National World War II Memorial

The National World War II Memorial stands at 1750 Independence Avenue SW on the National Mall between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, in the United States. Dedicated in 2004, the memorial is arranged around an oval plaza with a large fountain pool. Fifty-six granite pillars, one for each U.S. state, territory and the District of Columbia at the time of the war, are connected by bronze rope and arranged in a semicircle. Two triumphal arches, labeled Atlantic and Pacific, mark the north and south sides. On the western edge, the Freedom Wall carries 4,048 gold stars, each representing 100 American military deaths, and the inscription 'Here we mark the price of freedom.' Bas-relief panels depict scenes from the home front and the war overseas. Visitors can find their state's pillar, read the engraved quotations and sit by the fountains. Entry is free, and the memorial is open 24 hours with rangers on duty from 9:30am to 10pm. A visit takes 20 to 40 minutes. The best photo angles are along the Rainbow Pool toward the Lincoln Memorial and from the east entrance framing the Washington Monument. Evening is especially good because the fountains and gold stars are lit. Crowds are heaviest from mid-morning to afternoon in spring and summer, and on Memorial Day and Veterans Day weekends. The Smithsonian Metro station is about 0.7 miles away.