We walked to this from the Jefferson memorial, so we hit it backwards. It is a series of "rooms" each dealing with a different time in FDR's presidency. We started from the end and worked our way to the beginning. I don't know what I was expecting from this. I had not seen anything about this. I was surprised. This was the one place that I would say to visit, if you can only do one of the big memorials. There was a lot of water flowing throughout which gave it not quite the timeless feel you have with Lincoln or Jefferson. It seemed to give it a sense of immediacy. The monument has different phrases carved in the walls. I was touched by the expression of caring for the least able next to statues of people standing in a soup line.

I was also moved by the quote about war. It described the effects of war and ends "I hate war." These words were also inscribed in blocks which were scattered in front of the inscription. I don't know the message the monument's designer was trying to send, but I know the message I got from it.

The visitor center at the start of the memorial was small with a little gift shop. It was, however, air conditioned. Just what the doctor ordered after walking from Jefferson all the way through Roosevelt.

FDR, short for Franklin Delano Roosevelt, has his own monument. I went to this wonderful sight at night. I recommend seeing the monument lit up in the moonlight. Bronze statues greet you as you enter the outdoor monument. One is him in his wheelchair; another statue is him talking in a radio for his "fireside chats." Large, oversize building blocks and water with multicolor lights make this an enchanting spectacle. A fountain was also in its mazes, and there were stepping stones to stand on behind a waterfall. You can later walk to the Tidal Basin and see Jefferson's Monument at night and cherry blossoms drenched in shadows.

The first room depicts FDR’s first term, when he launched the New Deal programs. The second and third rooms remember his term, which included our launch into WW II. The last room offers a reflection of the life of FDR. There is a huge statue of Roosevelt sitting with his dog. There is also an area to pay honor to his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, a hero in her own right. There is a wonderful statue of this remarkable lady who championed human rights and later served as a U.N. delegate. Anyone who admires this lady like I do will want to take a minute here. This memorial also offers an amazing view of the Potomac and the Jefferson Monument.