Today we’d like to introduce you to Theresa Lam & Ean Tillet.
Hi Theresa Lam & Ean Tillet, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The National Vietnam War Museum was founded in 1998 originally by the Fort Wolters chapter of the VHPA (Vietnam helicopter pilots association). A decision was made by this group that it was time to develop a venue in which the story of the Vietnam War and Vietnam War veterans could be told in an unbiased way. This chapter selected Mineral Wells as the location based on the proximity of Fort Wolters, which was the Army’s primary helicopter training center during the Vietnam War. A location was selected to build the museum in 2004 just outside of Mineral Wells on a 12-acre property. Since the purchasing of that property, every single year our organization has added at least one new property improvement or large outdoor exhibit. Whether a new garden or outdoor memorial, our organization believed that support would continue growing through each new thing added. The efforts of this culminated in the 2022 opening of our 20,000 sqft Phase 1 Museum building. In the past three and a half years of operation, we have seen exponential growth and are currently undergoing fundraising efforts to complete our Phase 2 addition, an extra 20,000sqft dedicated almost solely to new exhibits about the bulk of the Vietnam War.
The mission of the museum is to promote an understanding of the Vietnam War, while honoring those who served. We confidently feel like the best way to do this is by presenting unbiased historical facts of the Vietnam War and Era in a manner that lets guests form their own opinion about this highly divisive topic. We have continuously brought together Vietnam Veterans with younger generations to help bridge the gap in understanding, and allow those to hear the perspective of not just Vietnam Veterans, but also from Vietnamese allies and North Vietnamese soldiers.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road to building this museum has certainly been a struggle, and much of a slow struggle. Unlike museums that center around World War II history, we deal with a topic that is incredibly divisive and essentially unpopular. Although looked upon sometimes unfavorably, the Vietnam War and Era had such a historic impact on so many areas of American life, including pop culture, politics, and advancements in technology. It has been difficult garnering the support deserved of such an important era, and support and fundraising dollars tend to go hand in hand. While we are proud of our Phase 1 building, we also faced many struggles and challenges like other nonprofits during the COVID era, which set our construction back about two years.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Ean Tillet- I originally started with The National Vietnam War Museum in October of 2022. The position I applied for specifically was curator, which was immediately updated to Museum Director upon my selection as the Board of Directors felt I could help out with more than just exhibits for the Museum. Throughout the past 3 years, I have spent a large majority of my time fundraising while also trying to standardize operations in the museum as we overall pursue national accreditation and congressional recognition. We have new plans for the quality of exhibits and displays moving forward based upon the last 3 years of networking and partnerships. While this is now the 7th museum I have had the honor of working for, I have truly been able to hone in my craft specifically with niche artifact acquisitions that have been focused on aircraft and military vehicles. We have several rare items at our museum that I am proud to have both acquired and moved to the museum since 2022.
Theresa Lam- I joined the museum as Assistant Director in September 2025, stepping into a new and exciting period of growth. While I’m relatively new to the museum world, I bring a strong background in nonprofit leadership and community focused programming. Prior to joining the museum, I worked with another organization where I helped lead and expand programs serving youth, adults, and veterans through GED preparation, job training, and wraparound services. Supporting veterans has always been at the heart of my work, I’m grateful to now work alongside Vietnam veterans and the broader veteran community. In my role, I specialize in fundraising, partnership building, and community engagement. Strengthening relationships for awareness, support, and long-term sustainability for the museum. What sets me apart is my ability to connect mission to people through empathy, positivity, and a shared sense of purpose. I’ve been recognized as a Fort Worth Business Press 40 Under 40 honoree, and I stay actively involved in the community through chamber engagement and volunteering with the Junior League of Fort Worth and other local organizations.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
There are many meaningful ways to support our work. Monetary or artifact donations can be made through our website at www.nationalvnwarmuseum.org .
Those who would like to contribute their time are welcome to volunteer with us – we are grateful for extra hands at the front desk, gift shop, and in restoration or vehicle maintenance. We also invite the community to follow us on our social media platforms to stay engaged with museum updates, behind-the-scenes moments, and events.
Pricing:
- Admission Price- Adults $6
- Admission Price- Seniors (65+) $5
- Admission Price- Youth (Under 13) $3
- Admission Price- First Responders & Veterans are Free
- Admission Price- Children under 6 are free
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nationalvnwarmuseum.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalvietnamwarmuseum/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationalvietnamwarmuseum/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-vietnam-war-museum-inc
Image Credits
Alan Mata
