First time in DC? If you’re looking to hit the major sites, check out our list of the most popular attractions in the Washington, DC region.
- National Museum of Natural History
- National Air & Space Museum
- National Museum of American History
- National Zoological Park
- Washington Monument
- Lincoln Memorial
- The U.S. Capitol Building
- World War II Memorial
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- Arlington National Cemetery
- National Archives
Not a monument or memorial, but perhaps one of the most famous Washington, DC landmarks of all: The White House.
Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, there’s plenty to explore in and around America’s most famous house. For tours, please note you must make advance requests through your member of Congress.
Click here for more information.
Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, there’s plenty to explore in and around America’s most famous house. For tours, please note you must make advance requests through your member of Congress.
Click here for more information.
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Washington, DC’s unforgettable skyline is marked by some of the world’s most celebrated monuments and memorials. The fantastic temples, structures and statues that grace the green expanses of the National Mall and beyond tell fascinating stories through their history and design. Read on for more information about DC’s iconic landmarks.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Often referred to as the “Wall,” the Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors the American soldiers who were killed during the war, were prisoners of war, and who remain missing in action. More than 58,000 names are etched into the V-shaped black granite wall. Visitors are encouraged to make rubbings of names, using graphite pencils and commemorative paper supplied by park rangers. The names are listed in chronological order from 1959 to 1975, and are listed alphabetically on each day of action. Beside each name, a symbol denotes the status of the soldier: diamonds mark those who were killed in action, crosses denote those who are missing or classified as prisoners of war. Look for the Three Servicemen statue nearby.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU For more information: http://www.nps.gov/vive/index.htm Vietnam Women’s Memorial In 1984, two years after the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial was founded so that a tribute to the 265,000 servicewomen and field hospital nurses could complement the new memorial. Dedicated in 1993, the statue parallels the Three Servicemen statue at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Women’s Memorial depicts three field-hospital nurses caring for wounded soldiers. Eight yellowwood trees surround the statue in tribute to the eight women who were killed in action during the war.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU For more information: http://www.vietnamwomensmemorial.org National World War II Memorial One of Washington, DC’s newest memorials, the National World War II Memorial pays tribute to the 16 million Americans who served in uniform, the more than 400,000 who lost their lives, and the millions more who sacrificed on the home front. Dedicated in 2004, it features two 43-foot arches, a 17-foot pillar for each state and territory from that era, and a field of more than 4,000 gold stars, one in honor of each 100 American killed or missing in the war.
Metro: Smithsonian For more information: http://www.nps.gov/nwwm/index.htm Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial The FDR Memorial consists of four “rooms” arranged chronologically to represent the 32nd president’s unprecedented four terms in office. Spanning 7 1/2 acres, the memorial defies FDR’s request for a modest tribute; he asked that the memorial not be any larger than his desk. Acknowledging FDR’s own physical difficulties, his memorial was the first Washington, DC memorial to be totally wheelchair accessible. Dedicated in 1997, the memorial, however, did not originally feature any renderings of the president in his wheelchair. FDR did not wish to be portrayed in his wheelchair, and designers honored this request. In 2001, in response to petitions from people with and without disabilities, a statue of FDR in his wheelchair was placed at the entrance of the memorial. The memorial also includes a statue of Eleanor Roosevelt—the only monumental tribute to a first lady—standing in front of the United Nations emblem, recognizing her role in the creation of that organization, as well as a small statue of the beloved First Dog, Fala.
Metro: Smithsonian For more information: http://www.nps.gov/frde/index.htm Korean War Veterans Memorial Dedicated in 1995 on the 42nd anniversary of the armistice that ended the war, the Korean War Veterans Memorial features a polished wall engraved with the faces of 25,000 soldiers, nurses, chaplains, and even a dog, honoring those who served. The 164-foot mural is also engraved with the words “Freedom is Not Free." A bronze sculpture group of platoon soldiers inching through a field forms the focal point of the memorial. Sculptor Frank Gaylord created the 19 statues of the soldiers, whose moving, weary expressions reflect the harsh circumstances of the war. The polished granite wall reflects the images of the soldiers and doubles the platoon’s size to 38— a metaphor for the 38th parallel, the border between North and South Korea.
Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU For more information: http://www.nps.gov/kowa/index.htm |
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