#1: New National Museum of the Marine Corps Galleries Open Author: Neil_Baumgardner, Location: Arlington, VAPosted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 8:37 pm ---- Sounds like the King armored car (http://www.wwi-models.org/Photos/Veh/KingAC/index.html) is now on display.
Unfortunately I havent found any pics yet. And I wont be able to get there for at least a few weeks...
Neil
National Museum of the Marine Corps Expands with Opening of Three New Large-Scale Galleries
Media Invited to Experience Interactive World War I Battle Exhibit in Advance of June 5 Public Opening
Triangle, VA The National Museum of the Marine Corps will soon open the doors to three new, major galleries and all members of the media are invited to attend a special press preview for a first look at the completed exhibits on May 25, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. The opening of the new galleries brings more than 12,000 sq.ft. of additional exhibit space to the Museum, with 250 new artifacts including an extensive collection of early Marine Corps uniforms, weaponry and artillery including the first American armored car and the first Marine Corps' aircraft. Director Lin Ezell, museum curators, exhibit fabricators and U.S. Marines who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan will be on hand to welcome and escort media throughout the new galleries, chronicling the legendary founding of the Corps in 1775, the Civil War and the U.S. global trade expansion in the 19th century and World War I. The new galleries also include a special interactive exhibit on John Philip Sousa, where visitors can experience a concert of their choosing by the President's Own Marine Corps Band.
Highlights of the press preview will include a tour of the new immersive experience, for which the Museum has become world renowned. Members of the media will enter a stretch of forest in western France amidst the Battle of Belleau Wood, encountering a German machine gun nest. With the smell of cordite in the air and the sound of bullets whistling overhead, visitors will experience the charge of Marines across a wheat field, just as it happened on June 6, 1918. The official opening of these new exhibits coincides with the 92nd anniversary of the historic Battle of Belleau Wood.
The Museum will celebrate the public opening of the three new galleries on Saturday, June 5, beginning at 9:45a.m. with a ceremony in which Marine Corps Regimental Commanders from the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments will officially pass the stewardship of Marine Corps history to the safekeeping of the Museum. Other activities taking place throughout the weekend include curator and archivist presentations and a performance by the President's Own Marine Corps Band. To learn more about the gallery opening weekend activities, visit www.USMCMuseum.org.
