This fall, see the National WWI Museum and Memorial in a way you never have before. Created in celebration of the Museum and Memorial's 100th anniversary and the nation's 250th, Liberty's Beacon transforms the Memorial into a canvas of light, sound and motion. Over seven weekends, three acclaimed artists each bring the Memorial's inscribed virtues – Honor, Courage, Sacrifice and Patriotism – to life across an eight- to 10-minute visual and auditory experience shown throughout the evening.
A century ago, a promise was made: to remember those who served, and to carry their stories forward. The Memorial has stood as a beacon for democracy ever since, and Liberty's Beacon carries that promise into the Museum and Memorial's next hundred years, inviting a new generation to Remember Forward.
World-renowned light artists – Xavier de Richemont, Leslie Epsztein and Camille Gross, and Onionlab – each take a weekend to bring their own artistic voice to the Memorial, with every show paired with a custom score composed to match. View complete schedule
Liberty's Beacon debuts publicly on Friday, Sept. 25 – Sunday, Sept. 27, and continues for the following six weekends. The final weekend concludes with an extended run through Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11. Return throughout the season to view all three installations. Each artist offers something new to see – and a new reason to be moved and inspired.
For the best viewing and listening experience, the public is invited to gather on the North Lawn. Bring a picnic or a blanket and visit at your convenience. Each installation is between eight and 10 minutes long. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and repeats every 15 minutes (:00, :15, :30 and :45) until the last showing begins at 10:30 p.m.
Sponsors
Premier Sponsor
The Hackman Family
Kornitzer Capital Management
Liberty Sponsor
Beacon Sponsor
Evergy
GEHA
Hallmark Cards
Hunt Family Foundation
Partner
Cerris, Inc.
Committee
Liberty's Beacon is a project of the National WWI Museum and Memorial, guided by a board-appointed committee comprised of arts leaders, members of the Board of Trustees and Museum and Memorial staff. Committee members brought decades of experience in the arts, museum leadership and public history space, and ensured the installations honored the Memorial's mission while giving each artist the creative freedom to interpret it in their own voice.
Committee Members:
Arts Leaders
Peggy Shannon, The Nerman Family President of the Kansas City Art Institute
Catherine Futter, Curatorial Chair and Senior Curator, Decorative Arts, Brooklyn Museum
Board Members
John Thomson, PayIt, Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Theresa Kostrzewa, Capitol Advantage, Founder
Ethan Whitehill, Crux, President and Chief Strategy Officer
Museum and Memorial Staff
Matthew Naylor, President and CEO
Karis Erwin, Vice President of Marketing and Guest Services