City of Arlington
National Medal of Honor Museum
Arlington is one of two cities the National Medal of Honor Museum is considering for its location, beating out Washington, D.C.; New York City; and San Diego. The other city still in the running is Denver. The museum will announce which city it chooses on Oct. 2.
Five cities made the first cut in the National Medal of Honor Museum’s search for a new home, but a conversation with Texas Rangers co-owner Ray Davis convinced museum CEO Joe Daniels to keep an eye on Arlington.
“He talked about — this is a story that’s stayed with me — the way that they honored and now continue to honor special forces during games and at the stadium,” Daniels says. “When you have someone that has achieved so much in his life like Mr. Davis, who then is just looking for ways to have a big impact and support those who die so this country can be free, it just felt like an immediate resonance, and we really started focusing in on Arlington.”
Now, Arlington is one of two cities the National Medal of Honor Museum is considering for its location, beating out Washington, D.C.; New York City; and San Diego. The other city still in the running is Denver. The museum will announce which city it chooses on Oct. 2.
Daniels visited Arlington on Thursday and spoke with media at Live! By Loews — the Arlington Entertainment District’s newly opened hotel, which will essentially be standing a couple blocks away from the museum’s proposed location.
“[Arlington] is a hot city,” Daniels says. “That is important when you think about attracting all kinds of demographics … Arlington’s future look and the way it plans for itself is something that’s hugely attractive.”
The facility will cost about $150 million to build, and Daniels says the museum hopes most of the funding will come from donors. He estimates the building will be about 120,000 to 150,000 square feet. A request for proposals has been sent to architecture firms, and the museum will host a design competition to determine the architect.
Daniels, a 9/11 survivor and former CEO of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center, says the National Medal of Honor Museum will tell the stories of recipients in a way that engages the emotions of visitors.
“This museum will be about the stories behind the medal,” Daniels says. “We will absolutely honor every single one of the recipients, which is more than 3,500. We’ll have a rotating way to feature these stories.”
The National Medal of Honor Museum’s current location is Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. However, according to Daniels, the museum wasn’t getting enough exposure and would do better in a place that could attract visitors in the “millions, not in thousands.” The recent growth of the Entertainment District — with AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field currently under construction — made Arlington an attractive place to relocate.
“There’s something about sports that peels away our differences and brings us together … There’s a lot of alignment between the sports fan and our future visitor,” Daniels says. “Being here, surrounded by so much of that, it sets some really great conditions for the future.”
In September, the museum plans to bring board members to both Arlington and Denver before making their decision in October.
