The National Museum of the Marine Corps is the historical museum of the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

. Located in

Triangle, Virginia Triangle is a census-designated place (CDP) in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 8,188 at the 2010 census. It is bounded to the south by the Marine Corps Base Quantico, which surrounds the town of Quantico. Geogr ...

near MCB Quantico, the

museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...

opened on November 10, 2006, and is now one of the top tourist attractions in the state, drawing over 500,000 people annually. In July 2013, the museum announced plans for a major expansion, to include sections on more modern Marine Corps history, such as the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing, a combat art gallery, and a Global War on Terrorism gallery.

Background

The museum replaces both the Marine Corps Historical Center in the

Washington Navy Yard The Washington Navy Yard (WNY) is the former shipyard and Weapon, ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast, Washington, D.C., Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy. The Yard currently serv ...

, which closed on July 1, 2005, and the Marine Corps Air-Ground Museum in Quantico, Virginia, which closed on November 15, 2002. NationalMuseumMarineCorps

A public-private venture, the museum is a cooperative effort between the United States Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. The Foundation manages the museum operation, while the museum building will be donated to the Marine Corps. Designed by

Curtis W. Fentress Curtis Fentress (born 1947) is an American architect. He is currently the principal-in-charge of design at Fentress Architects, an international design studio he founded in Denver, Colorado in 1980. Fentress' work on Denver International Airpo ...

Fentress Architects Fentress Architects is an international design firm known for large-scale public architecture such as airports, museums, university buildings, convention centers, laboratories, and high-rise office towers. Some of the buildings for which the fi ...

, the museum's exterior is meant to "evoke the image of the flag raisers of Iwo Jima," an image that is also preserved by the Marine Corps War Memorial. A replica of the "

Iron Mike Iron Mike is the ''de facto'' name of various monuments commemorating servicemen of the United States military. The term "Iron Mike" is uniquely American slang used to refer to men who are especially tough, brave, and inspiring; it was originally ...

" statue at

Marine Corps Base Quantico Marine Corps Base Quantico (commonly abbreviated MCB Quantico) is a United States Marine Corps installation located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly of southern Prince William County, Virginia, northern Stafford County, and southeaster ...

stands on the lawn, to one side of the main entrance. The museum is , and is open to the public with free admission.

Marine Corps Heritage Foundation

Established in 1979, the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation is a private, non-profit organization that supports the historical programs of the Marine Corps. In 1999, the Foundation expanded its mission to include the creation of the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

Heritage Center

The National Museum of the Marine Corps is designed to be the centerpiece of a complex of facilities called the Marine Corps Heritage Center.Richard F. Snow
"New Museum: One Service's Bid to 'Live Forever,'" ''American Heritage'', Nov./Dec. 2006. This multi-use, campus includes the Semper Fidelis Memorial Park and Semper Fidelis Chapel; a demonstration area with parade grounds; hiking trails and other outdoor recreational offerings; a conference center and hotel; and an archive facility to restore and preserve Marine artifacts. The chapel, designed by Fentress Architects, was completed in 2009 with a $5 million donation from a retired Marine.

Exhibits

National Museum of the Marine Corps Panorama

The museum features the following permanent exhibits, which were designed by Christopher Chadbourne and Associates:National museum of the marine corps history
* Leatherneck Gallery * Legacy Walk * Making Marines *

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 opposin ...

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

On June 5, 2010, the following three exhibits were opened: * Defending a New Nation (1775–1865) * Age of Expansion (1866–1916) *

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

(1917–1918) It also has a statue of a horse,

Sergeant Reckless Staff Sergeant Reckless ( – May 13, 1968), a decorated Horses in warfare, warhorse who held official rank in the United States military, was a mare of Mongolian horse breeding. Out of a Horse racing, racehorse dam, she was purchased in O ...

, which served with the Marine Corps in Korea. The statue was dedicated on Friday, 26 July 2013. The museum also includes classrooms, a theater, a gift shop, a bar, a restaurant, and a rifle range laser simulator. The Korean War gallery features a section that simulates the cold temperature and sounds of the

Battle of the Chosin Reservoir The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Battle of Lake Changjin (), was an important battle in the Korean War. The name "Chosin" is derived from the Japanese pronunciation "''Chōshin'', instead of th ...

in 1951, while the war's fighting was at its peak. Two play areas for children can also be found within the museum.

References

External links