Liberty Memorial 2015

I had Veteran's Day off from work and decided to go to Kansas City for the day.

The day started the usual way:

Gymming!!

Then I hit the road to Kansas City. I was feeling bummed that my partner-in-crime wasn't with me. However, 

A co-worker suggested "The Filling Station" and it did the job.

Coffee, ham and provolone quiche, and pumpkin bread.

Just a couple miles from breakfast is the Liberty Memorial/World War I museum in Kansas City.

It was a beautiful day to go. All sorts of things were going on to commemorate our Vets.

Caught site of an actor headed towards the Memorial. He was one of quite a few wandering the grounds.

Upon first entering the Museum, you come to a bridge suspended upon a field of 9,000 poppies. Each poppy represents 1,000 people who died in the war. It is a sobering way to start.

There are rooms and rooms of videos, timelines, and floor-to-ceiling collections from the war.

What I knew about World War I going into the museum: it started because of an assassination. And it was won by the Allies, thanks to 'MERICA.

The museum starts with a video explaining attitudes before the assassination, how the assassination precipitated the war, and moves chronologically through the entire 6 years of war.

They have really a lot of interactive programs; this entire table has different stations to explore.

The Reflection rooms are so cool.

You sit in a little noise-proof room, and to your right is a computer screen. On the computer, you choose what you want to listen to.

Voices are speeches from leaders and prominent people of the time. Below is just a sampling of the ones you can choose. A narrator gives a brief introduction, going over the significance, before playing.

Music included some songs that all the Iowa Kirkendalls know very well:

Excerpts from poetry and literature about the war:

It was very cool, and I wanted to sit in my little room and listen to everything.

But I had to leave, so school children could have a turn. Ugh.

I was drawn to little items of interest, like a German Christmas gift of a tobacco pouch to their men:

British Christmas tin:

German Stein:

Items issued to American soldiers.

Of course, everything to do with the horses.

This adorable Renault PT17.

French and U.S. plates celebrating the armistice:

The women of the war section was absorbing. I had no idea the many roles women had in the war.

This cool outfit was worn by Dr. Dora Bowman:

And this was me in a former life:

I went outside and took in the view from the base of the tower.

Then from the top:

Beat the hordes of children to the top, bwahaha.

Obligatory selfie, from the base.

There are a couple of buildings off to the sides of the tower. 

Inside they have big, beautiful murals. Also, currently house a display of Australian art related to war. I loved this oil painting by Arthur Streeton from 1918. It shows the destruction of a cathedral in France. There is a little dove flying up over the altar.

It was my absolute favorite piece of the exhibit. Except maybe for this: