Lincoln Memorial

Few travelers to DC leave without seeing the Lincoln Memorial. Whether you’d like an up-close encounter or want to see it from afar, the site can be visited as part of most Washington DC tours, including a tour of the National Mall, a morning monuments tour, a DC night tour, and a bus tour combined with a cruise on the Potomac River.

• Free audio guided tours are available by mobile phone or through the National Mall visitor’s app.

• National Park Service rangers are available from 9:30am to 10pm every day to answer questions.

• The Lincoln Memorial is wheelchair accessible. On the southeast corner, ramps lead from street level to the basement, where an elevator goes up to the statue chamber.

Anchoring the west end of the National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial is easily accessible by foot or bike from many downtown DC hotels and by public transportation. The nearest metro stations are Foggy Bottom and Smithsonian.

The Lincoln Memorial is free and open to the public 24 hours a day throughout the year. To have the Lincoln Memorial mostly to yourself, visit early in the morning, especially during winter. The best views of the National Mall and the reflecting pool from the memorial can be seen in the spring (especially during cherry blossom season) and the fall, when the surrounding foliage is at its most atmospheric. Visiting at night will allow you to see the monument lit up.

While the statue of Abraham Lincoln is the focal point of the Lincoln Memorial, there are several other features to see during your visit. Above the 36 Corinthian columns are two rows of state names. The lower row lists the 36 states within the US at the time of Lincoln’s death, while the upper row lists the 48 states within the US when the memorial was dedicated in 1922. A bronze plaque on the plaza level recognizes Alaska and Hawaii. In the center of the last landing, before the statue chamber, is an engraving marking the spot where Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. Inside the statue chamber, to Lincoln’s right, is the text of the Gettysburg Address and, above it, a painting entitled Emancipation.

Yes, visiting the Lincoln Memorial is worth it. One of DC's most iconic landmarks—and a highlight of the National Mall—the larger-than-life monument to the United States' 16th president makes a moving impression. And as the site of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech, it has a timeless legacy.

As with the rest of the monuments on the National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial can attract big crowds, especially on weekends, during the summer, and on holidays. For the best chance of enjoying the grandeur of the setting without quite so many other people, aim for early morning or evening.

Yes, there is free parking near the Lincoln Memorial, but it may be in high demand. On-street parking near the monument is generally free for 2-hour slots. If you can get it, free day-long parking is also available nearby on Ohio Drive SW or in the lots south of the Jefferson Memorial.

Yes, the Lincoln Memorial is accessible to disabled visitors. The site makes a wheelchair available to rent, and visitors can access the main chamber of the monument via a basement-level elevator. Accessible bathrooms are also located in the basement, and several parking spaces are located on David Chester French Drive.

Yes, you can walk up the stairs at the Lincoln Memorial. They make a grand entrance and are the primary way most visitors access the landmark. They're also a historical icon in their own right: It was on the steps where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his I Have a Dream speech.

One of the most popular times to visit the Lincoln Memorial—and the other sights of the National Mall—is during the spring, when Washington DC's famous cherry trees are blossoming. Alternatively, skip the searing heat and crowds that summer brings and aim for the autumn shoulder season.