Lincoln Memorial

West end of the National Mall

Southwest Washington, D.C.

Metro Stop: Foggy Bottom (23rd and I Streets) or Smithsonian

The Lincoln Memorial is a tribute to our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, and the nation he fought to preserve during the Civil War.  President Lincoln was assassinated while attending a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C.

The exterior is lined with 36 Doric columns representing the 36 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death, and the names of those states are etched on the frieze above the colonnade.  Above the frieze are listed the names of the 48 states comprising the Union when the memorial was dedicated in 1922.  The addition of Alaska and Hawaii to the Union in 1959 is represented with a plaque on the front steps.

Inside, the 19-foot statue of President Lincoln depicts Lincoln as the War President, sitting in a chair with a flag of the Union draped over the back.  One hand is clenched in a fist and the other open, symbolizing both his determination to preserve the Union and his gentleness and compassion as a human being.

President Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address and famous Gettysburg Address are inscribed on the north and south walls along with two murals which represent principles of conduct and thought evident in the life of Abraham Lincoln.  There is a small exhibition center in the lower lobby beneath the memorial with exhibits about the construction of the memorial and Lincoln's life.

The memorial is open daily, except December 25, with a Park Ranger on site from 8:00 a.m. to midnight.  There are no fees to visit the memorial.

Lincoln Memorial Links

• Lincoln Memorial NPS Website
• Lincoln Bicentennial Commission 

Places of Interest Nearby

• Korean War Veterans Memorial
• Vietnam Veterans Memorial
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
• Jefferson Memorial
• Constitution Gardens
• World War II Memorial
• Washington Monument
• National Mall

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