COVID-19 puts National WWII Museum 20th anniversary online
Associated Press
FILE- In this June 2, 2006 file photo, participants watch as the new name for the National D-Day Museum, The National World War II Museum, is unveiled in New Orleans. Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the National WWII Museum in New Orleans was planning on a 20th anniversary crowd of thousands. To avoid crowds during the coronavirus, the museum is selling museum tickets for specific times and is holding all D-Day commemorations, including the annual opening ceremony, online. (AP Photo/Bill Haber, File)
FILE- In this June 6, 2000 file photo, World War II veterans participate in a parade as part of the events celebrating the opening of the National D-Day Museum in New Orleans. The museum was designated the National World War II museum a few years after it opened. Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the National WWII Museum in New Orleans was planning on a 20th anniversary crowd of thousands. (AP Photo/Bill Haber, File)
FILE- In this June 6, 2000 file photo, an emotional Stephen Ambrose, the National D-Day Museum founder, acknowledges applause as he is introduced at opening ceremonies for the museum in New Orleans. Director Steven Spielberg applauds at right as Tom Brokaw of NBC News applauds at center left. Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the National WWII Museum in New Orleans was planning on a 20th anniversary crowd of thousands. The National D-Day Museum was designated the National World War II museum a few years after it opened. (AP Photo/Bill Haber, file)
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the National WWII Museum in New Orleans was planning on a 20th anniversary crowd of thousands.
Now it’s selling museum tickets for specific times and holding all anniversary events online to avoid crowds.
The museum opened on June 6, 2000, as the National D-Day Museum. It was later made the national World War II museum.
It logged 3,200 visitors last June 6. President and CEO Stephen Watson says that since that’s a Saturday this year, there could have been 5,000 visitors.
The museum closed March 14 because of the pandemic and reopened on Memorial Day to the lowest attendance since Hurricane Katrina.
