Last updated: December 1, 2025
Place
American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial
National Park Service photo by Nathan Adams
Quick Facts
Location:
Washington, DC
Amenities
4 listed
Bicycle - Rental, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Public Transit, Wheelchair Accessible
The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, dedicated on October 5, 2014, is the nation’s first monument devoted solely to disabled veterans from all branches of service and all American conflicts. Through the interplay of granite and glass, the memorial expresses both strength and vulnerability, honoring the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of service members who returned from war with life-altering injuries. Located just west of the U.S. Capitol and the U.S. Botanic Garden, the memorial is easily reached from the Federal Center SW and Capitol South Metro stations.
At the heart of the memorial are 48 large etched glass panels that display photographs and quotations drawn from veterans’ own stories. Some etchings are carved into the exterior surfaces—inviting visitors to touch and feel—while others appear translucent within the glass, evoking memory and loss. These panels stand alongside white granite walls inscribed with passages from Presidents George Washington and Dwight Eisenhower, reinforcing the memorial’s themes of duty and national gratitude. The path continues to a triangular reflecting pool and a star-shaped fountain, where a ceremonial flame rises above gently flowing water. This blend of fire and water symbolizes endurance, renewal, and the determination of disabled veterans to overcome profound challenges.
Surrounding the memorial is a living landscape: a grove of 69 ginkgo and 23 cypress trees that will eventually form a canopy around the site. Their changing colors—especially the ginkgos’ golden display near Veterans Day—represent growth, hope, and the passage of time. Four bronze silhouette sculptures by artist Larry Kirkland stand among the trees and glass panels, depicting the emotional journey of disabled veterans: the call to service, the trauma of injury, the process of healing, and the discovery of renewed purpose.
Congress authorized the memorial in 2000, empowering the Disabled Veterans’ Life Memorial Foundation to raise funds and oversee its creation. Following a design competition, Michael Vergason Landscape Architects was selected to shape the memorial’s contemplative environment, with graphics, text, and bronze components created by Larry Kirkland in collaboration with Cloud Gehshan Associates. Together, these elements form a powerful, reflective space that pays lasting tribute to the sacrifices and strength of America’s disabled veterans.