Ground was broken on the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas, at the end of March in the company of former President George W. Bush, current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley and Medal of Honor recipient Major General Patrick Henry Bradys.
"When you look at the Medal of Honor recipient, you are looking at someone who has demonstrated gallantry under impossible odds. You are looking at someone who has placed duty above self. You are looking at someone who understands the meaning of sacrifice in the most profound way," former President Bush said at the ceremony. "During these turbulent times people ask me if I am worried, and my answer is no. I'm optimistic about the future, so long as we emulate the virtue and the character of the people we honor, we're going to be just fine."
The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest award for valor in combat beyond the call of duty. The museum aims to celebrate the values of the Medal of Honor and its 3,511 brave recipients since the Civil War, of whom only 66 are alive today.
Designed by world-renowned architect Rafael Viñoly, the venue will be part of a five-acre parcel alongside the city's major attractions, such as Six Flags Over Texas, AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field and Esports Stadium Arlington. The 101,000-square-foot site will encompass 25,000 square feet of exhibition galleries, a state-of-the-art education center, conference and event space, and an outdoor amphitheater for ceremonies.
The new museum will open in 2024, along with Arlington's new meetings hotel and convention facility. The 888-room Loews Arlington Hotel will connect directly to the new Arlington Convention Center, which will offer 216,000 square feet of meeting space.