From D-Day to All of World War 11
What began as the National D-Day Museum in New Orleans has expanded and evolved into the National World War 11 Museum. Now it's expanding even more. It has been a while since construction began on the expansion of the WW11 museum and part of is open now. The grand opening is November 6, 2009. This $300 million project will be something to behold and cherish as we celebrate the accomplishments of our "greatest generation" and the freedom that they won for us.
The Victory Theater
One of the most anticipated offerings of the new expansion is the Victory Theater which will show us just what it was like to be at these battles (of course there is no way to experience this unless you were there!) through a process they are calling 4-D which will include sound, visual and other sensory stimuli. The film is titled Beyond All Boundaries and was produced by Academy Award winner Tom Hanks who is a true friend to the WW11 Museum.
The Stage Door Canteen
There is also a USO era entertainment area called the Stage Door Canteen that will show us what it was like if you were a soldier and you went there to relax or to relieve loneliness. It will highlight the music of the times and will seat 150 people.
The American Sector Restaurant
The American Sector Restaurant, a full service restaurant is also open. The Canteen and the Victory Theater will bring you the experience of being there during WWII and give you some idea of what America's Greatest Generation experienced. Then you can dine at John Besh's newest restaurant, The American Sector.
What's Coming in the New Addition
What can you expect to see in the future when this new addition, which will more that quadruple the size of the current museum, is completed? There will be four pavilions having to do with the various campaigns of the war and the four branches of the service.
Four New Pavilions
The four new pavilions will consist of U.S. FREEDOM PAVILION which will educate us on the causes of the great war and Union Station, a recreation of a 1942 train station where our warriors would go to depart to go to fight the war. In this section there will also be a display about the war effort at home. The CAMPAIGNS PAVILION will feature information, etc. on the great campaigns of the war including the land effort in Europe, sea and air battles over the Pacific Ocean as well as the island hopping battles as we took control of these vital islands from the Japanese. We will also learn of the desert tank battles of North Africa, the first invasion of mainland Europe and the final push toward Germany called the Battle of the Bulge. The LIBERATION PAVILION will show us the human cost of the war and will feature exhibits of Anne Frank and the Concentration Camps. The LAND,SEA AND AIR PAVILION will include vintage aircraft, tanks, personnel carriers, watercraft and an exhibit showing what it was like to be onboard a submarine.
Where
The Original WWII Museum is located on Andrew Higgins Drive between Camp and Magazine Streets. It is open from 9am to 5pm seven days a week with the exception of Mardi Gras, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Call 504.528.1944 or go to the official website for information. The new expansion is just across the street.