The best way to see the Washington DC monuments is to take a walking tour of the National Mall & Memorial Parks. The National Mall & Memorial Parks is run by the National Park Service and includes the Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the National Mall. The Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial is also in this area.
National Monuments Itinerary
1. Washington Monument
2. WWII Memorial
3. Vietnam Veterans Memorial: The Wall, the Three Soldiers and the Vietnam Women’s Memorial
4. Lincoln Memorial
5. Korean War Veterans Memorial
6. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial
7. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
8. Thomas Jefferson Memorial
Washington Monument
Washington Monument
Start out with a 9 a.m. ride to the top of the Washington Monument. Admission is free, but all visitors need a ticket – even young children. There is a $1.50 service fee for each ticket. You will need to reserve your tickets well in advance. I recommend 3-4 months in advance, especially during the busy seasons of spring and summer breaks. To reserve tickets, visit recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777. If like us, you are not able to get tickets for your scheduled trip, you can wait in line for same-day timed tickets. A limited number of tickets are handed out on a first come first serve basis each day at the Washington Monument Lodge which sits out in front fo the monument along 15th Street. They open at 8:30, however, the line starts to form at 7 a.m. or earlier, especially during the busy season. One person may pick up as many as six tickets. Summer hours run May 31 – September 6 and are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. The monument is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the rest of the year. The last tour begins 15 before close each day. The Monument is closed July 4 and December 25.
World War II Memorial
WWII Memorial
After leaving the Washington Monument head west toward the WWII Memorial. This fairly new memorial (dedicated in 2004) graces the eastern end of the Reflecting Pool. Sadly for us the Reflecting Pool was empty when we visited. It had been drained for repairs. According the National Park Service repairs are expected to be completed spring 2012. Visitors are welcome 24-hours a day, however, rangers are on duty from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily. There are no fees or reservations necessary for this memorial.
56 granite columns – one for each state (48 at the time of WWII), seven federal territories and the District of Columbia – form an ellipse on the east end of the Reflecting Pool. At the center is the Rainbow Pool with its celebratory fountains. The 4,000 gold stars on the Freedom Wall represent the 400,000 Americans who died fighting from 1941-1945.
This is really a beautiful memorial and a tribute to the great generation that fought and died in WWII. Be sure to allow at least 20 minutes here.
For Kids: Have your child(ren) find the column for your state and take a picture.
The Three Soldiers statue at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Head northwest and you’ll see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This memorial consists of three parts — the Wall, the Three Soldiers Statue and the Vietnam Women’s Memorial. Visitors are welcome 24-hours a day, however, rangers are on duty from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily. There are no fees or reservations necessary for this memorial.
The Wall honors the 58,000 servicemen and -women who died or disappeared during the Vietnam War. Two black slabs of granite appear to emerge from the earth growing toward one another to form a “V.” Designed in 1980 by Maya Lin, it was compared to a “scar in the earth” bringing to mind the rift that the war caused among Americans. The names are arranged in chronological order according to the year they died or became missing. Directories are located on nearby podiums to help visitors locate specific names. What I really noticed here was the reflections in the shiny black granite — the faces of visitors gazing at the names and leaving mementos to honor their loved ones; and the reflection of the American flag. Allow about 20 minutes here.
The Three Soldiers statue was added to create a more traditional component to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Purposefully designed by Frederick Hart to represent a white American, a black American and an Hispanic American. The soldiers are also depicted as being very young, as many were in the Vietnam War. The three soldiers gaze toward the Wall and the names of their fallen comrades.
The Vietnam Women’s Memorial: Designed by Glenna Goodacre, this memorial is dedicated to the women who served in the Vietnam War, most of whom were nurses. The statue depicts three uniformed women with a wounded soldier. The woman looking up is named Hope; the praying woman is Faith and the woman caring for the wounded soldier is Charity.
Just for Kids: Help your child find a name on the wall (if you know someone who is listed, find that person’s name) and help them do a rubbing of the name.
Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
You can see the Lincoln Memorial rise up to the west of the the Wall. Architect Henry Bacon designed this marble, Greek Temple-inspired memorial in 1914. Its 36 Doric columns represent the states of the Union at the time of Lincoln’s assassination in 1865. Look above each column to see the names of the states and the date each entered the Union. There are several things to see inside the memorial. First and foremost is the nearly 20-foot statue of Lincoln designed by Daniel Chester French. Be sure to observe the details of the statue — the face, the hands. You will also find two of Lincoln’s most famous speeches — the Gettysburg Address to south and his second inaugural address to the north. The Lincoln Memorial has been the site of many historic events, perhaps most significantly Martin Luther King Jr’s I Have a Dream Speech. You can stand on the exact spot he stood while delivering these timeless words. Be sure to stand on the steps and gaze east for an incredible view of the Reflecting Pool (once it is filled again), the Washington Monument and the Capitol. Walk around to the back of the memorial and you can look west across the Arlington Bridge toward Arlington National Cemetery.
Visitors are welcome 24-hours a day, however, rangers are on duty from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily. There are no fees or reservations necessary for this memorial. Allow at least 30 minutes here.
Just for Kids: Have your child(ren) stand on the spot where MLK gave his inspirational speech. Talk about how Lincoln and King shared the same ideals.
Korean War Veterans Memorial
Heading east from the Lincoln Memorial and south of the Reflecting Pool, you’ll arrive at the Korean War Veterans Memorial with its 19 larger than life ground soldiers making their way through a field. All dressed in identical rain capes, helmets and battle gear, the image is poignant. Completed in 1986, it reminds visitors of a war forgotten by many and honors the men and women who gave their lives for it.
Visitors are welcome 24-hours a day, however, rangers are on duty from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily. There are no fees or reservations necessary for this memorial. Allow 10-15 minutes.
The Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial will be dedicated on August 28, 2011.
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
Heading directly south of the Korean War Memorial, pick up the walk that follows the Tidal Basin. This area is particularly beautiful during the Cherry Blossom season. Moving clockwise (south) around the Tidal Basin, you will arrive at the site of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. Plans to dedicate this memorial have been made and are set to occur on Sunday, August 28, 2011. We walked past the site, but were unable to get a good look. You can watch a virtual tour by visiting mlkmemorial.org. The plans look truly amazing. The site lies on a straight line directly between the Lincoln Memorial and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. The Memorial Address is 1964 Independence Avenue, SW — the number is a nod to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a milestone in which Dr. King played an integral role in achieving.
At this time, I have found no information on hours and or tickets. I am guessing it will be like the other memorials, open 24 hours. I would allow at least 30 minutes here. It looks as if it will be truly incredible, especially during Cherry Blossom season.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
Continuing your clockwise walk around the Tidal Basin, you will come to the FDR Memorial which sits directly between the Potomac River and the Tidal Basin. This memorial honoring our 32nd president who took us through the Great Depression and much of WWII, is set up a bit different than the others. It is more intimate containing four outdoor “rooms” each representing one of his four terms in office. Each room represents the challenges of the time and features FDR’s most famous quotations. You’ll also see statues of soup lines, his wife Eleanor and FDR himself seated in his wheelchair. Designed by Lawrence Halprin in 1978, it was completed in 1997.
Visitors are welcome 24-hours a day, however, rangers are on duty from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily. There are no fees or reservations necessary for this memorial. Allow 20 minutes here.
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
Modeled after the Pantheon in Rome (one of my favorite buildings in the world), the circular colonnaded building is the crowing jewel of the Tidal Basin especially during the Cherry Blossom season when your entire walk will be through the Cherry trees. Architect John Russell Pope drew on Jefferson’s love of neoclassical design to commemorate our third president’s contributions as a politician, scientist, architect, musician, diplomat and inventor. Added in 1947, the 19-foot-tall bronze statue of Jefferson sculpted by Rudolph Evans gazes out toward the White House. An excerpt from the Declaration is to the right of the statue. Many other Jefferson quotations can be found within the memorial.
The memorial is open 24 hours a day, however, rangers are on duty to answer questions from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily. There are no fees or reservations required for the Jefferson Memorial. Allow 30 minutes here.
Just for Kids
Since the National Mall & Memorial Parks is part of the National Park Service, kids are invited to participate in the Junior Ranger Programs. Print out a copy of the National Mall Junior Ranger booklet for your child(ren) before your tour of Washington DC monuments.
More information on these monuments can be found at nps.gov/nacc/index. Simply scroll down and you’ll see a list of the monuments covered in this article. Simply click each one for more information. There you will find information on closings, construction, etc.
