Places To Go

Honoring Japanese Americans who were sent to incarceration camps during World War II, the memorial features a zen garden-like design and a powerful sculpture of cranes entangled in barbed wire.

The United Nations wall is the granite curb on the north side of the statues. This wall lists the 22 countries that gave combat or medical support to the UN forces.

The 44-foot high Peace Monument stands in the circle west of the U.S. Capitol at Pennsylvania Avenue and First Street, NW. Inscribed "In memory of the officers, seamen and marines of the United States Navy who fell in defense of the Union and liberty of their country, 1861-1865," this sculptural group has also been called the Naval Monument.

At the end of the National March for Lesbian and Gay Rights, participants gathered near the base of the Washington Monument to listen to speakers proudly claim their queerness and paint a vision of a more inclusive future. One of these speakers was Charles Law, a Black gay activist based in Houston. He argued that the marchers must not fight for assimilate but integration so that all gay and lesbian people may one day enjoy the full benefits of their civil rights.

Congress set aside this five-acre park in 1832 to protect the fresh spring or springs on the site that were used to supply water to the White House several blocks to the southwest. Franklin Park supplied the water for all American presidents in the White House from Andrew Jackson through William McKinley. As an urban park, it is also a part of the fabric of the capital city, and a place for gathering, relaxing, and to see and be seen by various communities.

The AIDS Memorial Quilt has travelled across the country and been displayed in many prominent places, including here on the National Mall in front of the Washington Monument. This was the ‘Inaugural Display’, the result of cumulative efforts of thousands of volunteers and countless hours of work. It is a tragic memorial to thousands of lives lost, while also representing the enduring love of those who knew them best.

Dwight Eisenhower returned to Abilene on June 22, 1945 to a parade welcoming him home and honoring his leadership in Europe during World War II. After watching the celebration, his grateful acceptance of the recognition began with the above quote. He went on to say that this parade was not just for him; he was only a "symbol" of the soldiers, sailors and airmen who helped bring Allied victory.

On the right side of the memorial core, Eisenhower as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force during World War II is commemorated by a bronze heroic-sized statue with sculptures of his soldiers inspired by the famous photograph with the 101st Airborne Division before their jump into France. Behind the sculptures is a bas relief depicting the Normandy landings on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

On the left side of the memorial core, the bronze heroic-sized statue of Eisenhower as 34th President of the United States places him at the center of the White House Oval Office flanked by sculptures of civilian and military advisors, symbolizing the balance Eisenhower struck between conflicting demands of national security and peaceful progress. The bas-relief global background depicts a map of the world symbolizing Eisenhower's role as a world statesman and preeminent inte

On a pedestal at the northwest plaza entrance, a life-size sculpture of Eisenhower as a young man depicts the trajectory of his life as the quintessential American story. Inscribed in stone nearby is an excerpt from Eisenhower's Abilene Homecoming Speech on June 22, 1945.