D-Day museum keeps Ambrose's legacy alive

THE NATIONAL D-DAY Museum has lost its founder, but not its sense of purpose.

Though historian Stephen Ambrose lost his battle with lung cancer on Oct. 13, saddened museum officials remain dedicated to expanding the museum and continuing Ambrose's mission of keeping the memories of World War

A key player in the museum's future growth is Gordon "Nick" Mueller. In August, Mueller retired from the University of New Orleans where he served as a professor of European history, dean and vice chancellor. He's now the full-time president and chief executive of the museum. He had served in that capacity part-time since 1998.

"I told Stephen and the board that it was my goal to stabilize operations of the museurn, and it's well on its way," he says.

The museum has established its first national board of trustees, which will hold its first meeting in New Orleans next month. The board was created to expand the museum's presence as a national institution and will help it garner more funding and support.

While opening dates have not been determined, the D-Day Museum will also expand to include more World War II exhibits on military campaigns in North Africa and the Mediterranean, and other exhibits.

The most ambitious project on the D-Day's horizon is the Center for the Study of the American Spirit, which will be located in three buildings just across the street. Following extensive renovations, the center should open in about four years, says museum spokesperson Sara Gootee.

The center will house a research library with manuscripts, books and letters pertaining to World War II, a repository for oral histories and personal accounts of the war, displays of artifacts and documents, and public meeting space for conferences, lectures and meetings.

Ambrose's death was a loss for Mueller in more ways than one.

"We were best friends for 30 years," Mueller says. "There was a personal sense of loss, but there was also the loss of a great visionary and historian. Stephen gave this museum its credibility and we are reminded of him every day."

Of the many reminders of Ambrose throughout the museum, one may have the greatest impact on the D-Day's future - his son, Hugh Ambrose.

Hugh Ambrose recently took over as vice president of development for the museum. "The family presence is still here," says Mueller, who has known Hugh since he was 5 years old.

Hugh Ambrose, who had served on the board of directors, now oversees all contributed revenues to the museum and is responsible for its local, national and regional development activities.

Like his father, Hugh Ambrose is a historian. He earned his master's degree in American history from the University of Montana. He says he is confident support for the D-Day Museum will continue despite the loss of its most recognized spokesperson. "People love this museum and they understand what it brings to the country," he says. "My father's vision is still there and it is still strong."

Through his fund-raising efforts, Stephen Ambrose won the support of influential backers such as director Steven Spielberg, actor Tom flanks and NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw. Hugh says all of them have pledged continued Support.

That support will be necessary in the next few years, as the DDay museum continues to grow, Mueller says.

The seeds for the D-Day Museum were planted in 1963, when Ambrose first got the idea to honor New Orleans boat builder Andrew Higgins, designer of the Higgins landing craft that many say helped win the war.

How he would honor Higgins, though, remained a question that would take another 37 years to answer. But after decades of planning, fundraising and sweating the details, the National D-Day Museum opened on June 6, 2000. Along with honoring Higgins' contributions to winning World War II, the museum features exhibits covering myriad aspects of America's collective wartime experience.

Mueller says Ambrose was not surprised by the popularity of the museum, which has seen a steady increase in annual attendance since ice it opened. "We are doing quite well "he says. "We are one of only two museums with a higher attendance in our second year than in our first. The only other one was the (United States Memorial) Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C."

After the museum opened, Ambrose's dedication to the museum never waned. He remained on the museum's board of trustees and continued to help raise money for new exhibits and expansions.

"The impact Stephen had on this Museum will be long lasting," Mueller says. "His vision was compelling and enduring."

While Mueller is still mourning the loss of his friend and colleague, he says he must carry on with Ambrose's work.

"We are all grieving but we know Stephen would want us to get the job done," Mueller says.