Home - The International Museum of World War II

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Contribute to our 2017 Spring Appeal to build on our educational accomplishments

Special Exhibition

The 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor: Why We Still Remember

Museum Founder and Director answers <em>The Boston Globe’s</em> questions about Dunkirk

News + Media

Museum Founder and Director answers The Boston Globe’s questions about Dunkirk

<em>The Boston Globe</em> says that at the Museum, World War II “feels all too real.”

News + Media

The Boston Globe says that at the Museum, World War II “feels all too real.”

The Museum is expanding in place to serve more visitors and to sustain its future.

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Explore the Collection

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New Acquisition

Surrender Demand Letter

Original typed letter from "The German Commander" to "the U.S.A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne" requesting the "honorable surrender" of the American troops.

Rise of Nazism

The question of how Hitler and the Nazi Party rose to power is answered by a trove of period artifacts on display in the museum, some of which can be explored online.

Battle of Britain

When Churchill refused Hitler's demand that Britain not interfere in his plans to conquer Europe, he sent the Luftwaffe over the English Channel to attack in July 1940. The ensuing fight, named the Battle of Britain, took place entirely in the air.

Enigma

The museum displays six different Enigmas, the German code machines used during the war. Although deemed totally secure by the Nazis, the German codes were being deciphered by the British early in the war, giving the Allies a major tactical victory in the area of military intelligence.

Resistance

While some citizens of conquered nations accepted Nazi rule, others did not, and they placed themselves at great personal risk to subvert and resist the occupiers. The Allies helped Resistance groups in many ways.

America Enters the War

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor of December 7, 1941, the US entered the war, fighting on two fronts: in North Africa and into Europe in the east, and in the Pacific to the west.

D-Day

The D-Day invasion was one of the most complex and risky gambits in the history of warfare. It involved more than 150,000 British, American, and Canadian troops attacking the French coast of Normandy from the land, sea, and air, starting after midnight on June 6, 1944.

Holocaust

Under the cover of the war, six million Jewish men, women and children, were systematically murdered in a deliberate act of the German state.

Pacific Front

Artifacts relating to the Pacific Front are less abundant, but the museum has managed to collect a decent number of important pieces.

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Museum Info

Address
8 Mercer Road, Natick, MA 01760
Phone
508-651-1944
E-mail
visit@imwwii.org

Hours

During the school year, we give priority to school groups on weekdays, especially in the morning.

We offer other visitors scheduled visits on Wednesdays and Thursdays, space permitting. To schedule a visit, contact visit@imwwii.org.

On Fridays in the summer, the Museum is open 9 AM to 4 PM for unscheduled visits. These Fridays are July 21, 28 and August 4, 11, 18, and 25.

On Saturdays, the Museum is open 9 AM to 4 PM for unscheduled visits. Last entry is 3 PM.

Groups of 15 or more must schedule in advance by contacting jfarrell@imwwii.org. We only schedule group tours on Saturday.

For student groups, visit For Educators.

Monday:	Closed
Tuesday:	Schools
Wednesday:	Schools + Scheduled Visits
Thursday:	Schools + Scheduled Visits
Friday:	July 21, 28 and August 4, 11, 18, and 25 9 AM to 4 PM
Saturday:	9 AM to 4 PM
Sunday:	Closed

Whether your visit is scheduled or unscheduled, you must download and fill out a waiver of liability before you arrive and bring it with you, along with an I.D. If necessary, and if available, we may be able to let you fill out a waiver at the Museum.

The Museum is occasionally closed for special events and for inclement weather which we post on this website and on Facebook. We also post weather closings on local television stations.

Closed on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day.

Remember your waiver of liability. Those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult and a parent or guardian must sign the waiver.

Action This Day is the quarterly newsletter for the Museum, full of WWII facts, updates on our exhibits and other activities.

See the Archives for past issues or sign up to have them sent directly to your email address!

Our New Name is

The International Museum of World War II

We have always been the only museum in the world with an international collection of artifacts, letters and documents. Our programming, for students and the public, focuses on the human story in every country. It is time to state the obvious and add “International” to our name. We believe that viewing a cataclysmic global event that changed the world through only a national perspective is not enough. To fully understand, you need an international perspective.

Support the Museum

Special Exhibition

News + Media

News + Media

Expansion

Explore the Collection

Surrender Demand Letter

Rise of Nazism

Battle of Britain

Enigma

Resistance

America Enters the War

D-Day

Holocaust

Pacific Front

Museum Info

Hours

Newsletter

The International Museum of World War II