Now open, the John E. Kushner Restoration Pavilion offers up-close looks at WWII macro-artifacts, including the Museum’s patrol torpedo boat, PT-305, which returned to her permanent home on campus in 2022. Museum visitors can observe the fully restored vessel from the Lester and Beverly Wainer PT-305 Viewing Terrace and learn of her wartime crew and tours of duty. The Pavilion also houses the STEM Innovation Gallery, an educational space that gives visitors the opportunity to engage in tactile learning and exploration.
Originally built in New Orleans by Higgins Industries, PT-305, nicknamed USS Sudden Jerk, was a critical asset for the US Navy during World War II, serving in Mediterranean waters from 1944 to the end of the war. After years of civilian use, PT-305 was obtained by the Museum in 2007, and volunteers worked to restore her for the next 10 years, dedicating more than 120,000 hours of labor. In March 2017, the iconic vessel began offering rides and tours on Lake Pontchartrain, where she was originally tested by Higgins Industries. In 2022, PT-305 returned to the Museum as plans were developed to make her more accessible to wider audiences on campus.
The STEM Innovation Gallery features hands-on experiments and authentic WWII-era macro-artifacts, including a Dodge WC-9 Ambulance and an LVT-4 (Landing Vehicle Tracked), to show how science, technology, engineering, and math contributed to—and advanced—the Allied effort during World War II.
In the future, guided tours of PT-305’s interior will also be offered, and the Pavilion will include a dedicated facility for the restoration and preservation of the Museum’s priceless collection of WWII macro-artifacts.
STEM INNOVATION GALLERY
About John E. Kushner
A native New Orleanian, John E. Kushner was a WWII history enthusiast with a particular affinity for collecting and restoring artifacts. He donated several valuable wartime artifacts to the Museum’s collection—including a WWII jeep like the one his father, Jack Kushner, had driven during his service. A founding Board member, Kushner believed in the importance of educating future generations about the values and lessons of World War II and was instrumental in securing the original Museum site.
Thanks to Our Donors
The John E. Kushner Restoration Pavilion was funded in part by the Office of the Secretary of Commerce, Economic Development Administration.
The National WWII Museum would also like to acknowledge the generosity of John Kushner’s family and friends who contributed to the completion of John E. Kushner Restoration Pavilion in his honor:
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph C. Canizaro
Coya and Frank Levy
H. Britton Sanderford
Mr. and Mrs. Judah Hertz
Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Smith Lupo
Richard and Toni Bachmann
Terri and John Havens
Scott and Leslie Jacobs
Robert Newman Family
Mr. and Mrs. Rick S. Rees
Andrew and Barbara Rosenberg
Merritt and Elly Lane
In Honor of Calvin C. Fayard Sr.
Tripp and Heidi Friedler
Valentino Family
Barbara Kushner and Family
Laitram LLC
Mr. and Mrs. James M. Lapeyre Jr.
Russell Palmer
David R. Sherman
Michael J. Siegel Steve and Donna Stumpf
Robert E. Talbot
Transoceanic Development
Jimmy & Lillian Maurin
Museum Campus
Explore The Campus
Museum Campus Guide-
Louisiana Memorial Pavilion
The Louisiana Memorial Pavilion exhibits take visitors into the monumental efforts on the Home Front and to the beaches of Normandy—focusing on the thousands of men and women who made Allied victory in World War II possible.
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Campaigns of Courage
In a war where the terrain was as deadly as the enemy, this pavilion tells the story of American servicemembers abroad—and how they overcame unprecedented challenges on multiple fronts to win victory in World War II. In over 19,000 square feet of exhibit space, two extraordinary exhibitions bring visitors inside the epic story of the war in its most infamous settings, bringing to life jungles, beaches, mountains, and oceans in 19 immersive galleries.
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Solomon Victory Theater
The Solomon Victory Theater is home to Beyond All Boundaries, a 4D cinematic experience produced exclusively for The National WWII Museum by Tom Hanks—who narrates the film—and Phil Hettema.
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Hall of Democracy
The Hall of Democracy represents the center of the Museum’s expanding educational outreach initiatives—providing a space that will enable the institution to share its collections, oral histories, research, and expertise with audiences across the world.
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US Freedom Pavilion
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The Higgins Hotel & Conference Center
The official Hotel of The National WWII Museum, this stunning art-deco style property offers first-class accommodations, meeting spaces, and dining options providing a sophisticated lodging experience for guests.
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John E. Kushner Restoration Pavilion
Now open, the John E. Kushner Restoration Pavilion offers up-close looks at WWII macro-artifacts, including the Museum’s patrol torpedo boat, PT-305, which returned to her permanent home on campus in 2022. Museum visitors can observe the fully restored vessel from the Lester and Beverly Wainer PT-305 Viewing Terrace and learn of her wartime crew and tours of duty. The Pavilion also houses the STEM Innovation Gallery, an educational space that gives visitors the opportunity to engage in tactile learning and exploration.
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Founders Plaza
Founders Plaza creates an impressive entryway to the Museum campus, safe passage for Museum guests, and a pleasant setting for rest and reflection as part of the visitor experience.
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Bollinger Canopy of Peace
The soaring Bollinger Canopy of Peace, set to stand 150 feet tall, will unify the Museum's diverse campus and establish the Museum as a fixture on the New Orleans skyline.
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Liberation Pavilion
Three building levels will explore the closing months of the war and immediate postwar years, concluding with an explanation of links to our lives today.
