NEW ORLEANS, April 2, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On the heels of The National WWII Museum registering a new one-day attendance high on March 11, 2013, the institution has set yet another record, welcoming more than 54,000 guests during the month of March, achieving the highest monthly visitation level in the Museum's 13-year history.
The new record of 54,198 represents a 23 percent increase over the previous high of 44,800 guests in March 2012.
"Tourism in New Orleans is booming with visitors spending a record $6 billion in 2012, and the new offerings at The National WWII Museum are proving to be a significant draw," said Stephen Watson, vice president and chief operating officer of the Museum. "We are particularly enthused about the fact that 80 percent of our visitors come from outside of the state of Louisiana, and of those, one-third cite the Museum as the main reason for their visit to our city."
"It's clear that people are coming to New Orleans to spend time at our Museum, and we couldn't be more proud of our contribution to the city," added Watson. "And we are honored to be paying tribute in a meaningful way to the men and women who sacrificed for our freedom."
This latest milestone comes just months after the grand opening of the US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center, which features compelling new exhibits and artifacts. The soaring structure showcases the people, weapons and industrial might that became the Arsenal of Democracy -- a force forged by the American Spirit that preserved liberty here and around the world -- in the defining struggle of the 20th Century. Artifacts include: a restored B-17E Flying Fortress, B-25J Mitchell, SBD-3 Dauntless, TBM Avenger, P-51D Mustang and Corsair F4U-4.
The pavilion's signature exhibit, Final Mission: The USS Tang Submarine Experience, employs sound, motion and digital graphics to give visitors a taste of the conditions and realities of submarine warfare in WWII's Pacific Theater.
The busy pace of construction on the Museum's six-acre campus, located in the historic Warehouse District, showcases ongoing progress in executing the Museum's plan for expansion. Work has begun on another new pavilion, Campaigns of Courage: European and Pacific Theaters, which is slated to open in the spring of 2014.
The final phase calls for the construction of The Liberation Pavilion (scheduled to open in 2016) and an expansive special exhibits gallery. A proposed hotel, conference center and a parking structure, if built, will complete the expansion.
The National World War II Museum tells the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world – why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today. Dedicated in 2000 as The National D-Day Museum and now designated by Congress as America's National World War II Museum, it celebrates the American Spirit, the teamwork, optimism, courage and sacrifice of the men and women who fought on the battlefront and the Home Front. For more information, call 877-813-3329 or 504-528-1944 or visit www.nationalww2museum.org. Follow us on Twitter at WWIImuseumor visit our Facebook fan page.