The National Medal of Honor Museum sits on Oct. 30 in Arlington. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
For four years, Chris Cassidy’s life revolved around getting Arlington’s National Medal of Honor Museum up and running.
A little over seven months ago, the museum’s president and CEO met his mark as the multi-million-dollar building opened its doors to the public, honoring the thousands who have received a Medal of Honor — the nation’s most prestigious military award.
The opening celebration was grand. It had a former president in attendance, a state-of-the-art drone show and thousands of residents watching. But for Cassidy, it still wasn’t the “perfect day.” That day came a few weeks back in October.
He saw school buses pulling into the building, retirement homes bringing attendees a bank hosting its corporate event in the museum’s halls, all while active-duty military personnel entered the building.
“For me, that exemplified what this means to the community, because it touches young, old, civilians, military — everybody,” Cassidy said.
A full-scale replica of U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Patrick Brady’s Bell UH-1H Iroquois helicopter is displayed Oct. 30 at the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington. The exhibit, From Rails to Rotors, talks about the helicopter and the role machines play in Medal of Honor actions.
Tucked inside the Entertainment District between Choctaw Stadium and the Arlington Museum of Art, the Medal of Honor museum opened in March. Five pillars suspend the 100,000-plus-square-foot landmark, each representing a branch of the U.S. military. Inside, the facility contains exhibits, artifacts, videos and simulations pertaining to Medal of Honor recipients, as well as the Griffin Institute, the museum’s course-based leadership academy.
With the museum up and running, Cassidy, a former Navy SEAL and astronaut, announced in October that he will step down from his position later this year. The change in leadership represents a shift in the museum’s plans and goals, Cassidy said in an interview with The Shorthorn.
The first year of the museum is experimental, with a focus on testing different offerings and learning what works, he said. Under a new president, the museum will enter its operational phase, looking to deliver “exciting programs” while striking a balance in its offerings. The goal is to find the right niche to weave the museum into Arlington’s calendar of activities, Cassidy said.
“It is with bittersweet feelings that I’m moving on. I’ve come to really love the mission, love the people that are associated with it. I love all the colleagues in the Arlington community,” Cassidy said. “But I’m excited to hand the reins over to whoever is going to take this mission in the next phase.”
Courtesy of the National Medal of Honor Museum
An executive search firm is working to find Cassidy’s replacement, but there is no specific time frame for when a candidate will be chosen or when Cassidy will step down.
Following an initial surge from the grand opening, the museum’s attendance has been lower than anticipated. A dip after opening is a common thing museums experience, Cassidy said.
“We’re taking that information and trying to figure out, ‘Where should we change our marketing? How do we get the word out?’” he said.
There haven’t been any issues with those who visit the museum, only getting them there.
The Medal of Honor Experience plays Oct. 30 at the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington. The panoramic video displays the names of recipients of the Medal of Honor.
“Everybody has a moving, positive experience, and they go home and tell their friends. So it’s only a matter of time before visitorship picks up and awareness that we’re open spreads across the nation,” Cassidy said.
In fiscal year 2023, Texas recorded more than 1.5 million veteran residents — the largest veteran population in the country, according to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs data. That population and Arlington’s military roots are part of why having the museum in the city means so much to the community. The atmosphere inside reflects that.
The museum is quiet — structurally hollow but with an air heavy with emotion. On the bottom floor, the Ring of Valor, a golden loop outlining the roof, inscribes the names of Medal of Honor recipients. On the top floor, signage around spherical rooms details the lives of recipients. The stories told aren’t just about combat. Memorabilia from the daily lives and hobbies of recipients are displayed proudly in glass cases.
Attendees stand in front of a screen Oct. 30 at the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington. Screens displayed the atmosphere of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.
Attendees inside are mostly silent as they take it in. Some salute photos of soldiers plastered along the walls, wiping tears from their eyes.
“A kid can come in here and see something that they understand, or an older person, a younger person, it doesn’t matter. Everybody can find something that they resonate with,” museum staff member Ashley Conger said.
Grapevine, Texas, resident Teresa Korta, 66, whose father was in the military, was moved by the museum’s exhibits.
“He’s passed now,” Korta said, eyes welling up.
She said it’s important to remember the men and women honored in the museum and what they gave to the country.
“They’re all just everyday people that gave a lot,” said Grapevine resident Robert Korta, 66, who accompanied Teresa Korta.
Various artifacts sit on display Oct. 30 at the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington. The exhibits take guests on a journey of discovery through the “ordinary” lives and extraordinary actions of Medal of Honor recipients.
Robert Korta said one moment that stuck with him was learning about a single soldier who held off scores of enemies on a canal, which allowed the U.S. military a path to reach Japan.
Some museum visitors have no ties to the military at all. Craig Riley, a structural engineer from Indianapolis, 55, visited to see how the building was made, calling it an “architectural landmark.”
Riley said the stories told in the museum are about not just survival but the grief that comes with losing friends and comrades.
“It’s solemn, it’s very humbling,” he said. “It puts things in perspective, and it shows what people can do when they give themselves to a larger purpose than themselves.”
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