The National Veterans Memorial and Museum (NVMM) is the United States' national museum for

veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that h ...

s of the U.S. Armed Forces. The museum is located in Columbus, Ohio, along the

Scioto River The Scioto River ( ) is a river in central and southern Ohio more than in length. It rises in Hardin County just north of Roundhead, Ohio, flows through Columbus, Ohio, where it collects its largest tributary, the Olentangy River, and meets t ...

between Franklinton and Downtown Columbus. The museum's main focus is on the personal stories of U.S. veterans, in contrast to other war museums that are dedicated to the conflicts themselves. It opened on October 27, 2018, as a reimagining of the Franklin County Veterans Memorial, a museum dedicated to veterans from the surrounding county, established in 1955.

History

The site along the west side of the

near the Discovery Bridge on Broad Street was originally home to the Franklin County Veterans Memorial, which originally opened in 1955 and was demolished to make way for the museum in early 2015, by S.G. Loewendick & Sons. The construction of a veterans museum was envisioned by city boosters and received support from former Senator and

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

veteran John Glenn. It was designated as the National Veterans Memorial and Museum by the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...

in June 2018. The museum was the 20th museum to receive national museum status from Congress. It was dedicated on October 27, 2018, with a speech by former general Colin Powell.

Architecture

The building was designed by Allied Works Architecture, and

OLIN Olin may refer to: People Organizations * OLIN, American landscape architecture firm * Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis * Olin College, an undergraduate engineering college in Massachusetts * Olin Corporation, a chemica ...

designed the landscape. The interior was designed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates.

Turner Construction Company Turner Construction is an American construction company with presence in 20 countries. It is a subsidiary of the German company Hochtief. It is the largest domestic contractor in the United States as of 2020, with a revenue of $14.41 billion i ...

was the general contractor. The

Associated General Contractors of America The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) is a trade association in the United States construction industry,About us
AGC. Accesse ...

named it the most significant construction project of 2018 and the best new building $10 to $75 million. The building and its park space cost $75 million, while an additional $7 million was raised for the museum's startup and operation. The building is rounded, 300 feet in diameter, with a minimalist interior. Full-length windows on the mezzanine are vertically striped to resemble military ribbons. Visitors can walk atop the museum's grassy roof for views of the Columbus skyline and a place to reflect. The museum includes a 2.5 acre outdoor memorial grove that includes a

reflecting pool A reflecting pool, also called a reflection pool, is a water feature found in gardens, parks, and memorial sites. It usually consists of a shallow pool of water, undisturbed by fountain jets, for a reflective surface. Design Reflecting pools are ...

and memorial stone wall. The stated purpose of the architecture is to promote remembrance.

Exhibits and collections

The museum focuses on the stories of veterans and individuals rather than military accomplishments, with the mission to "honor, inspire, connect, and educate". It has two permanent exhibits and one temporary exhibit space, covering 30,000 square feet. The museum houses personal artifacts such as footlockers, military ribbons, and letters service men and women sent home. Exhibits include stories from veterans dating from

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

onwards to recent conflicts. It intends to educate civilians about the diverse backgrounds veterans have and the roles they served in the military.

Memorial Grove

Memorial Grove is a park outside the museum. The park opened alongside the museum in October 2018. It features a path circling a 325-foot wall of stacked rocks and waterfalls; the wall reads "

E pluribus unum ''E pluribus unum'' ( , , ) – Latin for "Out of many, one" (also translated as "One out of many" or "One from many") – is a traditional motto of the United States, appearing on the Great Seal along with '' Annuit cœptis'' (Latin for "he ...

". The central shaded area, planted with

American elm ''Ulmus americana'', generally known as the American elm or, less commonly, as the white elm or water elm, is a species of elm native to eastern North America, naturally occurring from Nova Scotia west to Alberta and Montana, and south to F ...

s, is meant for personal reflection and contemplation.

References

External links