Press Release

Why Keep That?, the latest special exhibition at the National WWI Museum and Memorial, follows the journey of a collection item from the moment it is donated to the Museum, to the decision-making and archival process of our collections staff.

The National WWI Museum and Memorial is pleased to announce the appointment of five new board members who bring a diverse set of experiences and skills to its Board of Directors. These individuals are all deeply dedicated to the organization’s mission of remembering, interpreting and understanding the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community.

War Remains, the immersive experience from MWM Interactive (MWMi) will debut at its new home, the National WWI Museum and Memorial in May 2021. Presented by “Hardcore History” legendary podcaster Dan Carlin, War Remains is an immersive VR experience that transports viewers to the Western Front of the First World War. Viewers will witness history unfold from a soldier's point-of-view in this thought provoking, visceral experience.

The National WWI Museum and Memorial has received a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative to establish an endowed curator position on faith and religion, strengthen public programming on religion and war, enhance online exhibitions and resources on religion and increase its collection of religious objects and materials. The grant totals $2.5 million.

The National WWI Museum and Memorial announced a $500,000 gift from the William T. Kemper Foundation – Commerce Bank, Trustee and a $155,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities toward the goal of digitizing the Museum’s entire collection.

Admission to the Museum and Memorial is free for veterans and active duty military personnel from Saturday, Nov. 7 through Sunday, Nov. 15. General admission for the public is half-price on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11. A “Legacy Jump” will kick off the Nov. 11 Veterans Day activities at 6:30 a.m. 

This election day, the National WWI Museum and Memorial encourages Kansas Citians to participate in democracy by exercising their right to vote. On Nov. 3, 2020 the Museum and Memorial will serve as a polling location for Ward 1, Precinct 6 residents, as well as individuals registered to vote in Kansas City, Mo within Jackson County.

From the evolution of the war-time silhouette, the influence of military uniforms and post-war emancipation, Silk and Steel: French Fashion, Women and WWI provides a new chapter of the history of the war at the Museum and Memorial.

The National WWI Museum and Memorial, the Doughboy Foundation and the World War One Centennial Commission launched How World War I Changed America today, an interactive educational website about the enduring impact of the World War I featuring videos and podcasts with free resources for teachers, including lesson plans and primary source student activities.

Votes & Voices explores the history of the fight for women’s right to vote, largely from the perspective of those who fought for enfranchisement more than 100 years ago. Presented by PNC Bank, the exhibition opens Wednesday, July 29 at the Museum and Memorial.

The National WWI Museum and Memorial announced a grant for $125,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to digitize and transcribe letters, diaries and journals from soldiers and family members originated from World War I.

The National WWI Museum and Memorial will reopen to its members on Monday, June 1 and to the general public on Tuesday, June 2.

On the heels of an increase in reported cases of the COVID-19/Coronavirus in both the Kansas City metropolitan area and across the country, the National WWI Museum and Memorial will close at 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 14 and remain closed through Friday, April 3.

Opening Tuesday, Sept. 24, Etched in Memory, the latest special exhibition from the National WWI Museum and Memorial, features color etchings by British artist James Alphege Brewer published throughout the Great War as a reminder of the cultural losses it inflicted.