National WWI Museum and Memorial Announce Virtual Programs for Memorial Day and More

While the National WWI Museum and Memorial remains closed in the physical sense due to the COVID-19/Coronavirus, the organization remains "open" with an array of virtual offerings throughout May.

On Saturday, May 2 at 10:30 a.m., the Museum and Memorial continues its online edition of Mrs. Wilson's Knitting Circle. For the April edition, nearly 300 people from nine different countries around the world participated. This month, Curator of Education Lora Vogt and Registrar & Exhibitions Manager Stacie Petersen bring the knitting community together for a discussion on knitting and fiber arts during World War I. The event is open to novices and experts with RSVPs encouraged at theworldwar.org.

How has war influenced human society and, in turn, how do organizations, technology or ideologies affect how and why we fight? On Thursday, May 14 at 12:30 p.m., the Museum and Memorial hosts an engaging online conversation between Dr. Margaret MacMillan, best-selling author and emeritus professor of International History at the University of Oxford, and historian Dan Snow, creator of History Hit, the United Kingdom's most successful history podcast with nearly 1 million listeners each month. Addressing lessons from past conflicts, including WWI, and based upon MacMillan's upcoming book, War: How Conflict Shaped Us, the discussion will consider parallels between the world of 100 years ago and today. The event is free to the public with RSVPs encouraged at theworldwar.org.

Missing America's national pastime? On Thursday, May 21 at 2:30 p.m., the Museum and Memorial hosts a live Twitter Q&A with Jim Leeke, author of From the Dugouts to the Trenches: Baseball During the Great War. Leeke will address the connections between World War I and baseball as well as how the war changed the national pastime forever. The public are welcome to submit questions in advance as well as join in the live conversation on the organization's Twitter handle @thewwimuseum.

While the Museum and Memorial will be closed on Memorial Day, the organization offers three moving ceremonies streamed online for free to the public. At 10 a.m., a Memorial Day ceremony occurs to honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. At Noon, a brief Memorial Day Bell Tolling Ceremony commemorates those who lost their lives with a bell that was rung on a daily basis in Kansas City by the Daughters of the American Revolution during World War I. At 2 p.m., the Museum and Memorial shares the Walk of Honor Dedication Ceremony, which recognizes individuals who have recently had a Walk of Honor brick dedicated in their name. Each ceremony can be seen at theworldwar.org/live.

The National WWI Museum and Memorial holds the most comprehensive collection of World War I objects and documents in the world and is the second- oldest- public museum dedicated to preserving the object, history and personal experiences of the war.

May National WWI Museum and Memorial Events

Saturday, May 2, 10:30 a.m.: Mrs. Wilson's Knitting Circle (FREE online stream with RSVP)

Saturday, May 9, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.: WW1USA Amateur Radio (FREE to the public)

Thursday, May 14, 12:30 p.m.: War - How Conflict Shaped Us (FREE online stream with RSVP)

Thursday, May 21, 2:30 p.m.: Live Twitter Q&A with Jim Leeke (FREE to the public)

Monday, May 25

10 a.m.: Memorial Day Ceremony (FREE online stream)

Noon: Bell Tolling Ceremony (FREE online stream)

2 p.m.: Walk of Honor Ceremony (FREE online stream)