"Always faithful," a phrase known the world over, is directly associated with the United States Marine Corps. Since our opening in November 2006, we have welcomed more than 3 million visitors to the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Many of those visitors who walk through our doors are Marines, past and present, who have faithfully visited and reminisced of days gone by. Accompanying these Marines are family, friends, and comrades of the Navy, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard. We have also had the honor of welcoming many visitors and dignitaries of foreign nations. The Museum and the nearby chapel are also being utilized for a growing number of educational forays, weddings, promotions, graduations, and special events. And with the addition of the chapel, we've seen even more weddings and memorial ceremonies. We have become a home for Marines and a quality destination for all visitors.

In June 2010, we opened our newest exhibits. These galleries substantially completed the exhibition program for the first phase of the building. Visitors can learn about the Marine Corps' early years, from the first recruiting efforts in 1775 through World War I. Our guests can pass through German lines in France at Belleau Wood, where Marines earned the nickname "Teufelhunden," better known as "Devil Dog." We believe the reality of this immersion exhibit is be better than anything we have done to date! Visitors can see, hear, feel, and smell the battle. Young Marines from Quantico star in a film that recreates the charge through the wheat field, but we see it from the perspective of the enemy.

The National Museum of the Marine Corps is an American history museum. But it's American history seen through the eyes of individual Marines across more than 237 years. We hope this web site will inspire you to make the trip to northern Virginia, help you prepare for that journey, and provide you even more information about the history of the Marine Corps. We look forward to your visit!

Lin Ezell
Museum Director

Read Lin Ezell’s Biography