District of Columbia: Monuments, Museums and Nature

The National Mall stretches from the foot of the United States Capitol to the Potomac River. National Mall and Memorial Parks protects more than 1,000 acres of green space in Washington, D.C., and is open 24 hours a day. Temporary closures or special restrictions may apply to outdoor areas; check for these before your visit.

Memorials with Different Perspectives

At the Lincoln Memorial, the statue of Abraham Lincoln, created by Daniel Chester French, is the central feature. It is made of 28 pieces of Georgia marble—a precise detail that draws attention to the memorial’s design as well as its historical significance. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the fight for freedom, equality and justice.

Other memorials make use of names, columns or their surroundings. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial lists chronologically the names of 58,318 Americans who lost their lives serving their country during the Vietnam War. The 56 columns of the World War II Memorial represent the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories at the time of World War II. The Korean War Veterans Memorial honors 21 other countries that fought alongside the United States in the Korean War. The Washington Monument commemorates George Washington in the center of the nation’s capital.

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial offers a special combination of memorial and landscape: it sits on the Tidal Basin among Japanese cherry trees. Cherry blossoms are seasonal, so they may be a factor when choosing when to travel. The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is located in West Potomac Park.

Museums, Library and Events

The Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum complex and includes 21 museums as well as the National Zoo. Eleven Smithsonian museums are located along the National Mall. Numbers and locations may change due to new openings or renovations, so check current information about the facilities before your visit.

Free timed-entry tickets are required to enter the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress. Visitors can also take short, five-minute tours around the center of the Main Reading Room. The Live! at the Library series offers a different kind of program: it takes place regularly on Thursday evenings and features special talks, music, performances, films and workshops. Plan these activities according to your interests and check the latest visitor information in advance.

Green Spaces and a Look at Everyday Park Life

Rock Creek Park manages nearly 3,000 acres of land in northwest Washington, DC, and parts of the northeast. Within its main boundaries, there are more than 30 miles of hiking trails. Alongside its memorials and museums, the District of Columbia therefore offers expansive green spaces and trails as activities in their own right.

Meridian Hill Park has different seasonal opening hours: from May to October, it is open daily from 5 a.m. to midnight; from November to April, it is open daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. As opening hours may change, check them before your visit. At Peirce Mill, visitors can tour the interior, watch demonstrations and meet park staff and volunteers.

The National Zoo also offers a glimpse of work behind the scenes: at daily animal demonstrations, visitors can watch animal experts work with the zoo’s animals. Programs and schedules may change, so check the current offerings.

Getting Around During Your Stay

Metro Bus travels on city streets, offering views of DC’s major sights along the way. For a broader regional perspective: Metro serves the National Capital Region with more than 98 rail stations, 11 bus transit centers and hundreds of bus routes. These figures refer to the entire region.

Discover more destinations: District of Columbia, South Carolina, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Colorado, Georgia, New Jersey, West Virginia.

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