Washington D.C. The National Mall
This is the 500+ foot obelisk that stands at the center of the national mall. The monument was built to honor the most important founding father, George Washington himself. It’s free to ride the elevator up to the top and get a bird’s eye view of D.C.
The Lincoln Memorial is built on the other side of the Reflection Pool. The building was created to honor our great President Lincoln, who ended the Civil War and put an end to slavery. In the middle of the entrance sits a massive statue of President Lincoln.
Located to the south of the Washington Monument, across the Tidal Basin is the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Thomas Jefferson was the main author for the Declaration of Independence. He was also one of the Founding Fathers for our great country. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the one to issue the construction in honor of the innovative man.
Situated in between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial is the World War II Memorial. Dedicated to more the more than 400,000 soldiers that died and the 16 million who served during the dark times of World War II. Pay your respects to the brave men who served to end global disaster.
Washington D.C. contains many war memorials. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a wall engraved with the names of the fallen soldiers in Vietnam, much like World War II.
Be not ashamed to say you loved them, though you may or may not have always. Take what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own.
And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind.” – Major Michael Davis O’Donnell
If you walk south from the middle of the Reflection Pool you’ll encounter the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, built recently in 2011. While soldiers were fighting in Vietnam, Martin Luther King Jr. was fighting for civil rights here at home. His most famous speech was given in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
Like most the museums located in the National Mall, the National Air and Space Museum is part of the massive Smithsonian Institute, the largest museum in the world. The museum has one of the largest aeronautical collections in the world as well. It houses aircraft dating back to the Civil War era (surveillance balloons). In addition, the institution played a pivotal role in the development of rocketry.
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
This was the first museum to dedicate itself to showcasing contemporary art at the National Mall. The museum has countless styles and mediums of art to enjoy as you peacefully walk around.
Sadly, the US, in its early years, committed numerous crimes against the American Indian. In commemoration of their hardships, culture, and history, the US built the National Museum of the American Indian, located in the far east of the National Mall. The museum at the National Mall is actually one of three. The Washington D.C. facility gives performances, lectures, galleries, and research/education.
There really is no place like home. Speaking of Dorothy, her ruby slippers are just one of the many interesting exhibits within the National Museum of American History. There’s even the original star spangled banner. The museum’s mission is to teach Americans about the past, so that we can move into the future with enthusiasm and curiosity. Definitely, a must visit during a trip to Washington D.C.
