Meeting
The Need
Paul and Phyllis Galanti upon Paul's 1973 return to the USA after 6 1/2 years of captivity in North Vietnam
Glave & Holmes Architects has created schematic designs to add 17,300 square feet to the existing 9,000 (which includes the Shrine) that will provide the needed space to accommodate multiple groups for educational and patriotic programs as well as the casual tourist who is exploring one of Virginia’s treasures. In October 2007, the Memorial Trustees and Directors announced the Center would be named for two American heroes, Paul and Phyllis Galanti. Each has served the United States beyond the call of duty during and since the Vietnam War.
The Paul and Phyllis Galanti Education Center will include space and facilities to provide:
- A multi-purpose room and a training room to accommodate increasing school field trips, veteran groups, active military and general visitors and tourists.
- A dedicated theater to display the Memorial’s award-winning educational film series, Virginians at War, which cannot be shown today if the existing auditorium is in use.
- Space for proper storage and access to the Memorial Research Library, which consists of books, posters, magazines, newspapers and films, currently unavailable for educational research and the general public.
- Exhibit space to highlight the wars in which our veterans have served and sacrificed.
- Space for the Memorial’s Salute to the Virginia Veterans computer educational programs.
- Permanent staff, volunteer, and artifact/exhibit storage space currently housed in three overcrowded temporary trailers.
- Sufficient improved outdoor amphitheatre facilities for patriotic and veterans’ events at the Memorial, currently supported by numerous off-site resources.