Boeing-Sponsored Pavilion Celebrates U.S. Heroes And Military Might

The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, LA, celebrated the next milestone in its $325 million expansion with a Grand Opening ceremony for the new US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center. An expansive, patriotic and emotional ceremony was matched only by the grandeur and glory of the new pavilion, which opened to the public Sunday.

An array of VIPs, veterans and young scholars from every state in the union and the District of Columbia gathered in New Orleans for the occasion. The thrusting glass and steel exhibit space holds a tribute to WWII Medal of Honor recipients and displays huge macro artifacts including a B-17E Flying Fortress – the massive bomber was part of America's "Arsenal of Democracy" that won the war. It now joins one of the world's finest collections of WWII artifacts.

"We are the nation's WWII museum," Mueller said. "And with Sunday's public opening of the US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center, we'll have even more compelling artifacts to display to our community, our visitors and the world. This is an exciting and emotional day."

Other artifacts inside the US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center include the "big guns" of American military might, consisting of restored aircraft such as a B-25J Mitchell, SBD-3 Dauntless, TBM Avenger, P-51D Mustang, Corsair F4U-4 and an interactive submarine experience based on the final mission of the USS Tang.  Exhibits in the new pavilion make full use of the newest digital technologies for a thrilling journey into the heart of the war experience. 

The Boeing Center came from a $20 million Congressional grant through the United States Department of Defense and $15 million gift from The Boeing Company.

(Image provided by the National WWII Museum)

FMI: www.nationalww2museum.org/