National World War I Museum and Memorial, Military and history museum in Kansas City, United States.
The National World War I Museum and Memorial is a history museum in Kansas City located beneath the Liberty Memorial tower, with extensive galleries dedicated to the First World War. The collections span multiple rooms filled with military equipment, uniforms, photographs, and personal artifacts from nations that participated in the conflict.
The memorial was established in 1919 when Kansas City residents created a tribute to World War I veterans, with construction driven by community support. Over time, it developed into one of the largest institutions dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of that conflict.
The poppy field installation at the entrance serves as a moving tribute to those who died during the war, and visitors often spend time reflecting among the flowers. This living memorial has become a focal point where people gather to pay their respects in a quiet, contemplative way.
The museum sits beneath the Liberty Memorial tower, and visitors access the galleries by walking across a distinctive arched bridge over the poppy field. Plan to spend several hours exploring the collections, as the displays are extensive and cover different regions and periods of the war.
The museum holds one of North America's largest collections of First World War artifacts, with vehicles and weapons from multiple nations on display. Many visitors overlook how the personal belongings of soldiers throughout the galleries reveal the everyday experiences and human stories behind the conflict.
Location: Kansas City
Location: Jackson County
Architects: Harold Van Buren Magonigle, George Kessler, Olmsted Brothers, Hare & Hare
Official opening: November 11, 1926
Architectural style: Beaux-Arts, Egyptian Revival architecture
Accessibility: Wheelchair limited access
Address: 2 Memorial Dr, Kansas City, MO 64108
Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-17:00; May Monday[-1]-September Monday[1]: Sunday-Saturday 10:00-17:00; January 01 off; January Monday[3] off; February Monday[3] off; November Thursday[4] off; December 24-25,31 off; September 28 10:00-14:00
Phone: +18168888100
Email: info@theworldwar.org
Website: https://theworldwar.org
GPS coordinates: 39.08068,-94.58608
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:40
Kansas City holds a special place between the farming states of the Midwest and the big cities on the East Coast. It keeps the feel of a medium-sized city, with its working-class neighborhoods and quiet suburbs, while also playing an important role in American history. Here, you see the architecture from the 1910s, traces of river trade, jazz and baseball memories, and a lively arts scene that has been growing in recent years. There are places like the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, which displays European and Asian paintings in a 1930s building, and the Liberty Memorial, a war monument overlooking downtown. The Crossroads district becomes lively in the evenings with galleries and cafes. Union Station, the old train station, is now a planetarium and science museum. The stadiums, especially Arrowhead, echo during football games. Along the Missouri River, the banks are perfect for walking or biking. Each spot offers a different view of this city, which stays quiet but has lots of character.
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