The National WWII Museum-New Orleans

If you're planning a trip to New Orleans, make sure The National WWII Museum is at the top of your list. Even if you only have a half-day to spare, as we did, the museum offers a deeply immersive experience that brings the stories of World War II to life. We only scratched the surface on our visit and are already planning a return trip!

L.W. “Pete” Kent Train Car Experience

Our visit kicked off in the Louisiana Memorial Pavilion, where we were introduced to a recreated 1940s train station. Here, you can step aboard the L.W. "Pete" Kent Train Car and experience what it was like for new recruits heading off to war. It’s a sobering, immersive look into the wartime journey. This is also where the interactive Dog Tag experience begins, where you receive a digital dog tag that connects you to either a serviceman or civilian. Throughout the museum, you’ll follow their story, which adds a deeply personal layer to the exhibits.

Liberation Pavilion

Next, we explored one of the museum’s most powerful spaces, the Liberation Pavilion. This three-story exhibit focuses on the efforts to liberate Europe. This section of the museum covers the Holocaust, offering a sobering look at the atrocities faced by millions during WWII. Personal accounts, photographs, and artifacts from survivors make it a deeply impactful part of the museum. It’s a must-see for anyone wanting to understand the human cost of war. This Pavilion also features a replica of Anne Frank’s house and details the post-war impact, including the efforts to rebuild Europe and the war crime trials that followed.

Campaigns of Courage: European and Pacific Theaters

This space offers an incredibly detailed look at the challenges faced by American servicemen, from the beaches of Normandy to the jungles of the Pacific. The immersive exhibits give you a real sense of the environments' soldiers fought in, whether it was dense jungles, battle-scarred beaches, or the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. You’ll walk through 19 galleries that cover major battles, showing the bravery and resilience of those who fought.

L.W. "Pete" Kent Train Car

Other Highlights

• The Arsenal of Democracy: A tribute to the people back home who supported the war effort by rationing and producing weapons and supplies.

• D-Day Invasion of Normandy: One of the most gripping and immersive exhibits, detailing the planning and execution of the D-Day landings.

• The Final Mission: USS Tang Submarine Experience: This exhibit gives you a rare, immersive look inside a WWII submarine and the dangers its crew faced.

The museum’s staff were incredibly knowledgeable, and thanks to their tips, we discovered some fascinating artifacts we might have otherwise missed. One of the most unexpected finds was a gas mask designed to fit a baby (which was just wild to think about), and a wedding dress made entirely of silk parachute material.

Wedding dress made of silk parachute material

Replica of the secret annex where Anne Frank lived during the war

Gas Mask made to fit a baby's whole body

Although we didn’t have the chance to experience a film screening ourselves, the museum offers a variety of compelling films, including "Beyond All Boundaries." Narrated by Tom Hanks, this incredible 4D experience at the Solomon Victory Theater combines visuals, sound, and motion that bring the past to life.

Dining at the Museum

If you're looking for a bite to eat, I highly recommend The Jeri Nims Soda Shop. It's a retro diner-style cafe that serves classic comfort food like grilled cheese, seafood gumbo, and root beer floats. The perfect spot for a nostalgic bite and a moment to reflect on what we’d seen. The Museum offers a second restaurant onsite as well, the American Sector Restaurant & Bar offers Southern comfort food with a modern twist, definitely worth checking out if you’re in the mood for a sit-down meal. There are four other great places to dine as well within The Higgins Hotel, which is part of the WWII museum campus. The hotel brings you back in time to the WWII era with its charm and elegance. View more about the dining here.

Jeri Nims Soda Shop

Delicious Root Beer Floats

Inside the 1940's themed Soda Shop

Unforgettable Experience

Though we only had a few hours, the National WWII Museum left a major impression that will stick with us long after our visit. If you can, set aside a full day to explore, it’s well worth it. The museum offers guided tour as well, which I’ll definitely be doing on my next visit! Purchase your tickets online today.