Paintings are displayed at the National Museum of the Marine Corps’ new art exhibition, “United States Marine Corps: 250 Years of Dedication, Determination, and Courage,” in Triangle, Va., June 18, 2025. (Kaylyn Barnhart/Stars and Stripes)

TRIANGLE, Va. — The National Museum of the Marine Corps will reveal a new art exhibition featuring mostly never-before-seen works illustrating Marines over the past 250 years.

“United States Marine Corps: 250 Years of Dedication, Determination, and Courage,” is a collection of 91 original works of art that offers a lens into the experiences of Marines throughout time around the world as a tribute to the 250th Marine Corps anniversary on Nov. 10.

The exhibit officially opens to the public with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on Friday in Triangle, Va.

There are about 13,000 works of art in the museum’s collection, and NMMC’s art curator Joan Thomas said she chose pieces that could tell the story of Marines over the last 250 years. Thomas said that “probably 95% of the artwork on display in the exhibit has never been displayed in the museum before.”

“It’s really nice to be able to share the collections with people so they can see what stories we are able to tell with art,” Thomas said.

The exhibit arranges a mix of oil and acrylic paintings, prints, mixed media works and sculptures in chronological order beginning with the Revolutionary War to modern-day operations. Many combat artists, including Marine Col. (Ret.) Charles Waterhouse and the museum’s artist in residence Kristopher Battles have works featured in the art gallery.

“I hope that Marines who come to visit will feel that their service has been truly recognized, and that young men and women will be inspired to become the next generation of Marines,” said Keil Gentry, the museum’s director.

Marine Maj. (Ret.) Joseph Winslow Jr. is a combat artist who served in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, during Operation Phantom Fury in 2004. His piece, “Marine Corps fireteam clearing insurgent position and weapons cache, Fallujah, Iraq, Operation Phantom Fury/New Dawn, 2004,” made out of bronze, is his first to be displayed at the NMMC. It depicts Marines in a “combat action” during the Second Battle of Fallujah.

“It talks about two things,” Winslow said. “What’s going on through the hearts and the hands of the individual Marines, and the environment those Marines were operating in. I really just tried to show somebody who knows nothing about Fallujah at all.”

Battles said the art being displayed not only will inform visitors about Marine Corps history but is also “reaching out on an emotional and mental level to the veteran and to the families of veterans who served.”

“I hope that veterans, especially, will see the work and relate to it immediately as something they can remember, and know that the Marine Corps cares enough about them to tell their story in a way that is not just words or pictures, but is crafted pieces of artwork,” Battles said.