The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation hosted a ceremony at the National Museum of the Marine Corps’ Semper Fidelis Memorial Park, announcing the park's expansion, Sept. 21, 2022. The park currently includes just over a mile of trails and over 30,000 commemorative bricks which line the paths of the park.

Semper Fidelis Memorial Park was built along with the National Marine Corps Museum Nov. 10, 2006, with the purpose to preserve the Marine Corps legacy and honor the accomplishments of the Marine Corps and individual Marines. The expansion will include an extra mile of path, two bridges, and a pavilion.

“It's a place where people can walk, and remember, and reflect amongst monuments to battles, Marines, and other things that have gone before,” said retired U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. James Lukeman, President and CEO, Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. “It's a memorial park adjacent to the museum and what we kicked off today was an expansion of that,” he continued.

The NMMC, funded by the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, plans to start their construction in the upcoming weeks.

“Today was the first shovels full of dirt we dug,” said Lukeman, “They’ll start here now and finish a little over a year from now.”

The new section to be added to the park is a continuation of Marine Corps history from the 1983 Beirut bombing onwards.

“It's an opportunity to preserve history in a beautiful outdoor setting,” said Annie Pardo, director, National Museum of the Marine Corps. “It’s an opportunity to mark specific actions, units, and individuals, and to honor their accomplishments and sacrifices.”

The park, however, has more to offer than its monuments and trails.

“The museum does summer camps and educational programs for K-12 as well as for adults and Marines,” said Pardo, “it’s an opportunity to take our K-12 students to the park to do science and educational programs,” she continued.

The walkway through the park not only signifies the history of the Marine Corps, but it also honors individual Marines who paid the ultimate sacrifice by dedicating their names on bricks which line the sides of the pathway.

“It’s all about preserving legacy, the legacy of the United States Marine Corps,” said U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Collin Berry, MCBQ sergeant major, “we’re setting up the next generation for success by highlighting everything that the United States Marine Corps has stood for,” he continued.

Semper Fidelis Memorial Park overlooks the National Museum of the Marine Corps, providing visitors quiet and peaceful areas for remembrance and reflection in honor of Marines of the past.