The land bridge serves as a community nexus, connecting both human and natural systems over and under six lanes of traffic. A constructed stream bed integrates stormwater management and provides habitat for flora and fauna over and under Memorial Drive.
As you move through the semi buried walls of the Museum, you experience parallel histories happening all at once. The design invites visitors to wander and explore, discovering their own personal story within the space.
American Revolutionary War Memorial
Across the nation, people have sought to honor veterans of the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). These memorials highlight the sacrifice and patriotism that unified a scattered group of colonies to create an independent America. They also serve to remind Americans of the need for continuous renewal of democracy, and they can be a catalyst for conversations about memory, revolution, and our national parks.
The majority of monuments to the American Revolution were built by the 1890s and early 1900s. This surge coincided with the suffrage movement and the increase in lineage societies, such as the Daughters of the American Revolution. Monument themes shifted, too—now more often highlighting the contributions of women and African American Patriots.
From modest commemorative plaques honoring solitary soldiers to triumphal arches, these memorials are located in all precincts of our park system. They encourage both public and private acts of veneration, such as wreath-laying or a visit to the grave site of a loved one.
U.S.S. Wichita Warship Monument
Located near the Arkansas River, this stone monument symbolizes the U.S.S. Wichita, which served during World War II from 1939 to 1947. It was America’s last “treaty cruiser” and earned 13 Battle Stars for her service during the war.
The heavy cruiser departed Norfolk on 22 August 1940 to join a task force in the Atlantic, destined for operations with the Mediterranean Fleet. Her 8-inch guns hit pillboxes, ammunition dumps, troop concentrations spotted by observers aloft in one of her searchlights, camouflaged installations and waterfront areas used as suicide boat-launching ramps.
On March 4, 2024, the Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship USS Wichita (LCS-13) visited her namesake city. The crew took part in a variety of community outreach events, including school visits, a hospital visit, meeting local citizens and prior service members, and touring attractions in the area. Cmdr. Shockey Snyder, Commanding Officer of Pre-Commissioning Crew 110, led the Sailors in a formal presentation of the ship’s crest to the Wichita community.
National POW/MIA Recognition Day
The third Friday in September is National POW/MIA Recognition Day, a time to remember and honor America’s prisoners of war and service members who are missing in action. This important observance was established in 1979 through a proclamation from President Jimmy Carter, and it remains today as a reminder that those who have been taken captive or who have disappeared during times of war are not forgotten.
According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, more than 81,600 Americans remain unaccounted for from World War II, the Korean war, the Vietnam conflict, and the Cold Wars and other conflicts. The vast majority of those who are unaccounted for are located in the Indo-Pacific region, and efforts continue to find them.
You can show your support for the men and women who have been taken captive or remain missing by flying the traditional POW/MIA flag. This flag should be flown below the United States flag as it is the second-in-order of precedence. You can also learn more about the movement and the sacrifices of our nation’s POW/MIAs by supporting organizations that work toward accounting for these service members.
Veterans Memorial
The Veterans Memorial honors the men and women who served in the Vietnam War and those still missing. Its 70 panels contain 137 lines of names, each preceded or followed by a symbol indicating status—known dead, missing in action, presumed killed, or wounded.
The memorial’s design, by Yale University graduate Maya Lin, was chosen from a nationwide competition by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. The minimalist plan was controversial because it did not include a figurative heroic sculpture. A compromise was reached in 1982, when VVMF commissioned Frederick Hart to design a sculpture for the entry plaza.
A circular space at the center holds a water feature, representing remembrance and healing; a fire, for courage and endurance; and wind, for prayers to be carried into the peaceful “other world” of those who have died. It’s a powerful place to reflect and remember.