American Battle Monuments Commission opens its visitor center at Netherlands American Cemetery
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press release
American Battle Monuments Commission opens its visitor center at Netherlands American Cemetery
American Battle Monuments Commission opens its 10th visitor center at its Dutch site.
ARLINGTON, Va. (Dec. 11, 2023) - The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) dedicated its new visitor center today at Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten. It is ABMC’s 10th visitor center in the world. The Netherlands American Cemetery’s new visitor center opens to the public on Dec. 12, 2023, at 9 a.m. CET.
“This particular visitor center is not only beautiful or historic – it is a reminder to the Dutch and American people, and humanity, that mankind has never devised anything more powerful than a free people willing to fight for freedom”, declared Charles K. Djou, ABMC’s Secretary.
The visitor center conveys the important mission of ABMC and explores the role of remembrance today and in the future. It presents personal stories and offers a reflection on the historical significance of each campaign represented. The interpretation establishes the link between the scale and strategic movement of the U.S. and Allied forces, with the impact these had on the lives of individuals. It is a reminder of ABMC’s first chairman Gen. of the Armies John J. Pershing’s promise that “time will not dim the glory of their deeds.”
“The construction of this visitor center is the result of several years of collaboration with stakeholders and community members and is an important milestone for the ABMC,” said Karen Wurzburger, ABMC chief of Visitors and Interpretive Services. “The finished product represents our agency’s commitment to not only maintaining this site to the highest standard, but also to provide opportunities for visitors to deepen their understanding of this place and what it represents. We hope our visitors leave inspired to join us in preserving and sharing these important stories of service and sacrifice.”
Over the past year, teams have worked to finalize the details of the space, to include the installation of the massive concrete fascia, in a complex process that gives the facility its unique shape. Tomorrow, visitors will have the opportunity to discover the exhibits and a newly produced film, which give voice to the servicemembers who fought and perished in these vital campaigns, and highlights their hardships, challenges and triumphs.
Netherlands American Cemetery is the only American military cemetery located in the Netherlands, commemorating those who lost their lives in the Second World War. The servicemembers honored at the cemetery were involved in operations across the Dutch landscape and fought valiantly on German soil. There are almost 8,300 service men and women interred at the cemetery, with approximately 1,700 remembered on the Walls of the Missing.
For information on the event, or if there are further questions, please contact:
Hélène Chaulin (France)
Phone: + 33 (0) 1 40 75 27 55
Email: chaulinh@abmc.gov
Footage available here: Netherlands American Cemetery Visitor Center footage (credits: Courtesy of American Battle Monuments Commission).
For more information about ABMC, please visit our website abmc.gov or our social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC):
The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) operates and maintains 26 cemeteries and 31 federal memorials, monuments, and commemorative plaques in 17 countries throughout the world, including the United States. The four memorials in the United States are: the World War I Memorial in
Washington, D.C.; the Honolulu memorial located within the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii; the West Coast Memorial located within the Presidio National Park in San Francisco, Calif; and the East Coast Memorial located within Battery City Park in New York, N.Y. Since March 4, 1923, ABMC’s sacred mission remains to honor the service, achievements, and sacrifice of more than 200,000 U.S. service members buried and memorialized at our sites. For more information about ABMC, visit abmc.gov.
About Netherlands American Cemetery:
Netherlands American Cemetery | American Battle Monuments Commission (abmc.gov)
Netherlands American Cemetery virtual 360 tour:
Netherlands American Cemetery (abmc.gov)