NATIONAL WWI MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL F/K/A LIBERTY MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION

MUSEUM & MEMORIAL OPERATIONS (SEE SCHEDULE O): MUSEUM & MEMORIAL OPERATIONS: SHORTLY AFTER WORLD WAR I ENDED, A GROUP OF KANSAS CITY LEADERS FORMED A GROUP TO CREATE A LASTING MEMORIAL TO THOSE WHO SERVED. IN 1919, A FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN RESULTED IN 83,000 RESIDENTS CONTRIBUTING $2.5 MILLION IN 10 DAYS (MORE THAN $45 MILLION IN CURRENT DOLLARS). IN 1921, A SITE DEDICATION HOSTED MORE THAN 100,000 PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE FIVE MAJOR ALLIED COMMANDERS THE FIRST TIME THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE IN THE SAME PLACE AT THE SAME TIME. FOLLOWING YEARS OF PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION, THE MEMORIAL OPENED IN 1926 TO A CROWD OF MORE THAN 150,000 PEOPLE, INCLUDING U.S. PRESIDENT CALVIN COOLIDGE. AT THE TIME, IT WAS THE LARGEST AUDIENCE A U.S. PRESIDENT HAD EVER ADDRESSED AT ONE TIME. AFTER DECADES OF UNADDRESSED DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, THE MEMORIAL TEMPORARILY CLOSED IN 1994. ONCE AGAIN, KANSAS CITY AREA RESIDENTS ROSE TO THE CHALLENGE AT THIS CRITICAL JUNCTURE AND RAISED $102 MILLION FOR RENOVATIONS AND A MAJOR EXPANSION TO BUILD A WORLD-CLASS MUSEUM BELOW THE MEMORIAL COURTYARD. AFTER ACHIEVING NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK STATUS AND DESIGNATION FROM CONGRESS AS AMERICA'S OFFICIAL WWI MUSEUM, THE EXPANDED MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL OPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN DECEMBER 2006. CONGRESS ADDED A SECOND DESIGNATION IN 2014, EFFECTIVELY RENAMING THE ORGANIZATION THE NATIONAL WWI MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL. IN SPRING 2022, A MULTI-YEAR INITIATIVE TO CREATE A RICHER AND MORE IMMERSIVE VISITOR EXPERIENCE KICKED OFF. THE PROJECT WILL REFRESH AND EXPAND THE GALLERIES THROUGH NEW STORIES, TECHNOLOGY AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES, AS WELL AS INCREASE ACCESS TO THE MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL'S COLLECTION. THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROJECT, COMPLETED IN 2023, INCLUDED THE NEW LOWER LEVEL AND OPEN STORAGE CENTER A COASTLINE OF GLASS SHELVING THAT ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO VIEW 1,500 ADDITIONAL OBJECTS. MAIN GALLERY UPGRADES KICKED OFF IN FALL 2023 AND HAVE SO FAR INCLUDED NEW PROLOGUE AND EPILOGUE FILMS, A NEW TRENCH EXPERIENCE, NINE NEW INTERACTIVE TABLES AND SCREENS AND MORE. THESE RENOVATIONS ARE DESIGNED TO BETTER TELL THE STORY OF THE GREAT WAR AND WILL CONTINUE INTO 2025.MILLIONS OF PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE NATION AND GLOBE HAVE VISITED TO SEE THE WORLD'S MOST DIVERSE AND COMPREHENSIVE WORLD WAR I COLLECTION. AN INSTITUTION OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE, THE MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL IS KANSAS CITY'S GIFT TO THE WORLD. AS OF DEC. 31, 2023, THE MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL EMPLOYS 45 FULL-TIME AND 7 PART-TIME STAFF. ADDITIONALLY, IN 2023 649 CORE VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED OVER 57,121 HOURS OF SERVICE. VOLUNTEERS GREET GUESTS, PROVIDE EXPERT TOURS, PROVIDE GUIDANCE, SUPPORT SPECIAL PROJECTS, ASSIST WITH PROMOTION, ANSWER QUESTIONS, PROVIDE SPECIALIZED SUPPORT TO CERTAIN INITIATIVES AND HELP LEND A WARM, HUMAN DIMENSION TO MULTIFACETED STORIES OF WAR AND WORLD HISTORY. THE MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL RECEIVES FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL FUNDERS. DONORS INCLUDE A WIDE ARRAY OF INDIVIDUALS, CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS WHOSE PHILANTHROPY HAS HELPED TO BUILD ENHANCED PROGRAMMING AND FUND OPERATIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL. ADMISSIONS, FACILITY RENTALS, THE MUSEUM STORE, THE CAFE AND OTHER INITIATIVES ARE ALSO SUCCESSFUL REVENUE GENERATING SOURCES, BRINGING IN 29% OF THE MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL'S INCOME IN 2023. THE NATIONAL WWI MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL IS PROUD TO BE RANKED AS ONE OF THE TOP MUSEUMS IN THE U.S. AND THE "NUMBER ONE ATTRACTION IN KANSAS CITY" BY TRIPADVISOR REVIEWERS.IN 2023, THE MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL HOSTED APPROXIMATELY 1,177,000 PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE 47 ACRES SURROUNDING THE MUSEUM (AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 200% OVER FISCAL YEAR 2013). THIS INCLUDED MORE THAN 201,000 TICKETED GUESTS. IN 2023 THE MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL HOSTED, AMONG OTHER EVENTS, THE NFL DRAFT AND KANSAS CITY'S 4TH OF JULY FESTIVAL, THE STARS AND STRIPES PICNIC. THROUGH YOUTUBE AND OTHER PLATFORMS, GLOBAL AUDIENCES FROM 117 COUNTRIES ENGAGED WITH MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL CONTENT ONLINE.

EXHIBITIONS AND COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT (SEE SCHEDULE O): EXHIBITIONS AND COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT :THE NATIONAL WWI MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL IS THE NATION'S ONLY MUSEUM SOLELY DEDICATED TO PRESERVING THE HISTORY AND EXAMINING THE PERSONAL NARRATIVES OF THE GREAT WAR. THE MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL HOLDS THE WORLD'S MOST COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF WORLD WAR I (1914-1919) OBJECTS, ARTIFACTS AND DOCUMENTS, FROM BELLIGERENT NATIONS ACROSS THE GLOBE THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE CONFLICT. IT IS THE SECOND OLDEST WWI COLLECTING INSTITUTION IN THE WORLD. AND PRESENTS A COMPREHENSIVE GLOBAL INTERPRETATION OF WORLD WAR I AND ITS ENDURING IMPACT.THE MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL'S COLLECTION INCLUDES MORE THAN 384,000 WORLD WAR I HISTORICAL OBJECTS AND ARTIFACTS. IN 2023, THE MUSEUM ACCEPTED 294 NEW ACCESSIONS INTO THE PERMANENT COLLECTION, EACH OF WHICH CONTAINS AT LEAST ONE OBJECT, WITH SOME CONTAINING HUNDREDS OF OBJECTS. COLLECTION PRIORITIES RESPOND TO IMMEDIATE RESEARCH AND EXHIBITION NEEDS, AS WELL AS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARISE. THE MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL WORKS TO ENSURE THAT THE STORIES OF MINORITIES, WOMEN AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES WHO SERVED IN WWI ARE COLLECTED AND TOLD THROUGH A DEDICATED COLLECTING INITIATIVE LAUNCHED IN 2020. IN ADDITION TO ITS PERMANENT EXHIBITIONS, THE MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL FEATURES SEVERAL SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS EVERY YEAR, AND PARTNERS WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS WITH EXHIBITION LOANS. 2023 EXHIBITIONS FEATURED: ENTERTAINING THE TROOPS AND BESPOKE BODIES: THE DESIGN AND CRAFT OF PROSTHETICS. AN IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE CALLED WAR REMAINS CONTINUED TO BE OFFERED AS WELL.IN SPRING 2022, THE FIRST OF MANY NEW IMPROVEMENTS BEGAN, KICKING OFF A MULTI-YEAR INITIATIVE TO CREATE A RICHER AND MORE IMMERSIVE VISITOR EXPERIENCE BY REFRESHING AND EXPANDING THE GALLERIES AND ACCESS TO THE MUSEUM AND MEMORIAL'S COLLECTION. THE NEW LOWER LEVEL, FEATURING THE BERGMAN FAMILY GALLERY AND OPEN STORAGE CENTER, OPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN SPRING 2023. A COASTLINE OF GLASS SHELVING ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO VIEW 1,500 OBJECTS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE BEHIND CLOSED STORAGE DOORS. MAIN GALLERY RENOVATIONS WILL BEGIN IN FALL 2023 AND LAST INTO 2025.