Beginning April 1, The National WWII Museum will offer the public the opportunity to tour and ride restored patrol-torpedo (PT) boat 305 on her home waters of Lake Pontchartrain, where she was originally tested by Higgins Industries more than 70 years ago. For the first time ever, visitors will be able to see and feel the PT boat experience, and learn about the service of the men who called this incredible vessel home. The public launch of PT-305 is the culmination of the Museum’s decade-long effort to restore her, as well as more than 130,000 hours of work from a dedicated corps of over 200 volunteers.

The National WWII Museum today announced a new educational travel program—Writing the War: In the Footsteps of WWII Correspondents. From September 25 through October 3, 2017, renowned WWII historian and best-selling author Donald L. Miller, PhD, will lead an extraordinary journey through Europe in the footsteps of World War II’s best-known combat correspondents. Guests will experience an exciting adventure into some of World War II’s most significant battles, accompanied by the words of Ernie Pyle, Ernest Hemingway, Lee Miller, Martha Gellhorn and “Beachhead Don” Whitehead.

The National WWII Museum today announced two new recipients of the institution’s highest honor, the American Spirit Award. On June 9, Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough and patriotic philanthropist David M. Rubenstein will receive the Award, which recognizes individuals who best exemplify the outstanding qualities of the American spirit, including teamwork, optimism and determination. McCullough and Rubenstein both inspire the exploration and expression of these values through their own life and work.

The National WWII Museum today announced two distinct student travel programs that allow high school and college students the opportunity to earn college credit while exploring the leadership lessons and real-life decision-making scenarios of World War II. Both Normandy Academy and Student Leadership Academy will provide students with an unique educational journey that challenges them to learn from choices made during the WWII era.
 

This October, The National WWII Museum will embark on an inspiring seven-day, six-night tour of France, based on Alex Kershaw’s New York Times best sellers—“Avenue of Spies” and “The Bedford Boys”—with the author himself serving as featured historian. Guests will get an up-close view of the beaches of Normandy, while hearing stories of sacrifice about the Bedford Boys who came ashore with Company A, 116th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division during the first wave at Omaha Beach on D-Day.

This October, The National WWII Museum will embark on an inspiring seven-day, six-night tour of France, based on Alex Kershaw’s New York Times best sellers—“Avenue of Spies” and “The Bedford Boys”—with the author himself serving as featured historian. Guests will get an up-close view of the beaches of Normandy, while hearing stories of sacrifice about the Bedford Boys who came ashore with Company A, 116th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division during the first wave at Omaha Beach on D-Day.

The National WWII Museum’s latest travel experience will shine a spotlight on the institution’s home: the city of New Orleans. The exclusive Operation Home Front tour will showcase the best the Crescent City has to offer, including TripAdvisor's top attraction in the city and No. 4 in the nation: The National WWII Museum. Guests traveling on this one-time-only tour will take in VIP experiences of every kind—including a black-tie awards gala, an insider’s tour of the Museum, a ride on a restored patrol-torpedo boat and tickets to grand opening events for the Museum’s newest permanent exhibit.

The National WWII Museum will host two 13-day, 12-night tours following in the footsteps of the famed Easy Company—a group made legendary in the HBO miniseries “Band of Brothers,” which was based on Museum founder Stephen E. Ambrose’s book of the same title. From June 2 through 14, and again from September 11 through 23, 2017, historians and curators from America’s official WWII Museum will lead guests on the real-life epic journey across Europe—through the hedgerows of Normandy, down the Netherlands’ Hell’s Highway, to the last line of defense at Bastogne and on to the Hitler’s Eagles Nest.

To unify the campus and create a formal entry to Museum grounds, The National WWII Museum has completed a dramatic new Founders Plaza, which spans Andrew Higgins Drive between Camp and Magazine Streets. The Plaza creates an impressive entryway to the institution’s grounds, safe passage for guests, and a pleasant setting for rest and reflection as part of the visitor experience. On January 26, during a private ceremony, the Museum will dedicate the Plaza and unveil the Horatio Alger Association American Spirit Bridge.

With George Lucas’ Red Tails soaring at the box office, The National WWII Museum announces its acquisition and restoration of a P-51 Mustang, the aircraft depicted in Hollywood’s drama about the courageous fighter pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen.

The National WWII Museum today announced a new special exhibition: State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda, a traveling exhibition from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. The exhibition, which opens to the public on January 27, explores how the Nazi propaganda machine used biased information to sway public opinion in the years leading up to and during World War II. Organized chronologically, the exhibition is a rich multimedia experience that examines the definition of propaganda, how it operates, why it works and why it is so important to protect ourselves from its dangers.

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, The National WWII Museum will explore the history and locations of this fateful day throughout an exclusive symposium and educational travel program in Hawaii. Taking place December 1-8, 2016, the program will feature esteemed WWII historians including Rob Citino, PhD, Richard Frank, Donald L. Miller, PhD, Allan Millett, PhD and Jonathan Parshall, along with an exclusive four-part symposium discussing the events leading up to the attack.