New Exhibit at Arlington National Cemetery Features Artifact from the USS Maine

11/12/2025

ARLINGTON, Va.—Arlington National Military Cemeteries (ANMC) is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibit in the Memorial Amphitheater Display Room, featuring a rare artifact from the USS Maine. The U.S. Navy ship tragically exploded in Cuba’s Havana Harbor on Feb. 15, 1898—killing more than 260 sailors and Marines and leading to the Spanish-American War.

Army National Military Cemeteries and Office of Army Cemeteries Executive Director Karen Durham-Aguilera emphasized the importance of the exhibit in preserving history and honoring those who served. “This exhibit reflects Arlington’s commitment to educating visitors about the sacrifices made by our service members and the pivotal moments in our nation’s 250-year history,” said Durham-Aguilera.

The centerpiece of the exhibit is a wooden fragment of the Maine’s spar mast that survived the explosion and was recovered after the ship sank. The Pascack Historical Society in New Jersey generously donated the spar fragment to ANC in 2023. Following two years of conservation and research, the current exhibit interprets this unique USS Maine relic in the context of the Spanish-American War. The artifact “serves as a tangible link to a catastrophe that led to our first major foreign excursion since the Mexican War,” Army National Military Cemeteries Superintendent John Knapp explained. 

The exhibit also features a stereoview photograph depicting the Maine’s destruction, along with a stereoscope—a late 19th-century device that offered three-dimensional views of such photographs. These artifacts provide visitors with a vivid and immersive perspective on the event that shaped American history.

The USS Maine Memorial, which features the ship’s mast, stands just outside Memorial Amphitheater, rising above the gravesites of approximately 230 crew members. Located near the Maine Memorial and gravesites, the exhibit allows visitors to better understand the historic significance and human costs of the Maine’s destruction.

The Maine was “one of the most famous ships in American military history,” said Arlington National Military Cemeteries Command Curator Roderick Gainer, “and its destruction was a critical event in our nation's history.”

Visitors may view the exhibit anytime during Arlington National Cemetery’s regular public hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily). The Display Room is located at the top of Memorial Amphitheater’s steps, directly behind the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier plaza.

Learn More: Explore our education materials about the Spanish-American War: lesson plans, readings, walking tours and more.