National Museum of the Marine Corps
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Why You Should Visit the U.S. Marine Corps Museum
Have you ever driven on I-95 just south of Washington D.C.? If you have, then it is pretty safe to say that you have seen an unusual structure (pictured above) that soars high into the sky, haven’t you?
That is the National Museum of the Marine Corps. If it is not there already, you should definitely put the U.S. Marine Corps Museum on your bucket list.
The museum first opened its doors in November 2006, and it is located outside of the gates of the Marine Base in Quantico, Virginia. Construction began all the way back in 2004, and now the museum has a whole lot of different exhibits that pretty much any war veteran would love to see.
Although the U.S. Marine Corps Museum is already filled with a variety of war-related galleries, new ones are constantly being added. What this means is that future visits will feature even more interesting exhibits.
The Architectural Style of the Museum
The architectural style of this building is very interesting to say the least. The circular shape of this museum allows visitors to easily move from one time period to another. Also, the shape of the U.S. Marine Corps Museum evokes images of some of the most iconic moments that the Marines were a part of.
When people visit the museum, their journey starts in the central gallery called the Leatherneck Gallery. This area features a couple of very interesting displays that are mainly used to introduce the visitors to the Marine Corps. More often than not, the Leatherneck Gallery is used for both special exhibits and special events.
What Does Being a Marine Feel Like?
The Marine Corps Museum does a great job at making visitors get an idea of what it feels like to be a Marine, and the way it does this is by letting them go through a special boot camp. You will be able to hear a speech from a drill instructor and you will also get to experience what wearing a fully loaded pack feels like. As you may imagine, this makes people start appreciating the Marines way more than they ever have before.
Another fun thing that visitors get to do is use an M-16 laser rifle range. That’s right! You actually get to experience what using an M-16 laser rifle feels like. You’ll get a taste of what being a Marine feels like when you visit this museum and we think you’ll leave very happy that you visited.
Very Interesting Galleries
Of course, it wouldn’t be a museum without some interesting galleries now, would it? The museum features some really interesting galleries that are divided into a couple of different eras. These include World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Global Expeditionary Force, the Vietnam War, and the American Revolution.
The Korean War gallery features a section that simulates the cold temperature and sounds of the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir in 1951, while the war’s fighting was at its peak.
All of these galleries do a pretty great job at explaining the history of their respective eras. There are also some looped short movies that you can watch here.
Family Friendly
The museum has classrooms, a theater, a gift shop, a bar, and a restaurant in addition to everything else listed above.
Two play areas for children can also be found within the museum.
Summary
Be sure to check out the National Marine Corps Museum when you get a chance. If you’re in D.C. for an extended period of time you might want to make time to visit the National Air & Space Museum as well.
