National WWII Museum welcomes 4 millionth visitor
By Associated Press
Jul 22, 2014 9:34 AM CDT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The National WWII Museum has capped a record-breaking fiscal year with another milestone: welcoming its four-millionth visitor since its founding in 2000.

Officials say visitation for fiscal year 2014 had exceeded 483,000, beating its previous best attendance year, fiscal year 2013, by more than 85,000 visitors.

Museum President and CEO Gordon Mueller says the highlight comes on the heels of major events in New Orleans and France commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy. He says those activities generated worldwide exposure for the museum.

Mueller, who helped found the museum with historian and author Stephen Ambrose, said he never imagined their dream of a museum celebrating the significance of World War II would grow into the destination attraction and educational outreach center that it has become.