Abraham Lincoln Memorial
- January 9, 2007
- Rated 4 of 5 by
RBT331 from Medfield, Massachusetts
Savings alert: This stop is free.
The Lincoln Memorial is one of the many monuments that are part of the National Park Service.
This monument pays tribute to the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Construction on this massive marble structure was completed in 1922, complete with a 19ft by 19ft solid marble statue of the President seated. If you recognize it from the back of a $5 bill, and thought it was impressive, then you should see it in person.
Make sure you have comfortable walking shoes. There are a lot of stairs to climb.
From the top of the stairs, you can have a great view across the reflecting pool back towards the Washington Monument and the WWII memorial.
With the plethora of history in Washington, if one a trip, you MUST stop by and say hello to President Lincoln. He, like many of our presidents, have a very important part in our history.
From journal The Nation's Capitol on a Budget
Lincoln Memorial
- November 20, 2006
- Rated 5 of 5 by
mafnet from Lake Forest, California
This monument has Lincoln sitting along in a giant chair. Alongside are words from various documents on stone. Up the steps, one can see the names of every state on the roof. The president stares out upon D.C., firmly. His accomplishments have been preserved by this monument, so if you have the time, check it out for yourself.
From journal Washington, D.C.
Editor Pick
Abraham Lincoln Memorial
- October 26, 2006
- Rated 4 of 5 by
grannola from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
The Lincoln Memorial is one of those things that you see on TV, but you really can't get a good sense of the monument from still pictures. That may seem strange because it is 'a statue' but being in the Memorial is really more awe-inspiring than I would have imagined.
You climb up the steps to the Memorial, and you look out at the Washington Memorial and the reflecting pool. It is an amazing view. Then you enter the Lincoln Memorial. The statue of Lincoln is of course huge and impressive that way, but just as impressive is how everyone in the Memorial is respecting the silence. There are a few hushed whispers and footfalls, but people are there to do more than be tourists and it shows.
There are two of Lincolns most famous speeches, the Gettysburg address engraved on the walls in the 'side' rooms of the memorial. You will find people there reading them, getting the history from them. Absorbing the Lincolness of it all. This whole experience is marred slightly by the gift shop. There is a gift shop inside the Memorial, which seems a bit odd. However, it is mainly a book store, so that helps a bit I guess.
Mom took the elevator up with the stroller so we wouldn't have to carry it up all those stairs, which turned out to be very useful, as she discovered all the information on the ground floor. We did not realize that there was a museum of sorts downstairs, and probably would not have seen it, if not for the elevator.
The museum included more quotations from Lincoln, history, etc. There is also a supersized Lincoln Memorial penny hanging on the wall. Another useful thing we discovered, is that there are restrooms on the ground floor. It's very useful to know these things when travelling with small children.
This was one of the places that the 8-year-old really wanted to go, and he was not disappointed. He didn't know much about any of the presidents of the US before our trip (we are from Canada after all) but he learned something about Lincoln here. The monument is open to visitors 24 hours a day and there are park rangers there during the day to answer questions. (It's a National Park.)
When we were there, there were some roads under construction and strange things going on, so we ended up driving across a bridge to Arlington National Cemetery by mistake. We looped around and parked on Constitution Avenue and walked a short distance to the monument. On the way back to the car, we discovered we were walking past the Vietnam War Memorial. (Which becomes more impressive the nearer you get.)
Overall, the Memorial is well worth a visit. And it is definitely worth getting off the tourmobile for a while.
From journal Washington - Sights and Tastes
Lincoln Memorial
- October 7, 2006
- Rated 4 of 5 by
hellbunnie from Dublin, Ireland
See giant-robo-Lincoln sit in his huge Greek temple. This is a truly impressive monument and should not be missed. Lincoln's best-known speeches are chiseled into the walls and the great man himself stares down at you from his lofty throne. There's a small shop (turn right when you enter the monument) selling books and a some souvenirs.
From journal A Week in Washington D.C.
Editor Pick
Lincoln Memorial
- July 2, 2005
- Rated 5 of 5 by
lgarcia45 from McAllen, Texas
Be prepared to walk if you wish to visit the Lincoln Memorial. The closest Metro stop is Smithsonian. Another option is to take the Tourmobile that stops here and 19 other places around D.C. It’s a jump-on, jump-off-type of service. We arrived via the Metro. Anytime day or night (unless it’s quite late,) the LM is crowded with visitors. If you want a photo of yourself and the Great Emancipator, you must either be patient or willing to have other people in the shot. Take time to visit the sides of the memorial to read Lincoln's “Gettysburg Address” and other notable speeches. Ask a park ranger if Lincoln's hands are spelling out the initials of Galludette University (for the deaf) in sign language. Amazingly, Lincoln's son was present when this most beautiful Grecian-style temple was dedicated in the '20s. Lincoln's view of the Reflecting Pool, Washington Monument, and the Mall beyond offer great photo ops. If you are in a playful mindset, have members of your party pose so as to lean against the Washington Memorial or poke its tip. The Lincoln Memorial is beautifully illuminated at night. If at all possible, visit then.
From journal An Eight-Day Vacation in Washington, D.C.