National Medal of Honor Museum

The Museum’s principal architectural gesture is to elegantly suspend a massive building in the air as if by some superhuman effort, evoking the extraordinary feats of heroism that the Medal of Honor recognizes and the exemplary traits of its recipients: courage and sacrifice, commitment and integrity, citizenship and patriotism.

At the heart of the design is the iconic Exhibition Hall, a 200-by-200-foot steel structure that hovers 40 feet above the ground, supported by five monumental megacolumns, each representing one of the traditional branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. The U.S. Space Force is represented by a large oculus that pierces the suspended volume and floods the core of the composition with natural light. Clad in metal panels, the suspended Exhibition Hall evokes the strength of fire-forged steel, akin to the strength of character that is forged in the fire of battle. The design is intentionally solid with an opaque facade, containing the main exhibition spaces of the program floating over an accessible field of green.

As visitors begin their journey through the museum, they will enter through a ceremonial entrance down to the Rotunda of Honor, a sunken, open-air courtyard that also functions as a place for public gatherings. Guests access the Exhibition Hall by climbing two dramatic spiral staircases or through entirely glass-clad elevators that offer panoramic vistas across the surrounding landscape. Once inside the Orientation Gallery leads to the main exhibition space. 

The exhibits were crafted by interdisciplinary experience design studio G&A and are seamlessly integrated into the museum’s unique architecture to facilitate an open-ended, thematic journey where new discoveries can be made in every repeat visit. At its center sits a grand circular theater with a film tribute that introduces the experience. The theater core is surrounded by a blend of immersive exhibits— interactive panoramic scenes, a virtual helicopter flight simulation, displays of personal artifacts, and large-scale environmental graphics that embody the full biographies of Medal of Honor recipients.

As visitors exit the exhibits, they can reflect on their experience in the rotunda’s shaded plaza, where the grounds integrate with the surrounding landscape, enhancing accessibility, pedestrian flow and fostering engagement with the Arlington and Dallas-Fort Worth community. The museum grounds extend the park’s lake path, making the site more accessible and pedestrian-friendly while offering visitors views of the broader Arlington Entertainment District, which sits across from AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Park. 

In addition to the exhibits, the museum features spaces that support continuous learning. The Griffin Institute, located on the west side of the grounds, will host leadership programs for educators, students, veterans, and business leaders. To the east, the museum shop, café, and Education and Curatorial Center house additional amenities. Two versatile venues, the Col. Neel E. Kearby Theater and the Patrick Brady Hall, which flank the Rotunda, offer flexible spaces for larger commemorative, celebratory, and educational events with stunning views of Mark Holtz Lake.