Wartime Museum Announcement

[Tuesday, April 13, 2010] - The Prince William Board of County Supervisors and The Wartime Museum Board of Trustees today announced that the future national museum will be located on a 70 acre site near the intersection of Interstate 95 and Dale Boulevard. The Hylton Family of Prince William County donated the site for The Wartime Museum.

It is fitting that The Wartime Museum will be located in Prince William County where the military has played a significant role in our community's history, said Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart. "This nation fought its first battle of the Civil War here in 1861, and the County remained on the front line of the war with the second, and bloodier, battle of Manassas. Our community has always been proud that many Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have called Prince William home; and this museum will honor our veterans from all services. The Museum will complement the existing resources of The National Museum of the Marine Corps and Manassas National Battlefield Park, and provide continued confirmation that Prince William County is a premier destination for anyone interested in military heritage."

The Wartime Museum will be a one of a kind, world class museum. The $50 million project will provide a new cultural, educational and recreational attraction in Prince William County and the Commonwealth of Virginia. An initial market study estimated that the Museum will create 50 direct and 35 indirect jobs, attract more than 300,000 tourists each year and have an annual economic impact of $10 million to $25 million per year at surrounding hotels, restaurants and other businesses.

"We are extremely proud that The Wartime Museum will be located in Prince William County and in Virginia, the heart of American history and patriotism," said Craig Stewart, President and CEO of The Wartime Museum. "With unwavering support from Prince William County, the Hylton Family's generous land donation, and The Wartime Museum's capital campaign, we look forward to the day when we will open the doors of this incredible Museum to veterans, school children, families and visitors from all walks of life."

The Wartime Museum will honor those who served in all branches of the United States military and on the American home front from World War I to the present day. The Museum will particularly focus on educating young Americans about personal wartime experiences, the realities of war and the sacrifices made by Americans striving to preserve our nation's freedoms. Indoor and outdoor exhibits will feature The landscapes of War ” authentic replicas of battlefront scenes” and will provide a dynamic, interactive experience so visitors can see, hear and touch military vehicles and artifacts.

The Wartime Museum will also be a core attraction along The Corridor of Military History. This burgeoning tourism region in Virginia includes such prominent cultural attractions as The National Museum of the Marine Corps near Quantico and the planned National Museum of the U.S. Army at Fort Belvoir.

Initial site grading will begin later this year, and officials anticipate that The Wartime Museum will open to the public on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2014.

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A site map, downloadable brochure, photos and other resources are available in the media section of The Wartime Museum’s Web site: http://www.thewartimemuseum.org/.