The National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas, celebrates its official opening today, March 25, 2025, in conjunction with National Medal of Honor Day, a date that marks the 162nd anniversary of the first Medal of Honor award. This milestone is remarkable not just as a commemoration but as an affirmation of the resilient spirit that the Medal of Honor signifies.
The museum's grand opening occurred on March 22, 2025, where a jubilant public celebration heralded the culmination of three years of construction. The event featured a dazzling "Mission to Inspire Spectacular," complete with a powerful display of fireworks and drones lighting up the night sky alongside stirring musical performances. An impressive gathering of 32 Medal of Honor recipients, national and military leaders, celebrities, and guests filled the venue.
Major General Patrick H. Brady (Ret.), a Medal of Honor recipient and a key member of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation Board of Directors, spoke fervently about the significance of the museum: "Cutting the ribbon to open the National Medal of Honor Museum will be the realization of a long-awaited moment. After decades of dreams, the Medal of Honor and its Recipients will now have a proper home, where the values of courage, sacrifice, and patriotism will be preserved and shared with future generations of Americans." He noted that this museum stands as a tribute not only to the recipients but also to the stories of those who have served and sacrificed in the name of freedom.
Among the prominent figures at the opening were former President George W. Bush and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, highlighting the museum's significance at a state and national level. Performing at the celebration was musician Lee Greenwood, who sang his beloved anthem "God Bless the USA," adding to the patriotic fervor of the occasion.
The museum itself is extraordinary for its focus on narratives rather than mere artifacts, offering a rich tapestry of the lives and sacrifices of the nearly 3,500 service members who have received this esteemed honor. As CEO Chris Cassidy elaborated, "We've paid a lot of attention to telling a broad swath of stories—from the Civil War to present day—of all branches of service, from all hometowns and states and ethnicities. Medal of Honor recipients really do represent America."
Spanning an impressive 31,000 square feet, the museum includes unique interactive exhibits, such as "Conversations: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives," allowing visitors to engage with a virtual Medal of Honor Recipient. One noteworthy installation is a fully restored Bell UH-1 "Huey" Iroquois helicopter, modeled after the one flown by General Brady himself, serving as a tangible link to the valor depicted in the museum.
The museum also emphasizes community engagement and educational outreach through the Leadership Institute, which actively fosters character excellence among youth. As Cassidy notes, "We're actively right now delivering programs on character excellence to youth, particularly seventh and eighth graders. It's not just a museum. We want to be able to transmit those stories around the country, and that's where our Leadership Institute comes in." This initiative ensures the legacy of these heroes lives on and inspires future generations to embody their principles of bravery and service.
Notably, 75 Medal of Honor recipients from Texas are acknowledged within the museum, representing just a fraction of the 61 living individuals who have earned this distinguished honor. The museum’s design further embodies military values, with its elevated exhibit deck supported by five concrete mega-columns representing the branches of the Armed Forces.
The reaction from attendees who toured the facility, including members of the Dallas Cowboys, such as Dak Prescott and Terence Steele, underscored the emotional impact of the museum's mission. Steele reflected, "It gets super emotional just because of what he's been through," referring to his father, a wounded veteran. He added, "Just seeing some of these stories kind of just takes me back, puts everything into perspective of how far he's come. I get pretty emotional being here." Such sentiments highlight the personal connections many attendees feel towards the sacrifices made by military families.
With its daily open hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the National Medal of Honor Museum invites the public not only to view its exhibits but also to participate in events where they can hear directly from Medal of Honor recipients. Chris Cassidy emphasized this aspect saying, "Our museum will be a place where the public can interact with the heroes." In this way, the museum strives to create a living tribute to those who have served valiantly, ensuring their stories do not fade into the background of history.
The museum’s efforts to engage with communities resonate deeply as it invites all Americans to reflect on the ongoing legacies of service and sacrifice. The stories encapsulated within its walls serve not merely to honor the past but to motivate future generations to aspire to greatness through acts of courage and dedication towards others.
As Arlington welcomes this new beacon of heritage today, the message resounds clearly: the values of the Medal of Honor, courage, sacrifice, and patriotism, are not just relics of history, but imperatives for every American moving forward.
