The National WWII Museum

"The National WWII Museum is a world-class history museum—a sprawling complex of modern buildings in the Warehouse District that receives thousands of visitors every day who want to hear "the story of the war that changed the world." Doing so is no easy task, but through large narrative exhibits that include detailed, personal accounts from eyewitnesses, the museum manages to do just that. Every conceivable medium is used: film, immersive exhibits, large-scale reconstructions, and first-person oral histories among them. Expect to walk—a lot—given how spread out exhibits are, but the museum is sensitive to the relatively mature age of its visitors and rest stops and benches are plentiful. A short visit isn't ideal given the scale of the topic at hand, but if you’re really pushed, you could tailor your visit to just see a specific interest, or go straight for the movie presentation." - Paul Oswell

"Zoom out. What’s this place all about? The National WWII Museum is a world-class history museum—a sprawling complex of modern buildings in the Warehouse District that receives thousands of visitors every day who want to hear "the story of the war that changed the world." What's in the permanent collection? Contextualizing a huge global event like World War II is no easy task. Through large narrative exhibits that include very detailed, personal accounts from eyewitnesses, the museum manages to do just that. Every conceivable medium is used: film, immersive exhibits, large-scale reconstructions, and first-person oral histories among them. Any temporary exhibits? Given the detail and scale of the exhibits, most of them are permanent. The Home Front, the Pacific and European Theaters, and the D-Day Invasion are the main halls, with an immersive submarine exhibit, a truly awe-inspiring 4-D movie presentation, and special exhibits such as Louisiana’s role in the war. Also recently added to the roster is a sound and light spectacular Expressions of America, which brings wartime history to life with music, archival footage and personal reflections. Cutting-edge technology and special effects deliver the real stories of everyday people, the show immersing viewers in the experiences of Americans during World War II. What did you make of the crowd? The museum is as busy as you might expect a nationally recognized institution to be, but the organization and sheer size of the place means it doesn't feel crowded. Visitors are a mix of families and general tourists together with large numbers of military veterans. Again, the diversity of materials means that you don't have to line up to look at anything. On the practical tip, how were the facilities? Expect to walk—a lot—given how spread out exhibits are, but the museum is sensitive to the relatively mature age of its visitors and rest stops and benches are plentiful. Any guided tours worth trying? Audio guides are available at each exhibit; they’re a useful addition to the materials presented and include a good amount of personal anecdotes. There's also a behind-the-scenes VIP tour available. Gift shop: obligatory, inspiring—or skip it? The gift shop is almost as exhaustive as the museum, and is a trove of military history books and retro gifts and accessories. Is the café worth a stop, or should we just plan on going elsewhere? The American Sector restaurant is a destination in its own right and The Stage Door Canteen puts on special shows that revive the musical traditions of those wartime years. Any advice for the time- or attention-challenged? A short visit isn't ideal given the scale of the topic at hand. If you’re really pushed, you could tailor your visit to just see a specific interest, or go straight for the movie presentation." - Paul Oswell

"National World War II Museum Plan on spending the better part of a day at the National World War II Museum, even if you profess limited interest in history. This fine, sprawling museum—formerly the D-Day Museum—is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, and was established here because of the role the locally made Higgins landing craft played on D-day. Don’t expect the usual repository of static artifacts, like machine guns and airplanes—although you will find those on display. It’s more about gathering stories, from film and oral histories, and from all sides of the conflict. The museum was the idea of Stephen Ambrose, noted author of books about WWII, who wanted to share with the public the interviews that didn’t make it into his books. It’s grown massively since its humble beginnings, and does a remarkable job of capturing the era through both a microscope and wide-angle lens."

"Even if you have little to no interest in military history, don’t miss this moving tribute set in a massive industrial space in uptown New Orleans. The interactive exhibits are unlike anything you’ve seen in traditional museums and the multimedia experiences are as engrossing as they are educational. The on-site restaurant—a retro-themed soda shop—is surprisingly good."

"From there, head over to The National WW II Museum for a grounding education in global history." - ByNina Compton, as told to Chelsea Brasted