The armistice that ended World War I was signed on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. Because Veterans Day is on November 11 this year, it’s a good time to visit the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City
Veterans and active-duty military personnel can visit the museum for free on Monday, and admission for the general public is half-price for the holiday. Several new exhibits will be on display:
- The field hospital display will give guests an up-close look at battlefield medicine and how hectic a hospital could get when treating soldiers.
- A film projected on the inner surface of a crater display will use narration, light and sound to captivate guests and show what World War I artillery was really like.
- The FT-17 Renault tank will be repositioned to showcase real battle damage and give guests the opportunity to inspect the vehicle.
Along with the new displays, plenty of free activities will honor veterans::
- World War I research stations, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., outside the auditorium lobby. Visitors can find their connection to World War I with access to databases such as the museum’s online collections database, the American Battlefield Monuments Commission and the National Archives.
- Vietnam-era Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey” helicopter display, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on U-shaped drive outside of museum. The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #243 will provide an iconic Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey” helicopter for people to climb aboard and inspect
- Veterans Day ceremony, 10 a.m., Monday, auditorium and lobby. The formal public program will include remarks from dignitaries and a keynote address, as well as special music. ASL interpretation will be provided for the ceremony.
- Make your own poppy pin, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., near the Paul Sunderland Glass Bridge
- Sunset Salute Veterans Day concert, 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Memorial Courtyard. Start off Kansas City Navy Week with an outdoor concert with the Navy Band Great Lakes.
For more information, visit www.theworldwar.org.
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice