Monuments & Memorials
No trip to the District of Columbia would be complete without visits to at least a few of its many monuments and memorials. Addresses, public transportation information and links to official web sites are provided below.
African American Civil War Memorial and Museum
1000 & 1200 U Street NW
The African American Civil War Museum uses photographs and documents to help visitors understand African Americans' struggle for freedom for all. The Museum is located two blocks west of the Memorial.
Metro: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo (Green).
Hours: Memorial is open 24 hours; museum is open M-Fri, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sa 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Admission: Free.
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Virginia 22211
Arlington National Cemetery function is the nation's premier military cemetery and shrine, honoring those men and women who served in the Armed Forces. It is the home of the Tomb of the Unknowns.
Metro: Arlington Cemetery (Blue).
Hours: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily (April - September).
Admission: Free.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
1850 West Basin Dr. SW
The FDR Memorial traces twelve years of history through a sequence of four outdoor rooms devoted to FDR's terms of office.
Metro: Smithsonian (Blue, Orange).
Hours: Open 24 hours, however, rangers are on duty only from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily.
Admission: Free.
Jefferson Memorial
15th St. NW at the Tidal Basin
At the Jefferson Memorial, quotations from the Declaration of Independence and Jefferson's other writings surround a 19-foot bronze statue of the United States' third president.
Metro: Smithsonian (Blue, Orange).
Hours: Open 24 hours, however, rangers are on duty only from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily.
Admission: Free.
Korean War Veterans' Memorial
Daniel French Drive and Independence Avenue SW
The Korean War Veterans' Memorial, which opened in July 1999, includes 19 statues of soldiers sculpted by Frank Gaylord of Barre, Vermont.
Metro: Foggy Bottom (Blue, Orange).
Hours: Open 24 hours, however, rangers are on duty only from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily.
Admission: Free.
Lincoln Memorial
23rd Street between Constitution and Independence Avenues NW
The Lincoln Memorial consists of a nearly-20-foot high marble statue of Abraham Lincoln, housed in a massive Greek Doric style building. It was dedicated in 1922.
Metro: Farragut North (Red), Metro Center (Blue, Orange, Red), Smithsonian (Blue, Orange).
Hours: Open 24 hours, however, rangers are on duty only from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily.
Admission: Free.
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
Judiciary Square at E S. NW, between 4th and 5th Streets
This memorial honors all federal, state and local law enforcers. It was dedicated by President George H.W. Bush in 1991.
Metro: Judiciary Square (Red)
Hours: Visitors center (400 7th St. NW) is open M-Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sa 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Su Noon to 5 p.m.
Admission: Free.
Pentagon 9/11 Memorial
Arlington, Virginia
The Pentagon 9/11 Memorial is intended to help the public remember and reflect on the events that occurred on September 11, 2001.
Metro: Pentagon (Blue, Orange) - not Pentagon City.
Hours: Open 24 hours, but support staff are on duty only 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Admission: Free.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW
The Museum’s mission is to advance and disseminate knowledge about the Holocaust, and to encourage visitors to reflect upon the questions raised by the events of the Holocaust. It consists of a Permanent Exhibition and and changing, time-limited special exhibitions.
Metro: Smithsonian (Blue, Orange).
Hours: Open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.
Admission: Free, but admission to the Permanent Exhibition requires a timed pass. Request passes well ahead of time!
United States Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial)
Marshall Drive, between Route 50 and Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.
This famous memorial depicts three Marines raising the U.S. flag over Iwo Jima after a three-day battle in February of 1945.
Metro: Rosslyn (Blue, Orange).
Hours: Open 24 hours, however, rangers are on duty only from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily.
Admission: Free.
Vietnam Veterans' Memorial
Constitution Avenue and Henry Bacon Drive NW
The Vietnam Veterans' Memorial honors men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who died or disappeared in the Vietnam War. It consists of three parts: the Three Soldiers statue, the Vietnam Women's Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.
Metro: Foggy Bottom (Blue, Orange).
Hours: Open 24 hours, however, rangers are on duty only from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily.
Admission: Free.
Washington Monument
Constitution Ave. NW and 15th St. NW
The Washington Monument is Washington, D.C.'s tallest structure and the world's largest obelisk, standing 555 feet 5 and 1/8 inches high. As such, it offers great views of the city. Its construction was completed in 1884.
Metro: Smithsonian (Blue, Orange) or L'Enfant Plaza (Blue, Green, Orange, Yellow)
Hours: Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last tour begins before 4:45 p.m.
Admission: Free ticket is required. Tickets can be obtained on the day of the tour at the Washington Monument Lodge on 15th St. NW; lines form as early as 7:00 a.m., and tickets do run out. It is also possible to obtain advance tickets over the web, however, there is a $1.50 service charge for these advance tickets.
World War II Memorial
17th St. NW, between Constitution and Independence Avenues
The World War II Memorial consists of 56 pillars and a pair of arches surrounding a plaza and fountain. It opened to the public in 2004.
Metro: Smithsonian (Blue, Orange).
Hours: Open 24 hours, however, rangers are on duty only from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily.
Admission: Free.