Exhibit

Malcolm S. Forbes Rare and Iconic Artifacts Gallery

Supported by the Timothy Forbes Family

The newly renovated Malcolm S. Forbes Rare and Iconic Artifacts Gallery provides a new opportunity for the Museum to highlight hidden gems from its vast collection of more than a quarter of a million objects and a wealth of archival materials and oral histories—only a small percentage of which can be displayed at any one time.

With the support of the Timothy Forbes Family, the Forbes Gallery includes more than 50 artifacts—from the one-of-a-kind to the ever-present, the personal to the universal—that are symbolic of the WWII era. The objects on display give fascinating insight into different perspectives of the war effort and reveal the stories behind some of the most monumental events in World War II.

The gallery also features Voices from the Front, a new interactive experience made possible by the generous support from Margie and St. Denis J. “Sandy” Villere that allows guests to hold conversations with more than a dozen members of the WWII generation.

About Malcolm Forbes

Malcolm Forbes was the third son of Bertie Charles Forbes, a Scottish emigrant who founded the now-iconic Forbes magazine. He enlisted in the US Army in 1942 and, despite having an Ivy League education, served as a machine gunner with the 334th Infantry Regiment, 84th Infantry Division, on the front lines in Europe. Forbes rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and received a Bronze Star for actions in Germany on November 26, 1944, when he observed and reported an unprotected gap that the enemy could exploit to encircle his battalion; he was also awarded the Purple Heart after being wounded in combat. Both medals are on display in the Malcolm S. Forbes Rare and Iconic Artifacts Gallery, along with other awards and Forbes’s war-weathered field jacket.

Voices from the Front

The Forbes Gallery houses Voices from the Front, a new interactive experience that allows guests to hold conversations with more than a dozen members of the WWII generation. Facilitated by artificial intelligence, museumgoers can personally engage with veterans, Home Front workers, and other witnesses to the war well into the future. Voices from the Front puts real faces to history, offering unique and intimate perspectives and bridging the gap between generations.

Made possible through generous support from Margie and St. Denis J. “Sandy” Villere

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The National WWII Museum

Museum Campus

Gallery Location

Louisiana Memorial Pavilion

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