Lincoln Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial anchors the western end of the National Mall in Washington, DC, in the United States, at 2 Lincoln Memorial Circle NW. Designed by architect Henry Bacon and dedicated in 1922, the neoclassical temple is ringed by 36 Doric columns, one for each state in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death. Inside, Daniel Chester French's seated marble statue of Abraham Lincoln looks east down the Reflecting Pool toward the Washington Monument and the Capitol. The north and south chambers carry the text of the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural Address, while Jules Guerin's murals above them depict themes of emancipation and national unity. Visitors climb a broad flight of steps to reach the chamber, and the top step is a popular place to sit and take in the view. A marker on the landing commemorates the spot where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the 'I Have a Dream' speech during the 1963 March on Washington. A lower-level exhibit space beneath the memorial explains its construction and the events held on its steps. The memorial is open around the clock, with National Park Service rangers on duty from 9:30am to 10pm, and entry is free. Most visits take 30 to 60 minutes, longer when combined with the nearby Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Korean War Veterans Memorial. The best photo angles are from the foot of the steps looking up at the columns, from the Reflecting Pool's edge at sunrise when the water is still, and from the top step looking back toward the Washington Monument. Crowds peak from mid-morning through late afternoon, especially during cherry blossom season and summer; early morning and late evening are far quieter, and the lit marble after dark is among the most atmospheric sights in the capital.