Texas Historical Commission Announces New Military History Museum in Harlingen
Harlingen, TX - The Texas Historical Commission (THC), in partnership with the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, announced a state-of-the-art 13,000-square foot museum dedicated to telling the stories of Rio Grande Valley Texans who served in the military, ranging from World War II to modern conflicts.
The project was announced during a dedication ceremony on February 19, the 81st anniversary of the start of the Battle of Iwo Jima, at the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen.
The new $20 million dollar museum will serve as a gathering place for veterans, their families, and future generations to explore military history. It will stand adjacent to the iconic Iwo Jima Monument, sculpted by Dr. Felix W. de Weldon nearly 10 years after World War II and gifted to the Marine Military Academy in 1981. The monument served as the cast for the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial on display at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
“This museum will be a place where the stories of Rio Grande Valley veterans come to life," said Joseph Bell, THC Executive Director, "and where future generations can understand the values and sacrifices that define us as Americans. We are proud to partner with the Marine Military Academy to make this vision a reality."
Before the new museum is constructed, the THC will refurbish the current museum building into administration and education offices.
The building once served as a wing headquarters of the airfield when the property was the Harlingen Army Air Field.
Renovation is expected to begin in the spring of 2026 with completion estimated in 2027.
Construction of the new museum is expected to begin in early 2027 with completion expected in 2028.
The Marine Military Academy, founded in 1965, is a private military school for boys from Grades 7-12, offering college preparatory and Marine Corps Junior ROTC programs.
About the Texas Historical Commission
The Texas Historical Commission is the state's official historic preservation agency. It preserves, operates, and manages 42 state historic sites, the Texas Heritage Trails Program, Texas Main Street Program, Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program, and many more heritage tourism and historic preservation initiatives across the state. The Texas Historical Commission's mission is to protect and preserve the state’s historic and prehistoric resources for the use, education, enjoyment, and economic benefit of present and future generations. For more information, visit thc.texas.gov.
###
|
