Exciting upgrades to the Main Gallery and other spaces will not only upgrade technology and tell new and interesting narratives from WWI, they will create a richer and more immersive visitor experience. These renovations will continue through 2025.
The Museum and Memorial began collecting in 1920 shortly after the Armistice on Nov. 11, 1918. Today, it is the most comprehensive collection of WWI artifacts in the world and continues to grow as objects representing nations from across the globe are added almost weekly. The coming upgrades are the most expansive changes to the Main Gallery since opening in 2006.
The Museum and Memorial will remain open during all phases of construction and anticipate that the guest impact will be minimal.
Tank
Current Tank closing early September
The Renault FT17 Tank will be repositioned for a more complete view, including the ability to see real-life battle damage on its side. Guests will be able to inspect the tank up close, only separated by an exhibit rail featuring associated content, artifact cases and interactive media monitors. At two interactive stations, guests will learn more about the Renault FT17 through a 3D model of the tank. Onscreen buttons will let users rotate the model to examine it from all angles and even view inside the tank.
Battlescape
Current Crater closing early September
A newly-produced immersive film will be projected onto the inner surface of a recreated battle crater, allowing visitors to access deeply affecting scenes that graphically depict the horrific reality of WWI artillery. Using narration, light and sound, guests’ senses will be heightened by what they see, hear and feel.
Casualties
Current Casualties areas closing mid-September
A new, fully-themed display will give guests a peek into the workings of a field hospital and the realities and innovations of battlefield medicine during WWI. The field hospital, evocative of a bombed-out church that would have been repurposed for treating the wounded, will draw in guests to further investigate the scene. As the guest approaches the display, they are presented with stories from WWI, interactive displays and a visual representation of the chaos in a working field hospital. One scene, inspired by John Singer Sargent’s painting, “Gassed,” shows a line of soldiers blinded by a gas attack following an uninjured guide into the field hospital for treatment.
Thank you for your patience and excitement as these improvements are made – the upgrades are a vital piece in ensuring that stories of the Great War and its enduring impact will be shared for generations to come.
Previous renovation phases:
Lower Level - Open Storage and Bergman Family Gallery
Main Gallery - Prologue, Interactive Tables, America Mobilizes, Animals of WWI
Main Gallery - Epilogue, Into the Trenches