The $217 million museum, opening March 25 in Texas, aims to inspire visitors of all ages through the stories of the 3,526 Medal of Honor recipients.
The National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas, will hold its grand opening March 25, Medal of Honor Day.
More than 30 Medal of Honor recipients are expected to attend the opening of the 100,000-square-foot museum, which is nestled in a popular entertainment district in Arlington.
Capt. Chris Cassidy, a retired Navy SEAL and NASA space shuttle commander, became the museum’s president and CEO in 2021.
“It's not just a military history museum,” he says. “It's a place where we learn about courage, commitment, sacrifice to others, service over self, and be inspired for those concepts perhaps in everyday life.”
The $217 million museum aims to engage visitors of all ages and inspire them through the stories of the 3,526 Medal of Honor recipients.
“This is a museum about people, people who are normal Americans, everyday citizens that did something extraordinary on a day when the nation needed them to do it,” he says. “Those are the stories we're going to showcase. There are 3,526 of those stories to tell. We’re super excited to deliver this project to the nation.”
Cassidy sought to ensure that the museum is relevant to everyone — veterans and civilians, adults and children.
"We need to be not just interesting for dad who served or for mom who served, but for the whole family," he says, noting various interactive displays including a Vietnam Dustoff helicopter.
There are two large display screens featuring sound clouds. When a visitor approaches, the sound cloud is activated and the oral history of a Medal of Honor recipient is played.
“It's really, really cool,” Cassidy says. “Once we saw it, we were all giggly with excitement because it really is a neat feature. No buttons to push, no nothing. It just magically appears.”
The facility also features dedicated spaces for meetings, symposiums, memorials and ceremonies. It also serves as home to the National Medal of Honor Institute, which showcases the stories, lessons and virtues of Medal of Honor recipients.
In addition to the leading the opening of the museum, Cassidy is also focused on landing a Medal of Honor memorial near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
“We're working through the approval process, and I think we'll be done in the next couple months.”
- Honor & Remembrance