KANSAS CITY, MO, February 18, 2026 – Union Station officials, alongside international executives from Musealia and other dignitaries, announced the upcoming North American premiere of The Berlin Wall. A World Divided. opening summer 2026.
From the producers of Auschwitz. Not Long Ago. Not Far Away. comes the next world-shaping chapter of global history and enduring importance of freedom, human rights, and democracy. The Berlin Wall. A World Divided. is the story of the greatest symbol of division in the 20th century. For nearly three decades, the Berlin Wall divided a city. Now, The Berlin Wall. A World Divided. brings its story to life.
“What Union Station does especially well is take our guests on important, emotional journeys to places and events that have defined world history,” George Guastello, Union Station president and CEO, said. “With this exhibition, guests will step back in time to events from 1945 through the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Bringing an internationally significant exhibition requires vision, commitment and investment. We’re especially grateful for our partnership with Musealia for creating such high-quality exhibitions and experiences, and for recognizing Kansas City and Union Station as world-class destinations from which to launch their tours. As the eyes of the world turn to us during FIFA World Cup, it is especially fitting that we welcome global audiences with such a powerful story here at Union Station.”
Set to open this summer in the expansive 20,000 sqf. Bank of America Gallery, The Berlin Wall. A World Divided. spans 45 years of global history. An unprecedented collaboration, which for the first time gathers more than 40 lenders from 20 international institutions, highlights the different perspectives and experiences of people living on both sides of the wall through a collection of 200 original objects on public display for the first time in North America.
“It is impossible to understand the history of the 20th century without the philosophical, ideological and geopolitical confrontation symbolized by the Berlin Wall,” said Luis Ferreiro, Director of Musealia. “Narrated in all its complexity, the exhibition shows the history of repression by the communist regime of the former German Democratic Republic, but also inspiring examples of ordinary citizens in their struggle for freedom, democracy and human rights. More than 30 years after its fall, the Berlin Wall story is a powerful reminder of the need to care for and preserve, in the face of new and old challenges, our democracies and the best path to peaceful coexistence.”
Importantly, this chilling exhibition – launched in November of 2023 in Madrid, followed by presentations in Paris and Barcelona — widens the lens on the Berlin Wall, built by the communist government of East Germany, that divided Berlin for nearly three decades as a result of a global conflict between two opposing visions of the organization of modern society.
The exhibition tells the story of the Berlin Wall in the context of the Cold War. Divided into four galleries, guests will experience A World Divided, Before the Wall, Division and Living with the Wall, and Global Transformation and the End of the Cold War. Each gallery is complemented with a free audio guide, available in English and Spanish, which will offer a global look at the facts of history.
“The Berlin Wall is a topic that’s personal to me and my family,” Ray Kowalik, Union Station Board Chair, said. “My parents were in Poland during WWII and sought refuge from communist rule by immigrating to the United States soon after the war ended. The freedoms they craved were life changing for so many of us, and not to ever be taken for granted. We should all be profoundly proud – as Kansas Citians – to host another ground-breaking exhibition on a topic that literally re-shaped the world. I hope everyone makes it a priority to experience this history as it is presented in our very own, historic Union Station.”
Alongside many other artifacts, the collection includes several large sections of the Berlin Wall and materials tracing its evolution, from early barbed wire to escape-deterrent obstacles such as “Stalin’s lawn,” a spiked metal ground structure. It also situates Berlin’s division within the wider Cold War context, featuring personal belongings of Hiroshima bombing victims, fragments of a spy tunnel, and objects reflecting public responses. These include notes exchanged across the Wall, evidence of escape methods such as tunnel fragments and forged documents, a child’s nuclear-identification badge, and banners from the peaceful revolutions of the 1980s.
“We have been working on this exhibition for some time, and it is a great honor to be able to bring this important part of history to different parts of the world,” said Professor Dr. Axel Klausmeier, Director of the Berlin Wall Foundation. “At the Berlin Wall Foundation, we work to bring current issues such as migration, the rule of law, and human rights to the table, and we address the social effects of authoritarian forms of government and the value of a pluralistic society. We hope that The Berlin Wall / A World Divided will serve as a reminder of what happened not so long ago in Europe and raise awareness of the power of the people. Their courage led to the Peaceful Revolution of 1989, which changed the world.”
The most meaningful storytelling happens through strong partnerships and collaborating with local institutions that preserve, interpret and elevate Kansas City’s shared history. Partnerships with local community organizations matter because they ground global narratives in regional expertise, scholarship and authenticity – ensuring what is presented is historically rigorous and locally relevant. Union Station is partnering with local community organizations such as the Harry S. Truman Museum and Library and the America’s National Churchill Museum to connect global history to Kansas City’s local community.
Anytime tickets to The Berlin Wall. A World Divided are now on sale for $28* at UnionStation.org, and Station officials encourage the public to reserve their ticket ahead of the opening. A precise, May 2026 opening date will be announced in the coming weeks. Buyers of advance Anytime tickets will be given first option to reserve their exact day and time of exhibition visit.
ANYTIME Admission: $28 (Plus 10% Preservation Fee)
- Includes the flexibility to visit the exhibition at your convenience
for one-time entry any day - All Ages (0-3 is free)
The Berlin Wall. A World Divided. is an exhibition by the Spanish company Musealia in collaboration with the Berlin Wall Foundation, the German institution that looks after the historical legacy and memory of the victims of the communist regime in East Germany.
Union Station wishes to thank the following sponsors for their continued support in bringing this exhibition to Kansas City The Arvin Gottlieb Charitable Foundation, Forvis Mazars, KMBC9, The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center, JE Dunn, Mike and Marlys Haverty, Metropolitan Community College, Ann Baum, G Kenneth and Ann Baum Philanthropic Fund.
MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA: Electronic press kit containing hi-res images and video are available for download here.
About Union Station Kansas City
Union Station Kansas City – a 501(c)3 non-profit organization – is a 111-year-old historical landmark and celebrated civic asset renovated and reopened to the public in 1999. Recently awarded “Favorite Attraction,” “Favorite Family-Friendly Attraction,” “Favorite Historic Attraction,” and “Favorite Holiday Destination,” the organization – dedicated to science education, celebration of community, and preservation of history – is home to Kansas City’s internationally-awarded Science City; the new Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium; the Regnier Extreme Screen Theatre; the popular Model Railroad Experience; City Stage featuring live theater; and a selection of unique shops and restaurants. Union Station is also home to prominent area civic organizations and businesses and regularly hosts world-class traveling exhibitions and was proud to host the 2015 Royals World Series Championship Parade/Rally and the 2020 and 2023 Chiefs Super Bowl Parades/Rallies plus the 2023 NFL Draft. Awarded “Top Banquet Facilities in KC” by KC Business Journal, the facility annually hosts hundreds of community events and private celebrations of all sizes. Visit unionstation.org for details. Also, follow us on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and YOUTUBE.