This museum has been on my bucket list for quite awhile. I have always enjoyed studying and teaching about the Second World War. We went on a Friday in the middle of the day, and it was pretty crowded. If you choose to visit in the middle of the week and/or when the museum first opens, you will probably be able to enjoy it with less people.
The Big Picture
There are many large exhibits to help you understand the overall flow of the war.
Also, many areas have an immersive components to them. You walk the streets of France or Berlin, embark on a submarine, or peruse the latest newspaper stand as you learn about that part of the war.
You might be able to see videos playing in some of the pictures. Videos play in nearly every room, though often not on a tv screen. Instead, they play on the jungle walls and ruined streets. If you have trouble tuning things out, this museum might put you on sensory overload.
The Dog Tag Experience
A relatively new part of the museum is the ability to follow one story. You get a dog tag available at several stations. Then you take it to kiosks around the museum to learn more about the story. Because of Covid, no headsets were available to listen, so you had to read closed captioning. I love the concept, but the execution needs a little work. First of all, your person’s story is only told at some of the kiosks. I did not understand how to tell which ones told his story and which ones did not. Now, you can also collect “artifacts” about weapons, planes, or other interesting facts. I had trouble understanding how to collect them. Plus, because it was so crowded, I did not want to spend too much time at the kiosk. If my person wasn’t featured, I just skipped it.
When you get home, you can log into the Dog Tag Experience website to read the story and see the artifacts you collected. I missed the final piece of my soldier’s story when we visited the museum. Turns out, they were in the museum store which we didn’t visit. I was able to read about his after war experience at the website when we got home, which was nice. Just an FYI, if you go on the train, you do not have to put in you email address to access your soldier’s story. If you do not want to be on the museum’s email list, just skip that.
Racism at Home
The museum does not gloss over the problem of racism during the war. They have exhibits on the treatment of Blacks, Native Americans and Japanese Americans. My dog tag told the story of Ben Kuroki. He flew a B-24 bomber. I heard his story of being only one of two planes from his squadron of nine that made it back from Operation Tidal Wave.
Kuroki returned home a decorated hero after flying 30 missions, but still faced racism when he came back. Because of how people treated him, he decided he “hadn’t done enough to prove his loyalty.” What a sad commentary about American society.
He decided to fly B-29’s over the Pacific. However, Japanese Americans could not do that. Three big names in California, including the president of Stanford at the time, wrote to the Secretary of War to ask he be allowed to fly. Henry Stemson eventually agreed to their request. Kuroki flew 28 bombing missions over Japan.
One night when he was in his barracks, a drunk serviceman came in and told him he was not a “good Jap.” He then pulled out a bayonet knife and slashed his head. He woke up in the hospital several days later to find out about the atomic bombs and the fact that the war was over.
After the war, Kuroki became an editor at newspapers in Nebraska, Michigan, and California. He even wrote a children’s book about his experience. Being able to enter into the experience of someone who experienced racism will hopefully help us to spot it in our own attitudes and actions.
The U.S. Freedom Center
Right now, you can only see a few airplanes and exhibits. The tanks are not on display. You also cannot enjoy the Final Mission: USS Tang Submarine Experience, where you relive the submarine’s final battle. Hopefully, these will reopen once Covid is better controlled.
The Small Stories
“Mom, I sure am glad you write me lots.”
“Expect to land Tues. morning. & most of us seem to be a little doubtful as to whether we will experience opposition or not. Personally I am inclined to believe they will be gunning for us.”
I am mesmerized by the letters and diaries behind the glass —ordinary young men recording their experiences. I struggle to hold back the tears as I read multiple telegrams beginning, “The State Department regrets to inform you…” Reading personal stories helps to bring the time period to life for me more than immersive displays and giant pictures of Allied and Axis commanders.
I talked in my blog post, “Bigger Isn’t Always Better,” about how much I enjoy smaller venues. Even in bigger museums, I prefer the small stories. This museum provides many of the smaller stories as well as the bigger ones.
Planning Your Visit
Right now they suggest you buy tickets in advance because they are limiting the amount of people. We did not, but I checked ahead of time to make sure plenty of tickets were still available. We chose the combo ticket for museum admission and entrance to the movie Beyond All Boundaries, a film narrated by Tom Hanks. On certain days, you can take a guided tour. Also, they offer a $7 special if you want to go back a second day. As always, check the current information at the official website.
Saturday, I will be posting a devotion about the Day of Infamy. See you then.