, but rarely seen, objects are on display. The Salem Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and located at 801 E. Main St. The Salem Museum opened in the Williams-Brown House in 1992.
