Imagine seeing the pin, screw and rod-riddled X-rays of Marine Corps Cpl. Kyle Carpenter's injuries from a grenade blast in Afghanistan; reading the small inscription on the lighter used by Air Force Brig. Gen. George "Bud" Day during the Vietnam War; or viewing the curled corners of Navy Rear Adm. Bruce McCandless' copy of "A History of Sea Power" that survived the World War II Battle of Guadalcanal.
Most people would never expect to see such artifacts from decorated warriors of different eras and conflicts in one place. But thanks to the one thing they all have in common — the Medal of Honor — that's now possible.
The National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas, will hold its grand opening ceremony March 22, 2025, calling in the Army's 3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart, Georgia, to unfurl the U.S. flag for the first time as 33 of the nation's 61 living Medal of Honor recipients watch.
The museum opens its doors to the public March 25, 2025, to coincide with National Medal of Honor Day.
"When we located the museum here in 2019, we had zero Medals of Honor in our collection. When we open, we'll have 50," said retired Air Force Col. Mike Caldwell, the museum's assistant vice president of communications and veteran engagement. Included in that collection is the first Medal of Honor ever presented, which went to Army 1st Lt. Jacob Parrott, who served in the Civil War.
In one square acre, museum visitors can see courage and patriotism on display. The museum boasts an impressive collection of artifacts, from battle and dress uniforms of recipients to flags, dog tags, family photos and firearms dating back to World War I.
"We do go all the way back to the Civil War, but our focus has been post-World War I," explained Alexandra Rhue, senior vice president of museum engagement and strategic initiatives. "Our modern population — their grandparents — probably that's their first lived memory of history. So, we want to have that personal connection where you knew someone who could have served in that conflict."
From Ordinary to Inspiring
While the museum tells tales of war, its creators wanted to make clear that it's not just another war museum — it's a biography museum focused on shared values highlighted through stories of courage, sacrifice, commitment, integrity, citizenship and patriotism.
"We don't need to tell the World War II story or the Boxer Rebellion story. Other museums can do that," Caldwell said. "All of the Medal of Honor recipients — if you look into their life stories … you realize they're ordinary people who, in a moment of time, courage meant circumstance, and they did something extraordinary."
Instead of grouping the recipients by conflict, their stories are interspersed throughout the museum.
"We want [visitors] to think — what connects me to these recipients and what connects them to each other? It's the values of the Medal of Honor that connect each of them, no matter when in time they served," Rhue said. "We want people to feel like they see themselves reflected in these stories."
Interactive Features Offer Perspective
Several interactive exhibits have technological features that bring many of the recipients to life.
Two of the museum's corners have 50-foot projection screens, which showcase war landscapes from the jungles of Guadalcanal to the frozen mountaintops of Korea. Each scene includes portals visitors can enter to learn more about various recipients from those eras.
Off the main gallery, visitors can gain perspective by stepping into the world of the Vietnam-era "Dustoff" — rapid helicopter medical evacuation missions during the war.
"You can put on a headset, and you can jump into the seat of a 1968 UH-1H Iroquois Huey helicopter," Rhue explained. "You'll be able to make rapid-fire decisions to either bring people home safely to base or potentially have a hard landing in the jungle … to bring you into those really difficult decision-making experiences."
There's also the interactive theater, where AI technology allows recipients to talk virtually with visitors. The recipients chosen for the project recorded more than 700 responses to potential questions, from their favorite ice cream to what it was like growing up to their combat experience and what they want their legacy to be.
"[There are] some really deep, as well as some really accessible, entry points for our visitors to have conversations," Rhue said.
Thanks to cutting-edge audiovisual technology, visitors can physically step into time to hear Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Novosel Sr. and others tell their stories. Just steps away, visitors can get a close-up look at the prominently displayed "Nancy Lee," a Huey helicopter that Army Maj. Gen. Patrick Brady used to rescue soldiers in Vietnam in 1968. The helicopter is named in honor of his late wife.
The museum worked closely with the Defense Department to bring the exhibits to life.
"We have displayed Medals of Honor that they have donated to us," Caldwell said of DOD. "They have been very helpful in the research … providing us with documentation, photographs and things like that."
Difficult Decisions
The names of all 3,528 Medal of Honor recipients adorn the foyer ceiling on the museum's first floor. While the museum boasts 40,000 square feet of space, that's not nearly enough to tell all of their stories. Who the museum chose to highlight came down to the values each story reflected, as well as what artifacts were available to help tell the stories.
"I wish we could tell 3,500-plus stories. There's no way we can," said museum CEO Chris Cassidy, a retired Navy SEAL and former NASA astronaut. "It's a hard process because there's no story that's more spectacular than another."
"Those are some very difficult decisions," he added.
To highlight as many recipients as possible, the displays will rotate over the years as new recipients are awarded, more artifacts are collected and others on loan are returned.
Getting It Right
The museum came together with the help of several veterans, including five Medal of Honor recipients who served on its board. They all understood that the smallest details mattered, from the language to the uniforms.
"We worked really hard on making sure we could get those little things right so our audience — who we expect to be a lot of active-duty military and veterans coming in here — can say, 'Yeah, that's accurately portrayed,'" Caldwell said.
For example, the curation team called Army Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha, who received the Medal of Honor for his 2009 actions in Afghanistan, to ensure they knew how to correctly attach the straps to his battle vest.
"We talk to the [living] recipients all the time," Caldwell said. "They've been integral in how we tell their stories."
Rhue added that the living recipients have been an incredible resource, sharing their memories and perspectives on what they want their legacy to be, and what they think the Medal of Honor represents.
Just as much effort has gone into the artifacts given to the museum by families of recipients who are no longer living.
"These are precious items to the families. It's a very hard and emotional decision to say, 'I'm going to turn this over to you,'" Caldwell said. "We have to earn their trust."
As the museum prepares to open, Caldwell said he's witnessed the burden that being the living representation of the Medal of Honor's values has taken on many of the recipients and their families. He said the museum is a chance for the country to give them a vault to house their legacies.
"We really want people to be inspired by what they see here more than anything else," Rhue said.
A wing of the museum is also home to the Griffin Institute, a nonprofit talent and technology accelerator for DOD. The institute has created a curriculum for K-12 students and leadership programs for professionals based on the values embodied by the Medal of Honor.