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National D-Day Museum Reopens
America’s WWII Museum committed to future of New Orleans tourism
NEW ORLEANS: The National D-Day Museum reopens Saturday December 3rd with free admission all day, souvenir giveaways, and special activities for the entire family. Museum President and CEO Dr. Gordon H. “Nick” Mueller noted that the Museum staff and volunteers have demonstrated “the teamwork, fortitude and ‘Can Do’ spirit of the World War II generation to make the Museum ready to reopen following Hurricane Katrina.” The institution has been designated by Congress as America’s National World War II Museum.
Mueller also reported that the Museum’s Board of Trustees has reaffirmed its commitment to the expansion of the Museum which, when complete, will occupy several blocks of the downtown Warehouse and Arts District and will commemorate the country’s entire World War II experience, at home and abroad. Economic Research Associates [ERA], a noted national firm, has identified the National D-Day Museum and its expansion as one of the key catalysts to bring back New Orleans tourism in the years ahead.
Opening day festivities begin with a ribbon cutting at 10am and visitors will receive free commemorative “V for Victory” pins and D-Day Museum posters while quantities last.
Hands-on projects for children and families include Morse Coding, making models of the famous Higgins Boat D-Day landing craft, poster-making and photography with WWII-era backdrops proclaiming “We Can Do It!” and “Uncle Sam Wants You!”
Other activities throughout the day include a Briefing on Pearl Harbor by Museum Director of Research Martin Morgan at 11 am; unveiling of the model of the USS St.Louis, the World War II Light Cruiser that was at Pearl Harbor, with the opportunity to hear first-hand accounts from veterans of the ship, at noon; a talk and book-signing by Michael G. Walling, author of Bloodstained Sea: the U.S. Coast Guard in the Battle of the Atlantic, 1941-1945 at 1:00 pm; and dancing to Rocky’s Hot Fox Trot Orchestra from 2 pm until 4 pm. The Museum’s free admission and special activities on reopening day have been generously underwritten by The Gloria Shearin Smith and Ivy A. Smith, Jr. Charitable Trust.
The Museum will be open Tuesday through Saturday with a revised schedule including evening hours and special activities. Hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Thursday and Friday hours are 12 noon until 8:00 pm and evening programs will include History Happy Hours, music, films, informal lectures and more. Louisiana residents will receive special discounts in the weeks ahead and admission is always free for men and women in uniform. Evening hours were instituted in part to enable military, law enforcement and recovery workers to visit the Museum.
A historian and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of New Orleans, Museum President Mueller pointed out the interesting parallels between the WWII years and the recovery of New Orleans today, following Hurricane Katrina: “The WWII generation triumphed over that crisis with what has come to be called the “American Spirit” – courage and resourcefulness, ingenuity, optimism and sacrifice. And these are the same values we need to call upon today to recover and rebuild. Right here in New Orleans, and against all odds, Andy Higgins designed and built the landing craft that Eisenhower said won the war. He did it with vision and stubborn resolve. Can we do what’s necessary to rebuild New Orleans today? Of course we can…and we will!”
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