With its location next to Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia has several sites that bring national interest to private events. Aircraft and the Marines are subjects of the newest additions.
Anchored by a 210-foot tilted mast and glass atrium that evokes the iconic image of the American flag-raising over Iwo Jima in World War II, the National Museum of the Marine Corps opened in November and offers unique spaces for seated dinners and receptions for up to 1,000 people.
The museum is located at the Marines’ home base of Quantico, about 36 miles south of the nation’s capital.
Various galleries take visitors through the 225-year history of the Marines, including pivotal battles and other vital contributions to the preservation of America’s freedom. Multimedia effects re-create historical moments such as the landing on Iwo Jima and the 1968 Khe Sanh siege during the Vietnam War. A boot camp experience and a rifle skills test are among the interactive possibilities.
Legend has it that the first Marines were recruited at Philadelphia’s original Tun Tavern on Nov. 10, 1775. Museum designers included a cozy replica of the original that can be reserved after opening hours for up to 36 people for a sit-down dinner or banquet. The museum Mess Hall is a cafeteria-style restaurant that reflects Marine life. Catered breakfasts, receptions and lunches are among the possibilities for that space. Beneath the museum’s see-through atrium, seated dinners for hundreds are all drama and inspiration amid the Marine heritage of the past two centuries.
The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, located next to Washington Dulles International Airport, is the companion facility to the National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Together, the two sites showcase the largest collection of aviation and space artifacts in the world.
Historic aircraft of varying sizes are on display at three levels at the expansive Virginia site. Elevated skywalks provide visitors with overviews. The museum’s centerpieces include the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest jet in the world; the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay that made history in World War II; and the space shuttle Enterprise. Aerobatic aircraft hang at playful heights to entice visual attention.
Linda Hicks, director of special events for the center, says the entire museum can accommodate up to 6,000 guests or any number in between, and smaller spaces offer unique options.
“The director’s conference room is popular for lunches and meetings for up to 25—or 60 if you include the atrium that’s next to it,” Hicks says.
One of the most exciting options, according to Hicks, is a late-afternoon cocktail hour inside the museum tower, where guests can view Dulles airport operations and see the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance.
“After the cocktail hour up there, groups can enjoy a seated dinner beneath the nose of the space shuttle or a buffet reception around the SR-71,” she says. “There are lots of memorable possibilities, especially when we use our event lighting.”
The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy center also features an IMAX Theater with seating for 480 people and a stage that rises.
Flight simulators offer even more engaging possibilities for groups heading to the center.
For More Info
National Museum of the Marine Coprs 703.649.2352
www.marineheritage.org
Steven F.Udvar-Hazy Center 202.633.2345
www.nasm.si.edu
