Monuments and Memorials in Washington D.C.
Washington's Historic Sites Commemorate American Heroes, Presidents
Jan 25, 2009
Washington's monuments include memorials to presidents like Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson, and moving memorials to the Vietnam War, World War II, and others.
Washington D.C. is a city that honors American history. Here are 12 not-to-be-missed sites that provide a Washington learning experience for kids and adults alike.
Presidential Memorials in Washington D.C.
- Lincoln Memorial. One of the iconic monuments in Washington, the Lincoln Memorial honors Abraham Lincoln with a statue of a seated Lincoln surrounded by 28 Grecian columns. The monument contains the engraved text of the the Gettysburg address and the Second Inaugural address, along with murals.
- Jefferson Memorial. The rotunda honoring the third president of the United States mirrors the architecture of his dwelling, Monticello. There is a 19-foot bronze statue of Jefferson. The memorial is located in a corner off the Tidal Basin, which is famously beautiful in spring when the Cherry Blossoms are in bloom.
- Washington Monument. Smack in the middle of the Mall, the Washington Monument offers a spectacular view of the Mall, the Smithsonian, and beyond. An elevator goes to the top; Get the free tickets at the kiosk near the monument, at 5th Street and Madison Drive.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. Located on West Potomac Park near the Lincoln Memorial, the F.D.R. memorial is organized into four different outdoor sections, each commemorating one of the president’ four terms in office.
- Theodore Roosevelt Island and Memorial. It is fitting that America’s 26th president, an iconic figure in the early conservation movement, is honored with his own private wilderness. Located just off the George Washington Memorial Parkway, the entire 91-acre island in the middle of the Potomac commemorates a president who established and protected national forests and parks. A 17-foot bronze statue of Roosevelt presides.
War, Tragedies, and Service Memorials in and Around Washington D.C.
- World War II Memorial. Located near the Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Memorial remembers those who served during World War II. It is open 24 hours a day.
- Korean War Veterans Memorial.The Korean War Veterans Memorial honors the Korean War with a Pool of Remembrance listing the names of those killed, captured, wounded, or classified as missing in action. Nineteen sculpted figures represent a panoply of ethnic backgrounds; the wall that supports them is engraved with the faces of 2,400 troops.
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Maya’s Lin’s iconic granite wall (just off Constitution Avenue, near the Lincoln Memorial) carves into the earth. The V-shaped granite wall contains the names of 58,209 American solider missing or killed during the Vietnam War. A life-size bronze sculpture of three young servicemen completes the monument. It is impossible to be unmoved as you walk into this monument.
- Women in Vietnam Memorial. One of Washington’s newer monuments, the Women in Vietnam Memorial includes a sculpture of three women a wounded soldier. It was added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1993 to honor the women of the Vietnam War.
- Pentagon Memorial. The two-acre Pentagon Memorial (located at I-395 and Boundary Channel Drive) remembers the 184 people who died in the terrorist attacks on the Pentagon, and on American Airlines Flight 77, on September 11, 2001.
- National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Federal, state and local law enforcers are honored by a marble wall inscribed with the names of more than 17,000 officers killed in the line of duty. A National Law Enforcement Museum is planned for beneath the monument; it is slated to open 2011.
- United States Navy Memorial. Located on Pennsylvania Ave. (NW) between 7th and 9th Streets, the Navy memorial honors those who have served on the high seas. The Memorial is open 24 hours a day; there is also a Naval Heritage Center.
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