Arlington’s National Medal of Honor Museum has been named to the exclusive World’s Most Beautiful Museums List 2026 by the Prix Versailles, an international architecture and design award program.
The museum is one of only seven institutions worldwide to earn the honor and the sole selection in the Western Hemisphere. The recognition, announced this week as part of the Prix Versailles’ 12th edition, highlights excellence in architectural design and cultural impact.
The museum opened to the public on March 25, 2025, exactly on Medal of Honor Day and the anniversary of the first Medals of Honor awarded in 1863. Designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects, the 102,000-square-foot landmark features a steel-clad exhibition hall suspended 40 feet above a landscaped “Field of Honor” courtyard.
Five massive concrete megacolumns, each representing a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, support the structure, while a central oculus floods the interior with natural light to symbolize the U.S. Space Force. Sculptural spiral staircases and glass elevators guide visitors through immersive galleries that tell the stories of Medal of Honor recipients.
Prix Versailles praised the design for its powerful fusion of architecture and storytelling, noting how the building itself reflects the strength, sacrifice and values embodied by the honorees.
The museum sits in Arlington’s entertainment district at 1861 AT&T Way, near AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field. It has quickly become a major draw for visitors from across Texas and beyond, offering general admission, guided tours and special experiences that connect the public with the nation’s highest military honor. More than 3,500 Medals of Honor have been awarded since the Civil War; only 64 recipients are still living.
This latest accolade follows other recent honors, including recognition as a top new museum in national reader polls.
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The museum is one of only seven institutions worldwide to earn the honor and the sole selection in the Western Hemisphere.
The museum is one of only seven institutions worldwide to earn the honor and the sole selection in the Western Hemisphere.
