Pictures of veterans are featured in the Veteran’s Memorial and Museum foyer. Carolyn Zhang’20/Staff
On Saturday, October 27, the National Veterans Memorial and Museum had its grand opening. The celebration was kicked off with a performance by the Navy Band Great Lakes at the Dorrian Green park in front of COSI.
Next, Patriot Guard Riders and several veteran service organizations led a procession along Belle Street and West Broad Street, after which former secretary of state and retired Army General, Colin Powell, gave a keynote address regarding the important role that veterans play in American society.
Retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Ferriter, president of the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, delivered closing remarks. A ribbon-cutting ceremony followed, which officially opened the memorial and museum to the public, a culmination of careful planning and nearly 3 years of construction.
Located west of downtown Columbus on the banks of Scioto River, the entire $82 million complex occupies a total of 7 acres, including 53,000 square feet of exhibition space and a quiet, 2.5 acre grove where visitors can go to reflect while walking along trails that encircle the main building.
The project headed by the Columbus Downtown Development Corp first began to take shape back in 2012 and was originally the vision of John Glenn, the late senator, astronaut, and Marine pilot. Although initially intended to be just a local destination, the memorial and museum received the “National” designation this past June from Congress.
Allied Works Architecture, the firm that designed the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, described the building exterior as “Intersecting bands of concrete, arranged in concentric rings, give form to the museum and represent the branches of service that support and strengthen one another.”
Inside, the exhibits use interactive displays, photos and documentary-style videos to tell the stories of veterans prior to, during, and after their service.
On its website, the National Veterans Memorial and Museum calls itself “A living tribute to over 40 million Americans who have served this nation since its founding” and stresses “Personal Experience,” “Citizenship and Service,” and “Societal Progress” as the key elements of its mission statement.
The National Veterans Memorial and Museum provides a rare opportunity to learn about and honor our brave veterans.
Single-day ticket prices are $17.00 for adults (18-64), $15.00 for seniors (65+), $10.00 for children (5-17), free for children under 5, $12.00 for veterans, $12.00 for Active-Duty Military (E1-E6), $15.00 for Active-Duty Military (E7 and higher), and free for Gold Star Families. Memberships are also available to purchase.
https://www.nationalvmm.org/ 300 W. Broad St. (614) 362-6812 Wednesday–Sunday 10AM-5pPM
