One tank trip: WWI Liberty Memorial and Museum provides a window into history

0
176
(Logo by Kaylie McLaughlin | Collegian Media Group)

If you only had one tank of gas to go to the destination of your choice, where would you go?

The National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri, is an historic, educational destination, just a tank of gas away. Located in the heart of downtown Kansas City, the museum and memorial offer enough to fill your agenda for the day.

The WWI Liberty Memorial and Museum contains the largest collection of World War I artifacts of any museum and is designated as a National Historic Landmark.

The outside is readily identified by the Liberty Tower, but the main museum building is located underneath. The memorial tower also overlooks all of downtown, offering an impressive view of the city. The Egyptian Revival-style structure was completed in 1926, and stood alone until the 80,000 square foot museum was constructed below in 2004.

The underground museum offers a wide range of artifacts, videos, recreations of the soldiers’ trenches and interactive pieces. Not only are you able to read about the history of WWI and see original documents, you’re also guided through what happened during the war step-by-step.

Some of the current exhibitions include: French Fashion, Women in WWI: Votes and Voices and two 100 Years of Collecting exhibitions, which feature art and artifacts from the war.

The museum contains over 330,000 items, and is still growing.

The museum and memorial is so impressive, former presidents, prominent generals, celebrities and senators have traveled from all over to visit. It is ranked the fifth-best museum in the U.S. and is the No. 1 visited spot in Kansas City.

The website has all of the details regarding COVID-19 safety and regulations, and is taking them seriously. Face masks are required, and they have increased cleaning and modified exhibits to allow for social distancing.

Next time you are looking for somewhere to go for the day, the WWI Liberty Memorial and Museum is a great option.

Advertisement
SHARE
Hey! I’m Maddie Daniel and I am a junior in mass communications. This semester, I'm the assistant culture editor and have previously served as a staff writer. After I graduate, I plan to go to law school to pursue a career in Federal Indian Law. I love art, history and anything outdoors.