Join your fellow friends of the Memorial on a visit to Lexington. On our final bus trip of 2024, we will tour VMI and W&L and enjoy that classic Virginia fall ambiance.
Through the stories of those who served, the nation’s leading state War Memorial honors Virginia’s fallen and preserves the past. In the process of helping veterans find their voice and collecting and telling their stories, the Memorial also educates and inspires for the future.
Take a moving, reflective walk through the heart of the Memorial: the Shrine of Memory.
Engage directly with history through veteran-led tours, educational programs for all ages, as well as artifacts, photographs, films, oral histories, and the arts.
Since 1956, the Virginia War Memorial has stood as a special place of remembrance and reflection.
Over the decades, the mission and vision of the Memorial have grown and expanded to include education and honoring all veterans. The buildings, grounds, and interior spaces have also grown and evolved with purpose. The Memorial continues to be a thriving center of patriotism and service in the Commonwealth and the nation.
We invite you to hear from friends, families, volunteers, and staff about why this important place only grows more relevant year after year.
The Virginia War Memorial’s new exhibit, D+80: Virginians in the Normandy Invasion, opened on Thursday, June 6, 2024 – marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy in World War II. The exhibit features never-before-seen interviews with Virginians who were in Normandy on D-Day.
No single action, or single day, remains more recognized or iconic in American Military History than the 6th of June 1944.
Virginians played a pivotal role in the invasion, with the 29th Infantry “Blue and Gray” Division leading the first wave assault on to Omaha Beach. Virginian units suffered some of the heaviest losses on D-Day, such as the historic 116th Infantry Regiment, which sustained 341 casualties.
The Virginia War Memorial is located on five rolling acres with a beautiful view of the James River and the skyline of downtown Richmond. It’s an ideal environment for groups to gather to commemorate and celebrate our State’s meaningful military service history. Also, and more often, the grounds provide a space for reflection.
The new Public Green Space Initiative will enhance the visitor experience. It will be environmentally sensitive and sustainable. Virginia’s veterans have served and sacrificed on behalf of people across the globe. This public green space will be a living testament to their valor.
We are recognized as the Nation’s leading state war memorial. We very much want to look the part. Our fallen veterans deserve no less.
Our newest exhibition in the Veterans Art Gallery is now open. The World of a Marine Combat Artist: The Artwork of Kris Battles features the artwork of Marine Corps Artist in Residence Kris Battles.
Kristopher Battles is a contemporary fine artist creating artworks in a variety of media which honor the highest traditions of representational art.
Originally serving as a Marine Reservist from 1986 until 1996, Battles became a Marine combat artist after reenlisting in 2006, and deployed to Overseas Contingency Operations several times to create art for the United States Marine Corps, serving in that billet until 2014. From 2014 until 2019, Battles served as a civilian combat artist for the Naval History and Heritage Command at the Navy Yard in Washington, DC.
Battles is currently the Marine Corps Artist in Residence, on staff at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, VA.
“My mission is to recruit, train, and deploy uniformed and civilian combat artists to create world-class art that will tell the Marine Corps story for generations to come.”
-Kristopher Battles, Marine Corps Artist in Residence
Join the War Memorial’s supportive community of Americans, both civilian and military, who stand by those who served and help them find their voice. Your gift will grow the educational programming, patriotic events, award-winning documentaries, and state-of-the-art facilities for which the Virginia War Memorial is known.
Get involved in a wide variety of patriotic ceremonies, educational programs, arts events, and fundraisers. Check back for updates or CLICK HERE to receive regular emails about War Memorial happenings.
Utilized by over one million ships since its opening in 1914, the Panama Canal is considered one of the man-made “Wonders of the World.” Constructed …
On our final trip of 2024, we will visit two of the oldest universities in Virginia: Washington & Lee University and the Virginia Military Institute. …
We're always coming up with new events. Check back soon.
The Virginia War Memorial overlooks the beautiful James River, boasting one of the best views of the Richmond skyline. Yet the Memorial offers so much more to see and do…