The National World War I Museum is located in Kansas City, Missouri. The subterranean museum sits underneath the Liberty Memorial and was opened on December 2, 2006. The museum was envisioned by the citizens of Kansas City, and designed by Ralph Appelbaum. Congress designated the museum as the United States' official World War I Museum. The museum was selected as the "Favorite Museum or Historic Site'', in the Kansas City Visitors Choice Awards in 2008.
The main focus of the National World War I Museum is to honor the memory of those who served and sacrificed their lives to preserve the liberty of the United States. The museum puts the war into context, and how the outcome affects the world throughout each generation. The National World War I Museum heightens public awareness about the importance of World War I and the rich history of the people who fought and perished in it.
Guests visiting the museum cross over a glass bridge from the lobby to the main exhibit hall. The bridge crosses over a field of 9,000 red poppies. The red poppies represent 1,000 fatalities of World War I. The bridge sets the tone for the exhibits placed throughout the National World War One Museum.
One of the highlights in the museum is the Renault FT17 French tank on display. The tank carried a crew of only two people and was the first tank ever made with a fully rotating turret. The tank was out of commission when it was shot up during the war. The gaping hole on the side of the tank is a reminder of the service men that gave their lives in World War I. The tank still has its original camouflage paint and a 37 mm gun protruding from the turret. The original shrapnel balls and shell fragments were found still inside of the tank and have since been removed. The shell fragments and shrapnel balls are on display along with the remnants of a German 77 mm gun. The museum has also obtained a uniform coat of an American service mechanic who worked on the French tanks during World War I.
The museum holds one of the largest collections of World War I artifacts and some of the first exhibits on display were posters and photographs chronicling the war. The collection in the National World War One Museum is still growing as more relics are donated or purchased for display. The museum also holds lectures and shows movies on World War I related topics throughout the year. Visitors can call ahead for a list of special events and exhibits being shown when planning a trip to the museum.
The museum is an educational and informative monument that maps the history of World War I. Guests visiting the museum will experience the feeling of history coming to life when touring the halls and viewing all the relics and artifacts of the war. The National World War I Museum is the largest single memorial of its kind in the United States, visiting the museum is a great way to experience a part of history and pay homage to those who served in the war and defended America.
Thank you,
J