National WWII Museum Celebrates 20 Years

On June 6, The National WWII Museum will commemorate the 76th anniversary of the D-Day invasion and celebrate the 20th anniversary of its opening as The National D-Day Museum in 2000. Following its Congressional designation as The National WWII Museum in 2004, the institution has dramatically expanded its mission along with its campus to preserve and tell the stories of all Americans who served abroad and on the Home Front during World War II, solidifying itself as one of the top-ranked cultural attractions in the world. Visit the museum’s Facebook page or website to watch the following programs live or at a later date at nationalww2museum.org:

June 1: "Time Will Not Dim the Glory of Their Deeds:" The Cemetery at Omaha Beach and the Commemoration of the D-Day War Dead: Ben Brands, a historian with the American Battle Monuments Commission, will discuss the initial establishment of the cemetery at Omaha Beach, which occurred in the days immediately following D-Day. Brands will also explore the cemetery's post-war transformation into a permanent resting place, fulfilling the ABMC's mission to protect overseas memorials and perpetually honor the Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. 11 am.

June 2: The Meaning of D-Day: A Roundtable Discussion: Led by Dawn Hammatt, Director of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, this virtual roundtable discussion on the significance of D-Day and its legacy features historians Tyler Bamford, PhD, Allyson Gates, PhD, and Benjamin Schneider, PhD. 11 am.

June 3: In Command of Overlord: Strategic and Operational Leadership in the Great Invasion: Rob Havers, PhD, President & CEO of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library, and Rob Citino, PhD, The National WWII Museum’s Executive Director of the Institute for the Study of War and Democracy and the Samuel Zemurray Stone Senior Historian, will discuss the D-Day landing and Normandy campaign through the modern military lenses of strategy—identifying long-term goals and providing the resources to meet them—and operations—plans to dominate the battlefield, foil the enemy, and win at the lowest cost. 11 am.

June 4: D-Day Live Lesson: Michael Arvites and Laura Romero-Ballesteros, both Master Teachers and alumni of the Museum’s Summer Teacher Institute, will host a live interactive webinar on Operation Overlord, in which participating students and families will analyze the strategic decisions of military planners and how the Allies pulled off the greatest amphibious invasion in history. 11 am.

June 4: Live From Your Living Room with the Victory Six: As part of the week's commemorative programming, the Museum’s Victory Six Swing Band will put on a special virtual performance. Tune in to enjoy the sounds of 1940s big band classics from the comfort of your home. 7 pm.

June 5: Live D-Day Veteran Conversation: The Museum's mission is built upon its collection of oral histories--these are the people we're committed to remembering, and getting to share their accounts with our audience puts a deeply personal spin on the Museum experience. Join Curator of Oral History Joey Balfour as he discusses the Normandy landings with a veteran who experienced the invasion firsthand.

June 6: Dr. Hal Baumgarten D-Day Commemoration Ceremony: Presented in memory of D-Day veteran and Museum friend Dr. Harold “Hal” Baumgarten, this commemoration ceremony will mark the 76th anniversary of the D-Day invasion with a solemn remembrance of the events of June 6, 1944, and conclude with a moment of silence. The Dr. Hal Baumgarten D-Day Commemoration Endowment, made possible by the generous gift of Karen and Leopold Sher, ensures that Dr. Baumgarten’s legacy will live on in perpetuity and helps the Museum fulfill its mission to educate future generations about the events of World War II and its lasting impact. 11 am–noon.

June 6: Celebrating 20 Years: The National WWII Museum: Boysie Bollinger, longtime Museum Trustee and one of the its biggest champions, together with the Museum’s Founding President & CEO Emeritus Gordon H. “Nick” Mueller, PhD, and current President & CEO Stephen Watson, will reminisce about what it was like to be a part of the grand opening festivities on June 6, 2000; how WWII history has become a larger part of the nation’s fabric, spurring the expansion of The National WWII Museum; and the Museum's continued transformation into one of the premier cultural and educational institutions in the world. 1 pm.

June 6: D-Day at The National WWII Museum: The National WWII Museum will be open to the public for normal business hours on our 20th anniversary. Special features for the day include independent family activities, a Social Media Scavenger Hunt, and the premiere of a short documentary celebrating the Museum’s 20th anniversary. Timed tickets are now available online. 9 am–5 pm.

For a full schedule of events, visit nationalww2museum.org/war/topics/national-wwii-museums-20th-anniversary.