The National WWII Museum marked a major milestone by welcoming the 10 millionth visitor to its New Orleans campus.
Since opening its doors 24 years ago, the Museum has attracted visitors of all ages and backgrounds, sharing the personal stories of service and sacrifice made by everyday men and women on the battlefield and the Home Front. Ranked as the top attraction in New Orleans by Tripadvisor and among National Geographic’s Best of the World cultural destinations, the Museum has also become a significant driver of New Orleans tourism, generating an estimated $2.4 billion in economic impact to Louisiana since 2000.
The National WWII Museum was excited to welcome its 10 millionth visitors on Saturday, August 10! Sady Arocha, Carmen Leon, Carmen Chauvin, Ryan Chauvin, Emily Chauvin, and Sophie Mesa from Cuba and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were greeted with a celebratory welcome from Museum staff and volunteers that included balloons, Museum gifts, complimentary admission, and lunch at the American Sector Restaurant & Bar.
Founded in 2000 as The National D-Day Museum, the Museum was designated by Congress as America’s official national museum for World War II in 2004. Since then, the institution has transformed from one exhibit hall to seven pavilions and dramatically grown its collections, endowment and educational programs — fueled by the $400 million Road to Victory Capital Campaign that successfully concluded in 2023.
With over 12,000 recorded personal accounts and over 300,000 artifacts in its collection, the Museum has steadfastly worked to preserve the legacies of the WWII generation and provide an immersive learning experience highlighting the enormous effort to secure freedom and democracy. With less than 1 percent of the 16.4 million Americans who served during World War II still with us today, the Museum’s mission to tell the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world is more crucial than ever.
“This is a significant milestone — one that reflects the enduring relevance of the American experience in World War II and its lasting ability to educate and inspire all generations,” said Museum President & CEO Stephen J. Watson. “Here at the Museum, we are proud to have welcomed visitors from across the world to learn from the stories of the WWII generation and experience all that Louisiana and New Orleans have to offer.”
This achievement comes on the heels of a historic year. The Museum was privileged to welcome visitors and WWII veterans to our campus in June to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day — the largest amphibious invasion in history, launched on June 6, 1944 — while also hosting eight veterans and a Holocaust survivor at the official ceremonies in Normandy, France.
This spring, the Museum opened the Malcolm S. Forbes Rare and Iconic Artifacts Gallery, featuring more than 50 artifacts symbolic of the war era and the Voices from the Front interactive experience that allows guests to hold digital conversations with members of the WWII generation. Last November, the Museum celebrated the conclusion of its two-decade journey to expand its New Orleans campus by opening its final permanent exhibit hall, Liberation Pavilion — just in time for the last surviving members of the WWII generation to experience what has been built in their honor.
As the Museum prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2025 and mark the 80th anniversaries of several significant events that paved the way for the end of World War II in 1945, work continues to honor the legacy of those who fought and won the war so that future generations will understand what their sacrifice means today.
Museum admission can be purchased at nationalww2museum.org/buy-tickets or at the Museum’s ticketing counter in Louisiana Memorial Pavilion. Tickets are also available for guided tours, premium experiences, and live entertainment.
