The new Carolina Museum of the Marine in Jacksonville, N.C., will open on June 8, 2026. The 25,000-square-foot museum offers a personal look into the service and sacrifice of 43 Marines and sailors. Visitors meet the Marines who made a difference in American military history through their service in North Carolina and South Carolina. The stories showcased here span World War II through Vietnam and the Global War on Terrorism up to contemporary times.
Notably, several firsts originated at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. a few minutes away from the museum. From 1943 to 1945, the first women Marines served as part of the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve at Lejeune. They filled clerical, technical and administrative posts, freeing men for deployment. Personal stories and artifacts speak to the spirit and steadfastness of these women. From 1942-1949, the first Black Marines trained separate from their white counterparts and were known as the Montford Point Marines. Museum visitors will learn about Sgt. Major Edgar Huff, the first Black Marine drill sergeant - and a demanding leader. Outside the museum at Lejeune Memorial Gardens, visitors can view the national Montford Point Marine Memorial. The Montford Point Marine Association is still working to name those who served and award them (or their families, posthumously) the Congressional Gold Medal.
As guests enter the museum, stained glass windows filter beams of sunlight into the expansive Great Hall. The pattern and design of the glass mimics service ribbons seen on Marine Corps dress uniforms. The ribbons worn on a uniform indicate where the Marine wearing them has served.
Leaving the Great Hall, visitors enter the Pacific Theater of World War II. As guests clamber inside an LVT-4, they will feel as if they were storming Iwo Jima. This amphibious tractor transported Marines from ship to shore during World War II amphibious landings.
Visitors will also spot an iconic Vietnam-era Huey helicopter swooping down to meet them. This particular helicopter, nicknamed “Mona Lisa,” was an early bird off the assembly line. It’s the first one issued to the Marine Corps in the 1960s at Camp Lejeune.
The Tribute Flame invites quiet reflection. Visible through the Great Hall, the flame burns for all who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Admission at the Carolina Museum of the Marine starts at $8 for ages 4-15; $14 for ages 16-54; and lower rates for seniors, veterans and active-duty personnel. Self-guided exploration of the museum takes around two hours.
The MAGTF Cafe is operated by the veteran-owned Milk Road Coffee Shop in Jacksonville. (MAGTF stands for Marine Air Ground Forces Task Force.) The MAGTF Gift Shop features stickers, branded gear, T-shirts, puzzles and more.
Before or after visiting the museum, go to Lejeune Memorial Gardens. The azalea-lined paths encircle multiple memorials.
A visit to the Gardens can take 30 minutes to two hours. Guests use phones to scan the QR codes at each memorial for an audio tour. The Gardens are open 24/7. Stand in awe at the nation’s second-largest Vietnam Veterans Memorial with the names of all who gave the ultimate sacrifice in alphabetical order.
The Beirut Memorial carries the name of 273 Marines from Camp Lejeune who were killed in the Beirut bombing in Lebanon and operations in Grenada on Oct. 23, 1983. The names of each person are engraved in granite along with the words “They Came In Peace.”
For more information, visit https://www.museumofthemarine.org.
