Contact: Karis Erwin, National WWI Museum and Memorial, (816) 888-8122, kerwin@theworldwar.org
The Traveling Vietnam Wall will be available for public viewing on the Southeast Lawn of the Museum and Memorial May 19-30, 2022.
Promo images for the Wall from Memorial Day 2015:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4m5docx0rwmcatq/AABm57vFV0kiNMMuhAgmKkYha?dl=0
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – This May, the American Veterans Traveling Tribute (AVTT) returns to the grounds of the National WWI Museum and Memorial with the AVTT Traveling Vietnam Wall. The Wall was last at the Museum and Memorial in 2015 and drew crowds of over 50,000 in just four days.
“The Vietnam War was one of the most defining periods in US history and the intersections between World War I and the Vietnam Wall are extensive,” said Matthew Naylor, President and CEO of the National WWI Museum and Memorial. “As a Memorial ourselves, we know the importance that spaces and touch play in the act of remembrance and we’re honored to again welcome the traveling Vietnam Wall, and the visiting public, to our grounds.”
Members of the press are invited to attend an opening ceremony on Thursday, May 19 at 6 p.m. on the Southeast Lawn of the Museum and Memorial. The Wall will remain in place through Memorial Day, Monday, May 30, 2022. It will be formally closed during the Walk of Honor Dedication ceremony at 2 p.m.
The public is invited to view the wall for free at any time, day or night, with the exception of 7-11 p.m. on Sunday, May 29 during Celebration at the Station.
To accommodate the anticipated number of visitors, the Museum and Memorial is recruiting volunteers to assist those paying tribute. Individuals and groups are encouraged to sign up for shifts and lend their support.
An 80 percent scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., the wall measures nearly 400 feet long. It contains every name etched on the original memorial. Since its inception, hundreds of thousands of people across the U.S. have viewed the wall. New this year, AVTT also will display smaller tribute panels honoring American sacrifices in conflicts through the 20th and 21st centuries, including WWI and WWII, 9-11, and Afghanistan and Iraq.
The AVTT Traveling Vietnam Wall display is made possible due to the generous support of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Veterans United Home Loans and National WWI Museum and Memorial donors.
Media interested in covering the AVTT Traveling Vietnam Wall should contact Karis Erwin at 816-888-8122 or kerwin@theworldwar.org.
About the National WWI Museum and Memorial
The National WWI Museum and Memorial is America’s leading institution dedicated to remembering, interpreting and understanding the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community. The Museum and Memorial holds the most comprehensive collection of World War I objects and documents in the world and is the second-oldest public museum dedicated to preserving the objects, history and experiences of the war. The Museum and Memorial takes visitors of all ages on an epic journey through a transformative period and shares deeply personal stories of courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice. Designated by Congress as America’s official World War I Museum and Memorial and located in downtown Kansas City, Mo., the National WWI Museum and Memorial inspires thought, dialogue and learning to make the experiences of the Great War era meaningful and relevant for present and future generations. To learn more, visit theworldwar.org.