Executive Director Kathy Olson said she and Mullins’ family began discussing the idea in March. She and his mother, Cathy Mullins, knew each other from another community organization.

“His story really struck me,” Olson said. “He was a young man from here, he has friends and family here and he had an impact on everyone here in a powerful way.”

Olson said she and the Mullinses agreed Brandon Mullins’ death anniversary was the appropriate time for the opening, as another soldier will be celebrated at the City of Owensboro’s Shelton Memorial Rededication Ceremony at 7 p.m. Thursday.

“We don’t want to infringe on the city’s event,” she said. “So we made sure to time it so that people can attend both.”

The Mullins’ exhibit will feature childhood photos, mementos from his days at Apollo High School, Army uniforms and Challenge coins, flags that were flown at different places when he died and his medals, among other things.

Brandon Mullins received a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Global War on Terrorism, NATO, Good Conduct and Afghanistan Campaign medals.

“These things would just sit in a trunk or be put in a box,” said Cathy Mullins. “With such an outpouring of support from the community last year, we thought it’d be nice to share them.”

The medals “are very precious to us, though, so they’ll only be displayed for a short window of time,” she said.

Olson said the exhibit will be displayed for at least one year, though elements might expand to include other area soldiers and aspects of American military history and experience. Educational programming might also be paired with it.

“There are so many items to include, but we can’t all at once,” she said. “That leads to other ways we can present the information, along with lessons on citizenship and our rights and responsibilities. We’ve talked about ways it could evolve … however it changes, we’ll make sure it represents the wishes of the family.”

Though the science museum has had military-related exhibits, including spotlights on area soldiers from World War II and the Korean War, this is the first one focused on an individual. And Cathy Mullins said other Kentucky soldiers are not to be forgotten.

“There have been 108 servicemen from Kentucky who were killed at war since 9/11,” she said. “That might sound like a low number, but each of them have stories and families, too.”

Other soldiers in Kentucky have been memorialized through the efforts of such programs as Blue Star Mothers of Madisonville and American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., both of which Cathy Mullins is a member.

During World War I, people would hang a gold star flag in their windows, meaning that their child was killed at war. Beginning with World War II, a blue star flag meant their child was on active duty.

The groups have continued volunteer projects toward veteran aid. As a Gold Star Mother, Cathy Mullins was invited to the White House ceremony last December, where she placed a gold star on a Christmas tree in her son’s honor.

“It’s great to connect with other moms who have been through the same thing,” she said. “We all try to find ways to honor our children. I think once people see the uniforms and medals, and everything up close, they’ll realize the war is real. America is great, and it takes sacrifice to protect our freedom and keep it great. That’s what we want people to take from this.”

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Information from: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer, http://www.messenger-inquirer.com