National Museum of Americans in Wartime to Open 2012

Opening Veterans Day, November 11, 2012 near Manassas, Virginia

Every generation pays for freedom, sometimes at great cost. When the price is military conflict, the American people go to war, not just the armed forces. At home and abroad, Americans answer the call. These conflicts call for bravery, leadership, service, and sacrifice from millions of men, women, and families, and this immense effort transforms the participants and the nation.

The National Museum of Americans in Wartime™ is dedicated to telling this story of Americans’ courage and sacrifice in wartime and the ways in which the nation’s wars have changed the lives of its citizens.

Visitors will encounter the story indoors and out, in combat landscapes, computer interactives, operational tanks and planes, multimedia experiences, public programs, and exhibition galleries filled with thousands of historic artifacts. Together, they will offer every visitor a deeper understanding of the lives of their fellow Americans in wartime and the responsibilities of freedom.

The National Museum of Americans in Wartime™ will engage visitors in the stories of men and women—in uniform and on the home front—who have answered the nation’s call to serve.

The Museum will tell a distinctly American story in a multidisciplinary interactive setting by:

Crafting a vividly personal voice, emphasizing individual experiences.

Exploring all branches of the military through the eyes of soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen in various settings: training, marshalling, combat,and homecoming.

Weaving together home front and battleground stories to portray the unbreakable bond between those at home and those in uniform.

Featuring the Landscapes of War—authentic wartime settings that will educate and enlighten visitors about the frontline cultures and conditions experienced by our service men and women. 

From World War I to present, the Museum will recreate the character of the times and experiences of the American people through the lens of war.

For the millions who served in the military, those who worked and waited at home, and those who have only experienced America’s wartime events in a textbook, the Museum will answer the questions: “Who were America’s citizen soldiers?” “How did they answer the call to serve?” “What is their legacy for future generations?”

The National Museum of Americans in Wartime™ is a not-for-profit cultural and educational institution dedicated to honoring those who served in all branches of the United States military and on the home front from World War I to present, and to educating the public, especially young Americans, about the personal experiences, realities of war, and sacrifices made by Americans striving to preserve our freedoms. Opening November 2012 in Prince William County, VA. www.nmaw.org