I had heard from one of my gaming buddies that there was a new AWI display at the Museum of the US Army in Northern Virginia. Being in the area with another buddy, for Historicon, we decided to take the drive to the museum to check it out. He had never been to the museum and I was interested in this display.
I am not a huge fan of the museum, as I feel the Army kind of just built an office and conference center with a small museum annex. It’s not that the museum is bad, if it was a private facility, it would be very nice. It is just that after waiting so long and knowing that the Army had access to everything in their collection, I was disappointed….
With that said, this new display intrigued me. It is up to correspond with the 250 anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It will be in place until next year, so there is time to catch it! Access and parking are free, so all you need is a little time!
The display is not in the main museum annex downstairs. It is actually up stairs in its own section, in the meeting area. There is a small interactive kids area in the main museum area (this was closed when we went). So, be sure to go to the right floor, if you visit!
The displays are spread out in a couple of rooms, with the main hall containing the uniforms and weapons. There is a nice sampling or artifacts spread around. Like most of the museum, the lighting is rather dim, so be ready for that with your pictures.
If you’re in the Northern Virginia area and have a little time, probably worth a stop. If you have a full day, you can tack it on to a visit to the very impressive US Marine Corps Museum, a bit farther south.
- Manteuffel