The National Museum of the Marine Corps is planning to expand, with construction beginning in the fall.
The Quantico museum, which opened in November 2006, has quickly become one of Virginia’s top museums, reaching more than 1 million visitors this year.
Director Lin Ezell said the additions were a part of the $90 million museum’s original design.
“We had the physical space for the galleries, but neither the time nor wit to complete them,” Ezell said.
The three new galleries will focus on the Marine Corps from 1775 until 1939, expanding the 188,000-square-foot attraction to more than 200,000 square feet. The exhibits will illustrate the creation of the Marine Corps, the American Civil War, the War of 1812, the “Age of Expansion,” and World War I.
The additions, announced Tuesday, will take the place of temporary exhibits on the “Global War on Terrorism” and the Combat Art Gallery. Images from the dismantled “Global War on Terrorism” exhibit will be placed in the Leatherneck Gallery, the museum’s central gallery, to greet visitors as they enter.
“The Global War on Terrorism exhibit will always have a presence in the museum,” said spokeswoman Gwenn Adams. “We believe in the importance of honoring the men and women currently serving in the global war on terrorism.”
Visitors to the museum, 40 percent of whom are from Virginia and the surrounding areas, will not be overly affected by the construction, Ezell said. A construction barrier decorated with images illustrating fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq will be erected, and visitors will have access to the other exhibits.
The museum currently features three permanent galleries covering World War II through Vietnam and the Legacy Walk, a detailed timeline of more than 200 years of Marine Corps history. Also featured are temporary exhibits from other museums.
While construction is slated to begin in October, Ezell said the first dust most likely will not be seen until after the holidays.
