thedrifter
11-08-07, 05:30 AM
AMERICAN HEROES: THE REAL DEAL One year after being built, the museum that celebrates all things Marines is thriving.
November 8, 2007 12:36 am
BY TIERNEY McAFEE
Before the National Museum of the Marine Corps opened its doors last November, George Mason University professor Stephen S. Fuller projected 240,000 visitors annually for the first phase of the museum.
But Charlie Grow, deputy director at the museum, estimates that by this weekend it will have had almost 600,000 visitors.
Grow attributes the success to the museum's proximity to Washington, word of mouth and public admiration for the Marine Corps.
"We were pleasantly surprised, but the affinity that people have with their Marines is a powerful thing," Grow said. "I think that might have been underestimated by the people who put together projections for total visitors."
The interactive museum, located next to Quantico Marine Corps Base, will celebrate its one-year anniversary this Saturday.
Two cake-cutting ceremonies, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, will commemorate the anniversary. By tradition, the oldest marine present receives a piece of cake first, then the youngest marine and then everyone in between.
The museum will also celebrate the 232nd birthday of the Marine Corps, which falls on the same day. To commemorate that, there will be a traditional reading of Lt. Gen. John Archer Lejeune's birthday message, which summarizes the history, mission and tradition of the Corps.
Grow says the museum planned its opening to coincide with the Marine Corps' birthday.
"We wanted to pick a day that had greater significance than the museum alone, and the birthday seemed to be the best fit," he said. "The Marine Corps is really proud of its heritage, and in that spirit it celebrates its birthday."
The museum features four permanent exhibits on Marine Corps involvement in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the global war on terrorism. There is also a combat art gallery and a display devoted to boot camp.
Ann Williams, a retired Marine who has volunteered at the museum for the past year, credits the high public interest to the museum's interactive nature.
Visitors can test their aim at the laser rifle range, flip through letters Marines sent home to their loved ones and listen to oral histories from real Marines at a phone station.
In one immersion exhibit, visitors board a ship for the assault landing on the island of Iwo Jima. Motion, the sound of explosions and bullets whizzing by and real footage from World War II combine to provide a realistic experience.
Even the temperature is controlled to create the atmosphere of the places where battles were fought. For example, after entering the Vietnam display through an authentic helicopter, visitors are greeted with a wave of heat and flashes of lightning. In one chilly room in the Korean War exhibit, gusts of wind blow dusty snow around tourists' feet.
"It's very innovative," Williams said. "When people think of going to a museum, they think of just walking into a room, but it's so much more than that here. It's a whole new concept."
Larry Dickerson, a museum volunteer and Korean War veteran, says he is impressed by how realistic the museum displays are.
"When the museum first opened and I experienced the Korean War exhibit, I came out with tears," Dickerson said. "Now I'm accustomed to it and I can just enjoy it, but at the time it was an emotional experience."
Grow says the museum's unique shape is another thing that draws visitors. The exterior design was inspired by Joe Rosenthal's famous photograph "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima," which depicts Marines and Navy corpsmen raising the American flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.
"Many of our visitors have no affiliation with the Marines. They just see the big building and want to know what's here," Grow said.
Cpl. Jacob Seymore has been stationed at the museum for eight months. He helps civilians who work at the museum, gives tours and greets visitors at the door.
"I think the museum likes to have us stationed here to serve as ambassadors to the Marine Corps," Seymore said. "A lot of people have never met a Marine before, so we just try to make them comfortable with us."
Seymore said many people take an interest in the museum because they have relatives who served as Marines in the past or are currently Marines, but about half of the visitors have no affiliation with the Corps.
"I believe it's very important for people to understand what the Marine Corps is about," Seymore said. "A lot of people think the Marines are mysterious, so this kind of lets them into our world and allows them to see what we do every day."
Ellie
November 8, 2007 12:36 am
BY TIERNEY McAFEE
Before the National Museum of the Marine Corps opened its doors last November, George Mason University professor Stephen S. Fuller projected 240,000 visitors annually for the first phase of the museum.
But Charlie Grow, deputy director at the museum, estimates that by this weekend it will have had almost 600,000 visitors.
Grow attributes the success to the museum's proximity to Washington, word of mouth and public admiration for the Marine Corps.
"We were pleasantly surprised, but the affinity that people have with their Marines is a powerful thing," Grow said. "I think that might have been underestimated by the people who put together projections for total visitors."
The interactive museum, located next to Quantico Marine Corps Base, will celebrate its one-year anniversary this Saturday.
Two cake-cutting ceremonies, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, will commemorate the anniversary. By tradition, the oldest marine present receives a piece of cake first, then the youngest marine and then everyone in between.
The museum will also celebrate the 232nd birthday of the Marine Corps, which falls on the same day. To commemorate that, there will be a traditional reading of Lt. Gen. John Archer Lejeune's birthday message, which summarizes the history, mission and tradition of the Corps.
Grow says the museum planned its opening to coincide with the Marine Corps' birthday.
"We wanted to pick a day that had greater significance than the museum alone, and the birthday seemed to be the best fit," he said. "The Marine Corps is really proud of its heritage, and in that spirit it celebrates its birthday."
The museum features four permanent exhibits on Marine Corps involvement in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the global war on terrorism. There is also a combat art gallery and a display devoted to boot camp.
Ann Williams, a retired Marine who has volunteered at the museum for the past year, credits the high public interest to the museum's interactive nature.
Visitors can test their aim at the laser rifle range, flip through letters Marines sent home to their loved ones and listen to oral histories from real Marines at a phone station.
In one immersion exhibit, visitors board a ship for the assault landing on the island of Iwo Jima. Motion, the sound of explosions and bullets whizzing by and real footage from World War II combine to provide a realistic experience.
Even the temperature is controlled to create the atmosphere of the places where battles were fought. For example, after entering the Vietnam display through an authentic helicopter, visitors are greeted with a wave of heat and flashes of lightning. In one chilly room in the Korean War exhibit, gusts of wind blow dusty snow around tourists' feet.
"It's very innovative," Williams said. "When people think of going to a museum, they think of just walking into a room, but it's so much more than that here. It's a whole new concept."
Larry Dickerson, a museum volunteer and Korean War veteran, says he is impressed by how realistic the museum displays are.
"When the museum first opened and I experienced the Korean War exhibit, I came out with tears," Dickerson said. "Now I'm accustomed to it and I can just enjoy it, but at the time it was an emotional experience."
Grow says the museum's unique shape is another thing that draws visitors. The exterior design was inspired by Joe Rosenthal's famous photograph "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima," which depicts Marines and Navy corpsmen raising the American flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.
"Many of our visitors have no affiliation with the Marines. They just see the big building and want to know what's here," Grow said.
Cpl. Jacob Seymore has been stationed at the museum for eight months. He helps civilians who work at the museum, gives tours and greets visitors at the door.
"I think the museum likes to have us stationed here to serve as ambassadors to the Marine Corps," Seymore said. "A lot of people have never met a Marine before, so we just try to make them comfortable with us."
Seymore said many people take an interest in the museum because they have relatives who served as Marines in the past or are currently Marines, but about half of the visitors have no affiliation with the Corps.
"I believe it's very important for people to understand what the Marine Corps is about," Seymore said. "A lot of people think the Marines are mysterious, so this kind of lets them into our world and allows them to see what we do every day."
Ellie