National Veterans Memorial and Museum facts for kids
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| Established | October 27, 2018 |
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| Location | 300 W. Broad Street Columbus, Ohio, United States |
| Type | Veteran |
| Architect | Allied Works Architecture, OLIN |
| Public transit access |  Add→ 10, 12 CoGo |
| Nearest parking | Surface lot |
| Designated | June 21, 2018 |
The National Veterans Memorial and Museum (NVMM) is a special place in the United States. It's a national museum dedicated to honoring all the brave men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Located in Columbus, Ohio, right by the Scioto River, this museum is different. Instead of focusing on wars, it shares the personal stories of veterans. It opened its doors on October 27, 2018. The museum was built where the Franklin County Veterans Memorial used to be, which opened in 1955.
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History of the Museum
The land where the museum stands today has a long history. It was once home to the Franklin County Veterans Memorial. That memorial first opened in 1955. It was taken down in early 2015 to make way for the new museum.
Building a national veterans museum was a big idea. It received strong support from John Glenn, a famous former Senator and World War II veteran. In June 2018, the United States Congress officially named it the National Veterans Memorial and Museum. This made it the 20th museum in the country to get "national museum" status.
The museum was officially opened on October 27, 2018. A well-known former general, Colin Powell, gave a speech at the dedication ceremony.
Museum Design and Building
The museum building is about 53,000 square feet in size. It was designed by a company called Allied Works Architecture. The outdoor areas were designed by OLIN. The inside of the museum was created by Ralph Appelbaum Associates.
The building itself is round, like a circle, and is 300 feet across. It has a simple, modern look inside. The windows on the middle floor have vertical stripes. These stripes are meant to look like the colorful ribbons given for military awards. Visitors can even walk on the grassy roof of the museum. From there, they can see great views of the Columbus skyline and have a quiet place to think.
The museum also has a large outdoor area called the Memorial Grove. This area is 2.5 acres big. It includes a reflecting pool and a stone wall. The way the museum is designed helps people remember and honor veterans.
Exhibits and Collections
The National Veterans Memorial and Museum focuses on the personal journeys of veterans. Its main goals are to "honor, inspire, connect, and educate" visitors. It wants to share individual stories, not just military battles.
The museum has two main exhibits and one space for changing exhibits. These exhibits cover 30,000 square feet. You can see personal items that belonged to service members. These include things like footlockers, military ribbons, and letters they sent home. The exhibits share stories from veterans from the American Revolutionary War all the way to more recent conflicts. The museum helps people understand the many different backgrounds of veterans. It also shows the important roles they played in the military.
Memorial Grove Park
The Memorial Grove is a beautiful 2.5-acre park located outside the museum. It opened at the same time as the museum in October 2018. The park has a path that goes around a long wall. This wall is 325 feet long and made of stacked rocks with waterfalls. The words "E pluribus unum" are written on the wall. This Latin phrase means "Out of many, one."
In the center of the park, there's a shaded area with American elm trees. This quiet spot is designed for people to reflect and think.
See also
