Public transit access Foggy Bottom – GWU | ||
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Website www.vvmf.org/education-center | ||
The Education Center at The Wall is a collaborative effort between the National Park Service and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF). The Center has been approved by Congress, and construction is planned for the National Mall site adjacent to the Vietnam Memorial and on the corner of Constitution Avenue and 23rd Street. The two-story underground learning facility will be built in keeping with the design, tone, and mood of The Wall and so as not to detract from the historic vistas of the National Mall.
The purpose of the Education Center is to inform future generations of the honor and sacrifices made by those who served their country. The core of the center will revolve around seven traits that embody the American service member throughout the generations: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Service, Honor, Integrity, and Courage. A prominent feature of the Education Center will be the larger-than-life pictures of service members whose names adorn the polished black panels of The Wall. The pictures will be displayed on the service members birthdays and will add faces to the more than 58,000 names on The Wall and tell the stories of those who served. The Education Center will also feature displays of the more than 400,000 personal articles, letters, and gifts that have been left at the foot of the memorial since its dedication in 1982.
Like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Education Center at The Wall will be completely funded through private donations. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund has embarked on a multi-year campaign to secure the nearly $115 million needed. The campaign leadership includes Gen. Colin Powell USA (Ret.) and Gen. Barry A. McCaffrey USA (Ret.). Actor Tom Selleck serves as the National Spokesman. Groundbreaking on the Education Center at The Wall is expected in 2018.