Contact:
Ruth Ann Hattori, Marketing Director
National Museum of the Pacific War
rahattori@nimitzfoundation.org
830-997-8600 Ext. 205
The Rescue: A Submersive Experience has opened at the National Museum of the Pacific War, and visitors will find it goes far beyond traditional immersive exhibits by combining historical accuracy with cutting-edge sensory technology. Located in the George H.W. Bush Gallery at 311 E. Austin Street, visitors will find themselves stepping directly into the story of the USS Crevalle’s daring 1944 rescue mission.
Visitors to The Rescue will experience the tension of a jungle escape, the danger of enemy patrols and the intensity of their rescue submarine engaging in fierce battle, all guided through the perspective of 7-year-old refugee Berna Real. In the accompanying new Submarine Exhibit, one can acquaint themselves with the real people – both the refugees and Crevalle’s crew – by listening to snippets of their recorded recollections of the harrowing journey.
The USS Crevalle’s mission in May 1944 was to evacuate 28 refugees from the Island of Negros and deliver them to safety in Australia, along with some secret Japanese documents recovered from a nearby plane crash. When the Crevalle arrived, they found 41 awaiting evacuation. The group included a diverse mix of individuals: including 28 women and young children, missionaries, sugar mill owners, like Berna Real’s family, and four Bataan survivors..
The combination of emotional storytelling and multi-sensory engagement makes The Rescue a one-of-a-kind historical journey. It’s not just immersive – it’s submersive. While The Rescue is designed to be family friendly, some intense sensory elements may not be suitable for very young children or individuals with sensory sensitivities.
Museum visitors are welcome to visit the Submarine Exhibit whether or not they engage in The Rescue experience. The new exhibit is highly interactive in conveying the workings of submarines and includes an exciting battle game between warships and submarines. Both new elements exemplify the kinds of experiential and high tech exhibits the public can expect throughout the George H.W. Bush Gallery when its final phase of renovation is completed later in 2025.
The Rescue: A Submersive Experience
George H.W. Bush Gallery at the National Museum of the Pacific War
311 E. Austin St.
Advance ticket purchase recommended
Pacificwarmuseum.org/rescue
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About the National Museum of the Pacific War
The National Museum of the Pacific War (NMPW), founded in 1967, is the only institution in the continental United States dedicated exclusively to telling the story of the Pacific and Asiatic Theaters in World War II. A Smithsonian Affiliate and accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, NMPW annually welcomes more than 120,000 visitors, including at least 15,000 students from across the state. Spanning six acres in downtown Fredericksburg, Texas, the Museum features three galleries with more than 55,000 square feet of exhibit space, 40 media installations, approximately 900 artifacts, 15 macro-artifacts, and hundreds of photographs. NMPW archives over 5,000 oral histories of WWII veterans and those who supported from the homefront.
The Museum is a Texas Historical Commission Property, managed and supported by The Admiral Nimitz Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization. For more information, visit