November 9, 2024

In commemoration of Veterans Day, the National WWI Museum and Memorial serves as a fitting place to honor those who have served — and continue to serve — our country. To recognize these men and women, admission to the Museum and Memorial is free for veterans and active duty military personnel from Friday, Nov. 8 through Monday, Nov. 11. General admission for the public is half-price.

Visitors celebrating Veterans Day at the Museum and Memorial will be some of the first to view three new exhibits in the Main Gallery – a field hospital, new and immersive crater and updates to the FT-17 Renault Tank. These Main Gallery exhibits open on Thursday, Nov. 7.

A new, fully-themed display will give guests a peek into the workings of a field hospital and the realities and innovations of battlefield medicine during WWI. The field hospital, evocative of a bombed-out church that would have been repurposed for treating the wounded, will draw in guests to further investigate the scene. As the guest approaches the display, they are presented with stories from WWI, interactive displays and a visual representation of the chaos in a working field hospital. One scene, inspired by John Singer Sargent’s painting, “Gassed,” shows a line of soldiers blinded by a gas attack following an uninjured guide into the field hospital for treatment.

A newly-produced immersive film will be projected onto the inner surface of a recreated battle crater, allowing visitors to access deeply affecting scenes that graphically depict the horrific reality of WWI artillery. Using narration, light and sound, guests’ senses will be heightened by what they see, hear and feel.

The Renault FT17 Tank will be repositioned for a more complete view, including the ability to see real-life battle damage on its side. Guests will be able to inspect the tank up close, only separated by an exhibit rail featuring associated content, artifact cases and interactive media monitors. At two interactive stations, guests will learn more about the Renault FT17 through a 3D model of the tank. Onscreen buttons will let users rotate the model to examine it from all angles and even view inside the tank.

The final update to the Main Gallery, Encounters, will open in spring 2025 and features 16 immersive and interactive stories from first-hand WWI accounts.