Overview
- The National Park Service confirmed the new undercroft museum will open to the public on June 25, 2026, timed to coincide with Washington’s 250th‑anniversary events.
- Timed‑entry tickets went on sale Tuesday, May 26, and visitors may reserve up to six tickets per transaction up to 30 days in advance for a $1 service fee with same‑day free tickets issued each morning at the Korean War Veterans Memorial kiosk.
- The 15,000‑square‑foot exhibition sits inside a previously closed 43,800‑square‑foot structural vault and uses floor‑to‑ceiling glass and projections to make the grid of 122 support columns and inaccessible areas visible to visitors.
- The $69 million project was funded through a public‑private partnership that began with an $18.5 million gift from David M. Rubenstein and includes $26 million from NPS and $43 million raised by the National Park Foundation.
- Beyond exhibits that trace the memorial’s construction and its role in public protest history, the project added elevators, restrooms, and an expanded bookstore and will test crowd controls as high demand has already led to some sold‑out large‑tour slots on opening day.