Denver has been selected by The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation’s Board of Directors — along with Arlington, Texas — as a finalist for the future home of the National Medal of Honor Museum. The search, launched in October 2018, has the goal of ensuring the newly created museum will have the highest impact on the largest number of people possible. It will culminate with the final city selection this September.
The Downtown Denver Partnership has been closely engaged with the foundation throughout their site selection process, convening public and private sector leaders – including Governor Jared Polis and Mayor Michael B. Hancock – to showcase Denver’s robust market.
The Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest and most prestigious military honor, has been awarded to more than 3,500 military service members since the first medal was presented in 1863. The National Medal of Honor Museum will offer an experience that draws personal and emotional connections to Medal of Honor recipients and their inspiring stories, while shedding light on the wars in which they fought and the ideals that the Medal of Honor represents.
“With the nation’s No.1 ranked airport, one of the nation’s best convention centers, the tourists enjoying the 16th Street Mall and the string of military-based sites throughout downtown and across Colorado, the National Medal of Honor Museum would be a welcome addition,” said Tami Door, president and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership, “The Museum ideals align with Colorado’s rich history of supporting our military heroes. We will work tirelessly in the months ahead to make the case for Denver location.”
“Arlington and Denver are two exceptional cities, and we have been overwhelmed by the response we have received from their state and local officials about this important undertaking. Public and private leaders from both cities have expressed a strong desire to help the museum in its mission to further unite us all around what it means to be patriotic, to inspire us to find the hero within ourselves, and to preserve the stories of our nation’s Medal of Honor recipients for future generations. We are deeply grateful,” said Joe Daniels, president and CEO of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation.
The museum also announced that it will work with Congress to create the first-ever monument in Washington, D.C., dedicated to honoring the more than 3,500 Medal of Honor recipients. The Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial will join other national landmarks in the country’s capital, and draw a maximum level of visibility and support from every corner of the United States.
“The National Medal of Honor Museum is the caretaker of a legacy defined by sacrifice,” said Medal of Honor recipient Master Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Britt Slabinski. “The service and patriotism of my fellow Medal of Honor recipients and those we served with should be told on a national stage. The National Medal of Honor museum will protect and project that legacy by building a museum in America’s heartland, Denver or Arlington, and a Medal of Honor monument on the national mall in our nation’s capital. This will create additional opportunities for millions of visitors to experience and learn those stories.”
The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation is evaluating a range of factors in its search. They include location, market size, tourism activity and number of visitors, community support – both overall and patriotic – for our nation’s history, and public transportation options. During the final phase of the selection process, between now and September, the Foundation will engage in detailed discussions with members of the Arlington and Denver communities. During this time, the Foundation will be further evaluating timeline for conveyance of a potential museum location, the potential support of private individuals and organizations, and programmatic possibilities within each city.
