In downtown Columbus, Ohio you will find construction under way, working on a museum and memorial, which is yet to be officially known as the national site for Americans to reflect on the experiences of veterans.
Rep. Steve Stivers and Sen. Rob Portman, who are both Republicans from Ohio, came up with the legislation to designate the Columbus site as the “National Veterans Museum and Memorial.” A House subcommittee sampled feedback on the suggestion last Wednesday from several veterans service organizations, the feedback received were mostly supportive.
The bills suggested by Stivers and Portman state that the museum will be a one of a kind public site of its kind and its objective will be “interpreting the collective experiences of veterans… across all eras, conflicts and branches of the military.” Apart from that, the museum will be a place for tourists and visitors to reflect and evaluate the American history through the lens of veterans, this was according to the bill suggested by the lawmakers. There is also a great possibility that the museum can also inspire and motivate civil engagement, hence playing an important role in bridging the gap between the civilians and the military service members.
The plans for the site began in the year 2013 with assistance from astronaut John Glenn, a World War II veteran and former U.S. senator from Ohio. Glenn passed away Dec. 8. Initially the museum had been intended to honor the 900,000 veterans who are living in Ohio only, however the scope had to be broadened after an interview was conducted by the project leaders, and it was noted that many of the Ohio veterans didn’t really have strong ties to the state.
The historical museum will have veterans’ personal items at the same time narrating personal stories of the veterans’ military service, it will look at their life after the military. This was according to a statement made by, Amy Taylor, who happens to be one of the project managers.
The project developer of the museum is Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, and it’s estimated that the museum will cost a sum of $75 million. Most of the money is being received from private donations and contributions from the state of Ohio and Franklin County, Ohio.
The building that has a unique design will stand on 7 acres of land near the Scioto River. The building when finally complete will be 50,000 square feet and made of glass walls and concrete arches leading to a magnificent rooftop sanctuary. There will also be a 300-foot reflective pool and memorial wall on the site. The developers anticipate completing the construction in the winter, with the grand opening scheduled for the summer of 2018.
