Lincoln Memorial
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Lincoln Memorial: Tours & Tickets

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Washington, DC

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5 historical facts about the Lincoln Memorial

Opposite the White House on the National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial is one of Washington, D.C.'s most treasured landmarks – despite the stiff competition! How did it become an icon of the "American Way?" Here are a few reasons plucked from the history books!

It took decades to start building

It took decades to start building

Though not built until 1922, a memorial had been planned since Lincoln's death in 1867. The original's cavalcade of colossal statues was finally deemed overambitious and scrapped!

It utilizes materials from around the US

It utilizes materials from around the US

Henry Bacon, the architect, used Colorado marble for the exterior, Indiana limestone for the inner walls, Alabama marble for the ceiling, and pink Tennessee marble for the floor!

The structure was controversial in its time

The structure was controversial in its time

Many considered the Greek-doric monument too grandiose for a man as humble as Lincoln. The suggested alternative was a simple log-cabin shrine!

It was the site of a groundbreaking concert

It was the site of a groundbreaking concert

More than 75,000 witnessed African-American contralto Marian Anderson perform at the memorial after being refused permission to sing at the nearby DAR Constitution Hall.

It became an icon of the Civil Rights Movement

It became an icon of the Civil Rights Movement

Undaunted by the memorial's engravings of Lincoln's seminal speeches, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" to a crowd of 250,000 after the March on Washington.

Our insider tips

What are the opening times?

The Lincoln Memorial is open to visit 24 hours a day, however, Rangers are on duty to answer questions and give talks from 9:30AM till 11:30PM.

How to get there?

The nearest Metro station is Foggy Bottom on the Orange and Blue lines. If you're hiring a car then exit at intersection Independence Ave. SW & Daniel Chester French Dr. SW. Parking is available at Ohio Drive. (Handicapped parking can be found directly across from the memorial at Daniel Chester French Drive SW.)

Good to know

  • When should I visit?
    Open 24 hours
  • Is it expensive?
    Free!
  • Will I need a guide?
    Not necessary, but recommended!
  • How to get there
    Take the Metro to Foggy Bottom
  • Additional information
    To avoid crowds, visit the Memorial after dark. It is quite majestic all lit up!

What people are saying about Lincoln Memorial

Fun informative and scenic ride through Washington

We really enjoyed this trip. The cycling was not too hard but a great way of seeing the main sights in one day. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable. I would strongly recommend taking this trip.

Washington, DC 3-Hour Bike Tour Reviewed by Ruth, 04/14/2019

We got to see a lot& guide & driver was excellent.

We had Brittany & Bryan who made our trip a lot of fun. Tour allowed us to see a lot. Really enjoyed all of it.

Washington D.C. Twilight Evening Bus Tour Reviewed by a GetYourGuide customer, 04/06/2019

Very nice trip, everything you need to see

one day for D.C. is just enough, we saw everything which is worth visiting, first Arlington and JFK grave, then we went next to Pentagon and the Marines monument, then we stopped to see Washington monument and Lincoln memorial, also Korean War veterans memorial, there is enough time to see everything. Later you go to visit museums and you have free time to see one of the them which you like most (air & space/art gallery and so on), at the end you visit the capitol. While going by bus you can also see FBI building and streets of D.C. Very polite, cheerful and wise guide!

Washington, D.C. Day Trip from New York Reviewed by Julia, 03/27/2019

Fantastic night, saw so much and it was beautiful.

Annonomys aka Steve was our guide and was a wealth of knowledge. His humor was also hysterical. Great night for sure.

Washington D.C. Twilight Evening Bus Tour Reviewed by Lynn, 02/04/2019

We loved every part of it and, Joey, our guide was simply fantastic!

Seeing the memorials at night was breath-taking! Our guide, Joey, made it so interesting and answered all our questions and then some. No one should miss seeing these sites when visiting D.C. We were on a bus with 34 people and were given some free time with a timeline. Since it was pretty cold, we kept the pace moving. Joey gave us great background info to help us appreciate everything we were seeing or about to see. It was a night I will never forget! Thank you!!

D.C. at Dusk: Night Tour of the National Mall Reviewed by Linda, 11/19/2018

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