The Pentagon Memorial Fund has been working closely in partnership with Arlington National Cemetery to determine the future site of the Pentagon Memorial Visitor Education Center. The site is part of the Cemetery's plan to develop a 70-acre area called the southern expansion, which includes the Air Force Memorial, part of Columbia Pike and some undeveloped adjacent areas. The Army Corps of Engineers is actively developing plans for an additional 40,000 to 60,000 grave sites as part of the expansion, as well as improving road and traffic capacity through the area.
"This is a big step for the construction of the Pentagon Memorial Visitor Education Center," said Jim Laychak, president of the Pentagon Memorial Fund. "Partnering with Arlington National Cemetery in determining the site for the VEC obviously solidifies the structural plans for the facility but also knowing we have the Cemetery's support for the project is a tremendous boost for everyone involved."
The Pentagon Memorial receives over 1 million visitors annually and has become an anchor tourist attraction in Arlington County. Currently, the Pentagon Memorial is the only 9/11 memorial that does not feature a visitor education center.
"We cannot thank our partners enough. Their positive engagement in support of the planning efforts will not only expand Arlington National Cemetery but will also provide new access roads for Arlington County, the state of Virginia, and enable the Pentagon Memorial Fund to further their mission of educating visitors through their Visitor Education Center," said Kate Kelley, superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery.
Content for the exhibits and education curricula will be provided through working collaborations and relationships with the George W. Bush Library, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Geographic, the Transportation Security Administration, the Smithsonian Museum of American History, Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, Tribute World Trade Center (WTC) Visitor Center, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, and the Flight 93 Memorial/National Park Service.
About the Pentagon Memorial Fund
The Pentagon Memorial Fund is a non-profit organization established by the families of the 184 victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in Washington, DC. The Memorial Fund's mission is to provide for the construction and permanent maintenance of the Pentagon Memorial and 9/11 Pentagon Visitor Education Center. The Pentagon Memorial is a place for reflection, remembrance and renewal.
For more information about the Pentagon Memorial, please visit www.pentagonmemorial.org.
