The National WWII Museum's Expressions of America

In November 2022, the National WWII Museum unveiled Expressions of America — a first-of-its-kind outdoor sound and light experience that brings stories of resilience and sacrifice to life on an epic scale. Projected across 90 feet of architecture and accompanied by a powerful original score, the production represents a new frontier in how museums use immersive storytelling to connect with audiences.

A Longstanding Partnership

As the National WWII Museum’s very first client, Solomon Group has collaborated on more than a dozen award-winning projects over the past 15 years. For Expressions of America, we were engaged from the earliest stages — advising on strategy, feasibility, budgeting, and prototyping — before ultimately designing and installing the custom-built projection and audio system that powers the show.

Working alongside the Museum’s Capital Projects team and media design partner Medici Media (formerly Mousetrappe), we helped transform a bold concept into a nightly signature experience.

Strategic and Technical Delivery

Expressions of America presented unique challenges, from New Orleans’ extreme weather to the Museum’s architectural complexity. Our team engineered solutions that allowed media to be projected seamlessly across three distinct buildings — despite dozens of sharp angles and a 148-foot canopy cutting directly through projection sightlines.

Through meticulous planning, extensive overnight testing, and creative system programming, we overcame these challenges and delivered a projection system built to perform in all conditions. Despite global supply chain shortages, our team also met the ambitious nine-month production schedule, ensuring the experience debuted on Veterans Day 2022.

Impact

The grand opening was unveiled by Linda Hope, daughter of Bob Hope, before an audience that included 22 World War II veterans. For many, seeing their stories projected at monumental scale was a deeply emotional moment — a reminder of the enduring importance of remembrance and storytelling.

Why It Matters

Expressions of America represents more than technical innovation. It is a model for how museums can use immersive experiences to expand their reach, deepen emotional connection, and remain culturally relevant. For Solomon Group, the project exemplifies our sweet spot: serving as a strategic partner in experiential storytelling — combining creativity, technology, and precision execution to deliver moments that resonate long after the lights fade.