Going to this museum was one of my favorite parts in my recent trip to Virginia. The National Museum of the Marine Corps doesn’t ease you into its facility, instead it makes a big statement. It’s a sharp, rising structure that gives the impression that it is in motion, almost as if it is launching into the sky. It was rainy that day and the dark clouds that loomed added to the feeling. Before I even walked in, I realized that this wasn’t going to be an normal museum visit.
One of the most important parts was the large scale combat scenes. It shows how chaotic, detailed and it makes it impossible to ignore. You witness an urgency, and sacrifice that is captured in one moment. Then, you are suddenly brought back to something more personal, a quiet scene from home that offers a reminder as to what it all connects to. The contrast is what really stood out to me.
When I walked out of the museum, it didn’t feel like I was just in one. It felt like I was was moving from different eras. From the revolutionary, Civil War, Korean War, Vietnam, and the Gulf wars. It was literally like stepping into one moment and into a another. The Marine Corps Museum does an excellent job of showing both the scale of history and the individual experiences inside of it. It’s one of those places that will stay with you after you leave.
Throughtful Reader 
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