More than three decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a new exhibit at Union Station is bringing pieces of that history to Kansas City.”The Berlin Wall: A World Divided” opens Friday and features more than 200 original artifacts connected to the wall, the Cold War and the people whose lives were shaped by one of the defining conflicts of the 20th century.Among the artifacts are more than 12 tons of the original Berlin Wall, along with personal items that tell the stories of people who risked their lives in pursuit of freedom.“We tell the story of the Berlin Wall within the frame of the Cold War,” said Luis Ferreiro, director of the exhibition.“We have more than 12 tons of the original Berlin Wall, but visitors will also see very small personal items that tell the stories of people that were willing to sacrifice and put at risk their own lives to achieve freedom,” Ferreiro said.The traveling exhibit is making its North American debut in Kansas City after undergoing a lengthy approval process to move artifacts from Germany to the United States.Ferreiro said the exhibit offers more than a look back at history.“It’s really a unique opportunity to understand a story that actually helps us from the past, but it helps us understand our own present,” he said.The exhibit explores the Cold War era and the optimism that followed the wall’s collapse in 1989, when many believed the event could usher in a new era of peace.But Ferreiro said many of the lessons from that period remain relevant today.“This is not ancient history. It’s actually happening today. If we are generous, we can say that 20 to 25% of the world population lives in what we consider liberal democracies,” he said.He hopes visitors leave with a deeper appreciation for democracy and the importance of protecting it.“This is a reminder. This is a warning of what can happen when we take democracy for granted and don’t defend it,” Ferreiro said.”The Berlin Wall: A World Divided” opens Friday morning at Union Station.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —

More than three decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a new exhibit at Union Station is bringing pieces of that history to Kansas City.

“The Berlin Wall: A World Divided” opens Friday and features more than 200 original artifacts connected to the wall, the Cold War and the people whose lives were shaped by one of the defining conflicts of the 20th century.

Among the artifacts are more than 12 tons of the original Berlin Wall, along with personal items that tell the stories of people who risked their lives in pursuit of freedom.

“We tell the story of the Berlin Wall within the frame of the Cold War,” said Luis Ferreiro, director of the exhibition.

“We have more than 12 tons of the original Berlin Wall, but visitors will also see very small personal items that tell the stories of people that were willing to sacrifice and put at risk their own lives to achieve freedom,” Ferreiro said.

The traveling exhibit is making its North American debut in Kansas City after undergoing a lengthy approval process to move artifacts from Germany to the United States.

Ferreiro said the exhibit offers more than a look back at history.

“It’s really a unique opportunity to understand a story that actually helps us from the past, but it helps us understand our own present,” he said.

The exhibit explores the Cold War era and the optimism that followed the wall’s collapse in 1989, when many believed the event could usher in a new era of peace.

But Ferreiro said many of the lessons from that period remain relevant today.

“This is not ancient history. It’s actually happening today. If we are generous, we can say that 20 to 25% of the world population lives in what we consider liberal democracies,” he said.

He hopes visitors leave with a deeper appreciation for democracy and the importance of protecting it.

“This is a reminder. This is a warning of what can happen when we take democracy for granted and don’t defend it,” Ferreiro said.

“The Berlin Wall: A World Divided” opens Friday morning at Union Station.