Visitor & Group Information

Group Visit Information

Reservations are requested for all groups wishing to visit the Museum to help ensure the highest quality experience for everyone. You will need a reservation if your group:

• is larger than 25 people
• will be arriving by motorcoach
• will be arriving by other large vehicles such as a school bus or 15-passenger van

If you would like to book a military ceremony please go to the Military Ceremonies at the Museum page.

Student Groups
To request a visit date and time for student groups (including public and private schools, tour companies, home schoolers, Scouts, and Young Marines) please use our online reservation system.

Once your reservation form has been processed, you will receive an email confirmation and Welcome Packet within three business days. Our education department is happy to work with teachers and youth leaders to plan student visits. Museum educators can even provide specialized instruction upon request. However, please note that a tour of the Museum is designed to be a self-guided experience. Although we do not normally offer "guided tours" for student groups, staff members will be available to answer questions during your visit. To request additional assistance in scheduling student visits, please call 571-353-0084 or email schedule@marineheritage.org.

Adult Groups
To request a reservation for adult groups (including reunions, diplomatic VIPs, church and senior groups), or for information regarding receptions and luncheons at the Museum, please contact Pam Dodson at 703-649-2350 or via email at dodson@marineheritage.org. If you are interested in scheduling an after-hours function at the Museum, please call Pam Dodson at 703-649-2350 or email dodson@marineheritage.org for personal assistance.

Individual and Family Visits

• When available, free docent-led tours of the Museum for individuals and families leave from the Leatherneck Gallery at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. No advance reservation is required. Check in at the front desk upon arrival to determine if tours are operating that day.
  
  
• Complimentary wheelchairs and stools are available upon request at the Visitors Information Desk in limited numbers, on a “first come” basis.
  
  
• Educational activities and handouts relating to the month´s theme are available at the Front Desk.
  
  
• The Museum fully complies with the regulations of the American With Disabilities Act (ADA).
  
  
• Facilities for recharging Electric Mobility Scooters are available.

• Free Wifi

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Important to Know

• Bus drivers may discharge their passengers at the entrance to the Museum and then proceed to the designated bus parking area. Bus drivers are welcome to visit the Museum, there is no entry fee. Bus drivers also receive a free meal and hat while their passengers are visiting the Museum.
  
• We also welcome groups, even last minute ones, but our ability to accommodate each group is greatly enhanced if we have a reservation on the books. Please make an advance reservation whenever possible.  There may be special events, ceremonies, or other activities in the Museum that can affect our ability to accommodate groups as planned, but we will do our very best to make the Museum a great experience for everyone.          
  
• There may be special events, ceremonies, or other activities in the Museum that can affect our ability to accommodate groups as planned. We appreciate your allowing us to offer alternate activities and venues if, for example, the Classroom is unavailable for your field trip group.
• We do not schedule docent-led “guided tours” of the Museum for groups in advance. The exhibits have been designed as immersive experiences involving sights and sounds and motion and temperature changes and other interactive surprises that are revealed as the visitor proceeds on their own self-paced discovery.
• There are trained Volunteers and Docents stationed at posts throughout the Museum to answer questions and provide additional information about their area.

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Lost & Found

Photography Policy

If after your visit to the Museum, you determine that you have lost a personal item while here, please send an e-mail to james.l.ryan@usmc.mil with a description of the item. Items found at the Museum and its grounds are catalogued by the security team and placed in secure storage for 30 days. If unclaimed, the items are disposed of appropriately.

The National Museum of the Marine Corps encourages you to take photographs and video during your visit. Flash photography is NOT allowed in the vicinity of the Iwo Jima flag, and the area is posted accordingly. The Museum reserves the right to post other areas as needed to ensure that fragile objects are protected. Repeated use of your flash in crowded conditions may disturb other visitors. Please respect your fellow Museum visitors.

Photographers using tri-pods or similar devices should be respectful of others. On especially busy days, the Museum may restrict use of such devices to ensure visitor safety and the flow of foot traffic throughout the galleries.