FAQ

Northbound
Take I-35 North to the Broadway exit. Make a right turn on Broadway and continue to travel southbound towards Pershing Road. Make a left turn on Pershing Road. Make a right turn on Kessler Road, following it around to the entrance of the National WWI Museum and Memorial.

Southbound
Take I-35 South to the Broadway exit. Make a left turn on Broadway and continue to travel southbound towards Pershing Road. Make a left turn on Pershing Road. Make a right turn on Kessler Road, following it around to the entrance of the National WWI Museum and Memorial.

Eastbound
Take I-70 East to the Broadway exit. Make a right turn on Broadway and continue to travel southbound towards Pershing Road. Make a left turn on Pershing Road. Make a right turn on Kessler Road, following it around to the entrance of the National WWI Museum and Memorial.

Westbound
Take I-70 West to the Broadway exit. Make a left turn on Broadway and continue to travel southbound towards Pershing Road. Make a left turn on Pershing Road. Make a right turn on Kessler Road, following it around to the entrance of the National WWI Museum and Memorial.

Directions from Kansas City International Airport
Follow signs to the Airport Exit. Follow signs to I-29 S/US-71 S. Merge onto I-29 S/US-71 S via the ramp to Kansas City for ~17 miles. Continue on US-71. Take exit 2L for I-670W (toward I-35 S/Wichita). Take exit 2T to merge onto I-35 S. Take exit 1B toward Broadway/27th St. Keep left and merge onto Broadway Blvd/Penn Valley Dr. Turn left onto W 29th St. Turn left onto Wyandotte St., then continue to the entrance of the National WWI Museum and Memorial.

Transportation is available through RideKC. Visit the RideKC website to plan your trip. Please note that the nearest stops to the Museum and Memorial (Union Station, Main St./27th St. and Main St./29th St.) are further than one quarter mile from the entrance. RideKC offers door-to-door paratransit service through its RideKC Freedom program as well as an app-based version called RideKC Freedom On-Demand.

Free parking (including accessible parking) is located on the south side of the Museum and Memorial in the U-shaped drive and in the West Visitors Lot.

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Enter the following address for the most accurate GPS directions to the Museum and Memorial:

2 Memorial Drive
Kansas City, Mo. 64108

The front entrance is located on the South side of the complex. Look for bronze doors at the bottom of the ramps by the fountain. The bronze doors are located directly under etched lettering with the National WWI Museum and Memorial’s name.

All visitors must wear shirts and shoes at all times when inside any buildings on the Museum and Memorial complex, including the Liberty Memorial Tower.

The public is invited to wear masks during their visit at the National WWI Museum and Memorial if they choose to do so.

Photography is generally allowed in all areas of the Museum and Memorial except for the films or where otherwise noted. Tripods, selfie sticks and standalone lighting are not allowed inside the Museum. Electronic devices are not permitted to record any of the films or audio in the Reflection Rooms. Drones are allowed on the exterior grounds of the Museum and Memorial, but drone operators must be licensed as required by the FAA and must inform the proper authorities as appropriate about operational plans. All commercial photography/filming must be approved in advance. For complete guidelines, visit our Policies and Permits page.

Yes, tickets for admission are available when the Tower is open. The Liberty Memorial Tower has a 217-foot-high, open-air observation deck. To reach the top of the Tower, guests ride an elevator and climb 45 steps. Like the Museum, tripods and standalone lighting equipment are not allowed. Backpacks and bags larger than a purse are not allowed in the Tower at any time. While there is no prohibition of these items, the Museum and Memorial recommends that they not be carried into the galleries and reserves the right to not allow a bag or backpack. All bags and backpacks may be checked at no charge at Guest Services near the main entrance. All parcels brought into the building are subject to search at any time.

Yes, there is an ATM located outside the entrance to the Museum Store. We also accept cash, travelers checks, organizational checks and MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover.

Yes, you may purchase tickets here.

Non-profit groups seeking ticket donations for auctions, drawings, etc., should submit their requests in writing to the Museum Store at store@theworldwar.org.

Our facilities are perfect for your rental, from intimate groups of 30 to large gatherings of thousands. To learn more and to book your event, visit our Venue Rentals page.

Learn more about rentals

Yes, strollers are permitted everywhere except for the Liberty Memorial Tower.

The Museum and Memorial welcomes service dogs and miniature horses in their roles as service animals. All other pets are prohibited from being inside any buildings on the Museum and Memorial complex, including the Liberty Memorial Tower. Pets are allowed on the exterior grounds, but should be under the control of their owner, who has full responsibility for the actions of the animal. Pets should not be left inside vehicles on the property. If a pet is left in a vehicle, Museum and Memorial Security will attempt to find the owner of the vehicle. If the determination is made that the pet may be in danger, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and Fire Department will be notified and summoned to the property.

For the safety of both guests and our collection items, we do not allow Segways, hoverboards, scooters and similar devices in the Museum.

The Over There Café is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day the Museum and Memorial is open.

Admission is not required to shop at the Store or eat at the Café. Operational hours can be found on our Plan Your Visit page.

Admission is not required for the Research Center, but visits are by appointment only

The Museum and Memorial prohibits firearms and edged weapons on its property at all times, including conceal/carry. For questions about the policy, please contact Museum and Memorial Security at 816.888.8128.

Yes, the Museum and Memorial provides complimentary Wi-Fi service.

Reserved, van-accessible parking spaces are available at the North end of the U-Shaped Drive, as well as in the West Visitor's Lot, which is accessible from Kessler Road or Memorial Drive. Parking is free at the Museum and Memorial.

Yes, the Museum and Memorial welcomes service dogs and miniature horses in their roles as service animals. All other animals and pets are prohibited from being inside any buildings on the Museum and Memorial complex, including the Liberty Memorial Tower.

There are elements of the Main Gallery and some special exhibitions that include sensory experiences, such as flashing lights and sounds of warfare. In these areas of the Museum, guests will find signs from KultureCity® indicating a warning for those with sensory needs.

Acoustiguide Audio Guide players are free for visitors who are blind or visually impaired. Braille or large print visitor guides are also available upon request.

Visitors can also access a “Touch” Gas Mask Bag that contains real WWI artifacts from the Museum and Memorial's non-accessioned collections. The objects are meant to be touched, held and explored to gain a better, more personal understanding of the past. To incorporate this feature into your visit, simply ask a volunteer or staff member upon arrival. For additional information contact us at education@theworldwar.org.

The National WWI Museum and Memorial has partnered with KultureCity® to enhance our ability to assist and accommodate guests with sensory needs. Our goal is to provide an inclusive experience for all guests during all events. We strive to raise awareness of the needs and challenges faced by individuals with sensory processing needs by supplying our staff with annual training and by offering the resources and accommodations below to our guests.

• KultureCity® Sensory bags containing special KCVIP badges, feeling thermometer, fidget tools, and noise-canceling headphones are available for checkout (at no cost by leaving an ID) at Guest Services (Monday-Thursday) and the Ticketing counter (Friday-Sunday).
• Weighted lap pads are available upon request (at no cost by leaving an ID) at Guest Services during the week and at the Ticketing Counter Friday-Sunday.
• Quiet areas are located on the Main Level in Wylie Gallery Lobby and on the Lower Level outside of the R.A. Long Learning Center.
• Headphone Zones (loud areas) are located at the introductory film, Horizon Theater, and the crater.
• Sensory-Friendly Days when guests with sensory sensitivities are welcome to explore the Museum and Memorial in a calm, low-stimulating environment. Scheduled throughout the year.

All videos throughout the Museum and Memorial are closed captioned. Assistive listening devices are also available for programs occurring in the Museum and Memorial's Auditorium. For additional information on accommodations for public programs, including requesting an ASL interpreter, contact us at education@theworldwar.org. Requests for interpreters must be made at least two weeks in advance.

The galleries of the National WWI Museum and Memorial are accessible to people with mobility limitations, such as wheelchair/powered cart users and other visitors who need to avoid stairs. Unfortunately, the Liberty Memorial Tower, a historic landmark that opened in 1926, is not wheelchair accessible. To reach the top of the Tower, one must ride an elevator and then climb an additional 45 steps.

Guests may bring their own mobility assistance vehicles into the Museum. Guests using mobility assistance are responsible for any damages caused by the operation of the vehicles. The Museum and Memorial also has wheelchairs for use as needed that can be checked out at Guest Services.