Gainesville's Medal of Honor Museum Nears Completion; Set to Open August 2024

The Medal of Honor Museum, located at North Central Texas College (NCTC) in Gainesville, Texas, is close to completion. The museum is a collaborative project funded by the Medal of Honor Host City Program, the City of Gainesville, and the State of Texas. The groundbreaking ceremony was in April 2022, with an expected opening in August 2024.

The museum will share the stories of Medal of Honor recipients. Each year, the program escorts recipients from DFW airport to Gainesville. The journey includes cheering crowds and a week of activities such as tree dedications, school visits, and a military parade.

Tim Hicks is the museum's official curator. He has a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology and a Master of Arts in Museum Science. Hicks has worked for the Museum of Texas Tech University and the George Ranch Historical Park. He looks forward to the events for the Medal of Honor recipients and their families.

Hicks sees the museum as a place to learn about the Medal of Honor and its recipients. He hopes the museum will allow recipients to share their stories through exhibits and programs.

The museum received an extra $5 million from the 88th Texas Legislative Session, making the total project cost $7.6 million. The original plans, estimated at $5 million in 2020, were revised due to inflation and construction costs. The architects created a new plan to keep the cost closer to the original estimate. The Medal of Honor Host City started fundraising to add missing elements back to the museum. Mayor Tommy Moore requested an additional $2.6 million from state legislators to complete the project as planned.

This article has been enhanced with AI assistance. Agree to access AI-generated content by clicking here, or opt for content with less AI influence here.