National Mall in Washington. National Mall in Washington. USA National Museum of African Art

Extending more than 3 km. From the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial to the Potamac River, the National Mall is an important tourist destination for Washington DC and one of the most visited places on the planet. Thanks to the monuments and memorials located here, honoring famous historical figures, as well as a wide variety of museums, over 24 million visitors come here every year.

Here you can see the most famous sights of the US capital: the Lincoln, Jefferson and Roosevelt memorials, the Washington Monument, the National Gallery of Art, and the Smithsonian Institution museums. It also serves as the city's social center, hosting protests and rallies that attract tens or hundreds of thousands of people. It was here that Martin Luther King gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, in which he described his vision of a future in which whites and blacks coexisted as equals.

In 1790, President George Washington ordered the French-born architect and engineer Pierre Charles Lenfant to develop a plan for the future capital. Lenfant planned to develop a large alley 1.6 km long. and 120 meters wide, and make it the cultural center of the city. But the plan was never implemented, and in its place the modern National Mall was built in the future.

Although today it is difficult to imagine the US capital without the National Mall, it was built only at the beginning of the 20th century. A wide, tree-lined avenue connected three of the most symbolic monuments: to the west, the Abraham Lincoln Memorial; in the center is the George Washington Monument; and the Capitol to the east.

On October 15, 1966, the National Mall was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The Mall is not just a sign of respect for American history, it is the place where American history was born.

Main attractions of the National Mall in Washington DC

National Gallery of Art

The National Gallery of Art has one of the best collections of exhibits in the world. These include paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculptures, medals and decorative arts that trace the history of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present, including the largest collection of sculptures by Alexander Calder and the only painting in America by Leonardo da Vinci.

The National Museum of Natural History charts the evolution of life on our planet from the beginning of time to the present day. The most popular is the hall with dinosaur fossils.

The museum's collection includes over 500 million specimens of fossils, plants, animals, minerals, various rocks, meteorites, as well as cultural and archaeological artifacts.

The main attraction of the museum is the National Collection of Minerals and Precious Stones, one of the largest in the world. Among the exhibits there is the famous Nadezhda diamond and one of the largest sapphires in the world, the Star of Asia. In total, the collection includes more than 15,000 gems, 300,000 ore samples, 350,000 minerals and 35,000 meteorites (the most complete collection in the world).

National Museum of American History

Perhaps the most educational museum, it covers the cultural, social, political, military and scientific history of the United States. The main attraction is the vault, which contains an incredibly large collection of iconic American items, ranging from Abraham Lincoln's top hat and the original lyrics of the US anthem, to Dorothy Gale's red slippers and a Kermit the Frog doll.

National Museum of the American Indian

The museum reflects the cultural values ​​of the indigenous peoples of America. The museum mainly focuses on the history of the 20th century rather than the colonial and pre-Columbian eras.

It contains the largest collection of old aircraft and spacecraft. The museum houses such exhibits as the Wright Brothers' airplane, created in 1903, the light aircraft Spirit of St. Louis, which made the first non-stop flight from Paris to New York in 1927, and the manned module from the Apollo 11 spacecraft, which delivered the astronauts. to the moon, as well as the Enola Gay bomber, which dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Park

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Park was conceived as a museum of contemporary art, so it mainly houses objects created in the last 50 years. The museum houses collections of famous artists that will delight art lovers, and the sculpture park will really appeal to children.

Museum of Arts and Industry

The beautiful and oldest (1881) building of the museum was included in the register of National Historic Monuments of the United States in 1971, but is currently closed for reconstruction.

The castle houses the main office of the Smithsonian Institution and an information center, and various exhibitions are also periodically organized here. In 1965, the Smithsonian Castle was included in the list of National Historic Landmarks of the United States.

National Museum of African Art

The museum specializes in African culture and art. There are exhibits from all regions of Africa, but most of them come from the sub-Saharan region. The museum hosts various events and programs for children every day.

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and Freer Art Gallery

These are adjacent galleries that together form the National Museum of Asian Art. Both galleries feature objects from South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, the Islamic world, Ancient Egypt and the Ancient Near East.

The monument dedicated to the first President of the United States, George Washington, is a symbol of pride, patriotism and gratitude of the American people. No person in all of American history played such an important role than the first president, which is why not a single building in Washington exceeds the height of this monument. The monument is the tallest stone structure in the world.

The memorial is dedicated to soldiers who served in the American Army during World War II. The architect conveyed all the tragedy and horrors of the war into 56 granite columns and 2 arches located around the fountain and square.

District of Columbia War Memorial

Memorial dedicated to the heroes of the First World War. The building serves as a tribute to the 26,000 Washingtonians who fought during the war. At the foot are engraved the names of all the dead soldiers (499 people).

The memorial is dedicated to all the soldiers who fought and died in the war against Vietnam. It consists of three parts: the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, the Vietnam Women's Memorial and the Three Soldiers sculpture. The names of 58,195 fallen servicemen are carved on the memorial wall.

A memorial dedicated to the soldiers who fought in the Korean War (1950-1953), during which hundreds of thousands of people died on both sides.

The central composition is the statues of 19 soldiers, about two meters high. They are depicted in full gear among trees and juniper bushes, symbolizing the terrain of Korea.

The memorial is impressive with a huge seated sculpture of the 16th US President Abraham Lincoln installed in the building. The sculpture records the president's most famous speeches.

Bureau of Engraving and Printing

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is a government agency of the U.S. Department of the Treasury that prints paper money, securities, various identification documents, and special documents for U.S. government agencies. On weekdays, everyone can attend free excursions (you still need to get a ticket). Of course, no one will give you free dollars, but it’s still worth seeing millions of dollars being printed before your eyes.

Martin Luther King Monument

The most modern monument on the National Mall (2011) dedicated to the deceased leader of the movement for black rights in America. Martin Luther King called for equality regardless of race, and he led the government to pass the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act, which prohibited segregation in public accommodations and established equal voting rights.

The memorial is dedicated to the 32nd US President Franklin Roosevelt and the era associated with his name. This is the most tranquil spot on the National Mall, with man-made waterfalls and various sculptures depicting events during Roosevelt's administration. The memorial is divided into four sections dedicated to different periods of the president's reign.

Jefferson Memorial

The memorial is dedicated to the third president of the United States, who is remembered as the main author of the Declaration of Independence and one of the founding fathers of the republic.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

The memorial museum explores the history of the Holocaust and serves as a monument to the millions of people who died during it. This is the saddest place on the National Mall, dedicated to the senseless inhumanity of the Holocaust. It houses about 13,000 exhibits, 80,000 historical photographs, 1,000 hours of archival films, 49 million pages of archival documents and 9,000 oral eyewitness accounts.

The National Mall is an open space, a long strip in the center of Washington, the capital of the United States of America, stretching three kilometers from the Lincoln Memorial in the west to the Capitol building in the east.


Officially created in 1965, the National Mall includes a complex of parks, museums, monuments and buildings of paramount importance to the United States.


The foundations of the future National Mall were laid at the end of the 18th century, when the French architect Pierre Lanfant, invited by the American government, designed the streets and neighborhoods of the future capital of the country (the decision to build a city intended to become the main one in the new state, which had only recently won the War of Independence, was made in 1790).

Lanfant was commissioned to plan the city center to resemble Paris. But the plan was not realized - for many years, markets and exhibitions of exotic animals were located on the site where the French architect provided extensive space for the construction of buildings in the French style and a place for walking.


Changes occurred in the early 20th century, when a plan was launched to create a green area in the center of Washington, surrounded by museums and memorial sites. Gradually, this part of the American capital concentrated many memorable and interesting places in America, including the White House and the Capitol, the Lincoln, Washington, and Jefferson Memorials, one of the world's largest museum complexes, the Smithsonian Institution, memorials to those killed in the Korean, Vietnamese and World War II .

The National Museum of American History is a collection of unique exhibits representing the national heritage of America.

The museum opened in January 1964, becoming the sixth building of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, on the National Mall. It was originally called the Museum of Science and Technology, but in 1980 its name was changed to the National Museum of American History, thereby emphasizing its special role in preserving, collecting and enhancing artifacts related to American history.



The museum houses more than 3 million exhibits, from the original Stars and Stripes of the United States flag and Abraham Lincoln's top hat, Duke Ellington's sheet music and historical documents about the history of the largest US corporations to the trumpet of the outstanding American jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie or Dorothy's magic slippers from The Wizard of Oz. .




The highlight of American history and culture, documents, photographs and films are collected under one roof, as well as laboratories where visitors can take part in interactive science and technology shows, such as inventing a new way to use paper bags or learn the history of invention packaging for semi-finished products.

The National Museum of Natural History is part of the Smithsonian Institution, one of the world's most distinguished research, scientific and museum complexes. The museum opened in 1910, becoming the latest embodiment of the approved plan to reconstruct the National Mall in Washington and turn it into a historical and cultural center.




The green domed building, designed in a neoclassical architectural style, was built with the main purpose of promoting and supporting all discoveries and research in the field of the natural world, both distant past and present.




Over 140 thousand square meters of area (the size of 18 football fields) there are a huge number of exhibition halls, housing more than 500 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, and human cultural artifacts. More than 7 million guests visit the museum annually, making it the most popular of all Smithsonian museums.





Huge collections of reptiles, reptiles, vertebrates, fossilized remains and skeletons of giant dinosaurs; recreated habitats of a wide variety of animals - deserts, tropical forests, mangrove swamps, fresh water ponds; the ocean hall is the newest update of the museum, opened in 2008 with a 5,600-liter aquarium and stuffed giant sea animals; IMAX cinema showing 2- and 3-dimensional films on natural history - you can wander through the halls of the museum all day.






The pride of the museum is a wonderful collection of precious stones, among which stands out the unique Hope Diamond, weighing 45.5 carats - a stone of amazing beauty covered in fatal legends, the cost of which is estimated at 200 million dollars.

The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and its associated museum complex, the world's largest repository of exhibits, museum values ​​and artifacts. The institute includes 19 museums, a zoo, 9 research centers, as well as 156 museums that are branches of the Smithsonian Institution. Of these, 10 museums are located on the National Mall.


The Smithsonian Institution owes its origins to James Smithson, an English scientist, chemist and mineralogist, who included the United States second in his will after his nephew. If a nephew died childless, the scientist’s entire fortune passed to the United States government, which was to use it for “the increase and dissemination of knowledge.”


The reason why Smithson made the American nation his heir remained unknown, but the US government, after the death of the scientist’s nephew in 1835, made every effort to defend the inheritance disputed by relatives and bring it to America - exactly 104,960 gold coins, 8 shillings and 7 pence, which in modern terms is more than 10 billion dollars.

The fate of Smithson's fortune, after much debate (the scientist did not specifically indicate what the money should be used for), was decided - on August 10, 1846, an act was signed establishing the Smithsonian Institution, which would include a museum, a library, and a collection of historical objects , sciences and arts and conducting a research program. In 1901, the remains of Smithson himself, brought from England, were buried in the building, which today serves as an information center for everyone who visits the museum.

Every day, at sunrise, the first ray of sunlight illuminates the inscription on top of what was once the tallest structure in the world - the Washington Monument. “Laus Deo” (in Latin - “Glory to God”) - this is how the capital of the United States greets every new day. The obelisk to the very first president of North America has been decorating the historical part of the American capital, which bears the name of the founder of the state, for more than one hundred and forty years.


The idea to build a monument in honor of the founder of the US presidency, a man who played a huge role in the country's independence, appeared at the end of the 18th century, after the victory in the War of Independence, during the life of George Washington. But then the decision to erect an equestrian statue of the first president was never implemented. In 1832, when Washington would have celebrated its centenary, fundraising began, which lasted for several years, for the future construction of the monument (in the USA, almost all monuments are built largely through donations from individuals and organizations). It took several more years for the project to be approved.


Initially, architect Robert Mills intended to build something very impressive - a 180-meter obelisk in the Egyptian style, with an ancient Greek pantheon located at its base, at the entrance of which it was planned to install a marble Washington, dressed in a toga, driving a chariot. This project was never realized, and the resulting obelisk was also modified and turned out to be somewhat lower than planned - 169 m, nevertheless becoming, until the Eiffel Tower was built, the tallest building in the world.


The obelisk took almost 50 years to build, from 1848 to 1884, with a 25-year break due to lack of funding and the outbreak of the Civil War. The opening of the monument took place on December 6, 1884, on the eve of the president's birthday, and it was opened to the public on October 9, 1888.
The obelisk is made of 36,491 stone slabs and lined with white marble. The stele is hollow inside, there is an elevator installed, and anyone can climb to the very top and explore the surroundings.
The Washington Monument is located on the National Mall in the center of the city, and is built next to the 600-meter Reflecting Pond, created in the image of the reservoir at the Taj Mahal. The multi-meter pyramid of Washington is completely reflected in it, creating the illusion of twin obelisks.

The World War II Memorial at the National Gallery in Washington is a tribute to the 16 million US Army soldiers who fought in World War II and the 405,000 who never returned from the battlefields.



This memorial is the “youngest” of all the monuments that appeared on the National Mall. It was opened on May 24, 2004 after many years of project approval and implementation. The memorial is located east of the Washington Memorial and west of the Lincoln Monument.



The World War II Memorial is a body of water called the Rainbow, surrounded by 56 columns decorated with laurel wreaths. The columns commemorate the unity of the states and territories during the war.




Two arches on the sides of the pond represent victories in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, inside them there are sculptures of eagles supporting laurel wreaths. And the Freedom Wall with 4000 golden stars in the central part, between the columns, symbolizes more than four hundred thousand dead (each star is 100 dead).


The memorial is decorated with two fountains located in the center, raising jets of water to a height of more than nine meters.

The Vietnam War, one of the longest and most controversial in the history of the United States, left a deep wound in the souls of many Americans, both those who never fought in that war and those who went through years of difficult combat. About 60 thousand soldiers never returned home, and in their memory, a memorial was built on the National Mall in the center of Washington - a poignant monument to the courage and heroism of ordinary American citizens who died on Vietnamese soil.


The idea for the monument to those killed in the Vietnam War came from Vietnam veteran Ian Scruggs. After watching the film "The Deer Hunter", dedicated to the Vietnam War, he decided to perpetuate the memory of all those who died in Vietnam. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was built entirely with private donations amounting to approximately $8.4 million.


The centerpiece of the memorial is the Vietnam Veterans Wall, on which the names of everyone who died or went missing in Southeast Asia since 1957 are carved in chronological order.

The wall was dedicated on November 11, 1984, Veterans Day. A wall made of black granite, consisting of two walls, Western and Eastern, connected at right angles - a project by designer Maya Liin. The Wall later sparked controversy, leading to the addition of the Three Soldiers sculpture, depicting white, Latino, and African-American soldiers, and the Vietnam Women's Memorial, dedicated to women (mostly nurses) who served in Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. .

The Korean War, which broke out in the early 1950s, according to official US government data alone, claimed the lives of more than 33 thousand Americans killed on the battlefield and more than 17 thousand in incidents not directly related to the theater of operations.



For a long time, the Korean War was ignored by the American government, which is why it was called the Forgotten or Unknown War. But historical justice prevailed - on July 27, 1995, on the National Mall, southeast of the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial was opened - a monument to those who fought and those who gave their lives in that war.

Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States, went down in history as the liberator of the country from slavery, and in gratitude for his undeniable services to the Fatherland, in the historical part of the US capital, Washington, in the National Mall complex, a memorial was erected to him with a grateful inscription: “In this temple, just as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved unity, the memory of Abraham Lincoln will live on forever.”




The decision to build a monument to Lincoln came immediately after the assassination of the president, in 1865. Several sculptors entered the competition to find the best design for the memorial, but only in 1914 did its construction begin, finally ending in 1922. The opening of the memorial complex took place on May 30, 1922, with a crowd of more than 50 thousand people.



The Lincoln Monument is a majestic temple built in the ancient Greek style, which is supported by 36 columns according to the number of states that were part of the United States at the time of Lincoln's death. In the center of the temple is a statue of the president, 5.79 m high, sitting in a chair. On either side of the statue of Lincoln, on the walls, are placed two of his most famous speeches - the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863, at the dedication of the National Soldiers' Cemetery, and the Second Inaugural Address, delivered on March 4, 1865, a month before the end of the Civil War. .
Important historical events have taken place at the Lincoln Memorial many times. One of the most famous was the rally on August 28, 1963, during the March on Washington by workers protesting for jobs and freedom. About 250,000 people that day listened to the famous speech of Martin Luther King, where he, paying tribute to the Emancipation Manifesto published exactly 100 years earlier, in 1863, uttered his famous words “I have a dream” and spoke about his vision life in a free country where there is no racial discrimination. While delivering his speech, King stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. 40 years later, to commemorate this event, a memorial plaque was erected on this site with the words “I Have a dream”

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The White House is not just a house where the president and his family live. For more than two hundred years, the White House has been a symbol of the President, the government of the United States and the entire American people.


The history of the White House, like the history of the US capital, began when President George Washington signed an act of Congress in December 1790 declaring that the federal government would be located in an area “not exceeding ten miles square…. on the Potomac River." Together with the architect Pierre Charles Lanfant, specially invited from France, Washington chose a place for a new residence, after which a competition was announced for the best project for the “House of the President.” The winner was Irish-born architect James Hoban, who won a gold medal for his practical and impressive design.




Construction began in October 1792, when the foundation stone of the future building was laid at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. George Washington, who oversaw construction, is the only president who never lived in the new residence. In 1800, the second US President John Adams and his wife Abigail moved into the new, almost completed building. Since then, each president who entered the White House has made, at his own discretion, minor changes and additions to it.




The White House has a unique and very fascinating history. It survived a fire set by the British in 1814 and another massive fire in the West Wing in 1929, during the presidency of Herbert Hoover. While Harry Truman was president, virtually the entire interior of the White House was renovated, while Truman himself lived in Blair House, located here on Pennsylvania Avenue. However, the appearance of the building has always remained the same as it was created 200 years ago.




Many presidents introduced something of their own into the style of the House, or made changes to the accepted procedure for receiving guests and conducting ceremonies. Thus, Thomas Jefferson held the first "open door" inauguration in 1805 - many of those who attended the oath of office in the Capitol simply followed him to the White House, where he met them in the Blue Drawing Room. Jefferson also became the first to open the doors of the White House to the public, a tradition that continues to this day. A break was made only during the Civil War. Jefferson also started the tradition of New Year's and Independence Day receptions on the 4th of July.

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington is a tribute of the American people to one of the most outstanding political figures in the country, the founding father of the American state, the author of the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America, the third President of the United States.


The idea of ​​erecting a monument dedicated to Jefferson belongs to President Franklin Roosevelt, his great admirer. Roosevelt made such a proposal in 1934, and in 1935 the project was approved, and on December 15, 1938, the foundation of the future monument

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The memorial was erected in West Park, on the fortified Tidal Basin Dam on the Potomac River, in close proximity to the White House, the Capitol and other famous monuments and memorials.


The dam is surrounded by flowering cherry trees, donated to the city of Washington by the Japanese city of Tokyo in 1910. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is built in the shape of a Roman pantheon, in the center of which is a life-size statue of the president himself.


On the interior walls are panels that quote Jefferson's words from his best work - the Religious Liberty Bill, an excerpt from a letter to Samuel Kercheval, the famous American historian, and, of course, from the Declaration of Independence: “We believe ... that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

The central point of the US capital, in which the most significant sights of the city and its historical monuments are concentrated. The alley is a strip about three kilometers long, with a total area of ​​125 hectares. This place is the third most visited in the country, second only to Las Vegas Street and Times Square. About 20 million tourists from all over the world come here every year. If you look at the National Mall from above, you will see a cross, in the very center of which stands the Washington Monument, on the east side - the Capitol, on the north - the White House, in the western part - the Lincoln Memorial and in the south - the Jefferson Memorial. Between these buildings there are museums, parks, and other significant objects.

The history of the emergence of the National Mall in Washington is remarkable. To create it, an architect from France, Pierre Charles Lanfant, who was involved in designing the blocks and streets of the capital of the United States, was invited. Initially, the architect was given the task of planning the central part of Washington in such a way as to make it as similar as possible to Paris. This plan was not destined to come true and the National Mall was used by city residents for a long time as a regular market and a place for an exhibition of exotic animals.

The main boulevard of the National Mall opened in 1965. An interesting feature of this place is that the memorials, of which there are many on the alley, are not used by Americans as places to mourn fallen soldiers. Quite the opposite - local residents gather there to play football, soccer, and just have fun. Picnics with friends are held on the picturesque green lawns; whole families come here - the National Mall is especially crowded on weekends.

The central part of the National Mall is occupied by green lawns and numerous ponds, and luxurious American elms are planted on its sides. There are numerous museums and monuments of national significance located on or nearby the National Mall. These include memorials to Vietnam and World War II veterans, memorials to Lincoln, Einstein, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King. It is also home to the Smithsonian Institution, American History Museum, Holocaust Museum, News Museum, Aerospace Museum, American Indian Museum, Natural History Museum, Botanical Garden, and National Gallery of Art.

The National Mall is of great importance for Americans - people gather here during the presidential inauguration ceremony, it is at this place that political rallies and protest marches take place, many world stars have performed here at various times, and the Pope himself has celebrated Mass here.

Stretching more than 3 km in length from the Capitol in the east to the Lincoln Memorial and the Potomac River in the west, the tree-lined lawn called the National Mall is Washington's main tourist attraction. Memorials and monuments located here honor some of the United States' most famous historical figures, and numerous museums provide insight into world art, history, and culture. The mall includes some of the most famous landmarks of the US capital: the Washington Monument, the Lincoln, Roosevelt and Jefferson memorials, the Smithsonian Institution museums, and the National Gallery of Art. It serves as the center of the city's public life, a popular venue for rallies and protests, in which from several tens to hundreds of thousands of people take part. The National Mall, along with other Washington DC attractions, has made the US capital one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country and the world, welcoming approximately 24 million visitors annually.

In 1790, George Washington ordered the French-born engineer and architect Pierre Charles Lenfant to develop a master plan for the future capital. The famous French architect planned to develop a “grand alley” approximately 1.6 km long and 120 m wide as the cultural center of the city. The modern National Mall is located on the site of this planned mall, which was never created.

Although today it is impossible to imagine Washington without the National Mall, construction plans were implemented only at the beginning of the twentieth century. A wide alley connected the three most symbolic monuments: the Capitol in the east; a monument to the founder of the republic, George Washington, in the center; and a monument to Abraham Lincoln, who preserved the unity of the country, in the west.

On October 15, 1966, the National Mall was included in the list of National Historic Places of the United States. The Mall is not just a tribute to American history, it is the place where American history was born.

National Mall Attractions

Museums

In addition to symbols of political power, memorials and monuments, the largest area of ​​the National Mall is occupied by the Smithsonian Institution. Over the past 100 years, the Smithsonian Institution has created a network of free public museums unprecedented in size and scope in human history. Ten of the Smithsonian's 19 museums are located on the National Mall. They are all free to visit and open every day except Christmas Day.

The mall attracts many people with the opportunity to visit museums. Even one month is not enough time to truly explore all of the Smithsonian's museum collections, so choose according to your interests. The most rational way is to visit museums during the day, and monuments and memorials in the evening and at night. Museums usually close at 5 pm, after which you can have dinner and then take a walk and visit the rest of the attractions of the National Mall. This is usually what most tourists do in the summer, so you won't be alone even after midnight.

National Gallery of Art

National Gallery of Art, opening hours: Mon-Sat 10:00 - 17:00, Sunday: 11:00 - 18:00. The National Gallery of Art consists of the neoclassical West Building (pictured), the modern East Building (connected by an underground passage), and the 25,000 m2 Sculpture Garden. It houses one of the finest art collections in the world. The collection of paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculptures, medals and decorative arts traces the development of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present day, including the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in America, as well as the largest collection of sculptural mobiles by Alexander Calder.

National Museum of Natural History

National Museum of Natural History, opening hours 10:30 - 17:30, often 10:00 -19:30 during peak season. The National Museum of Natural History is the most visited of all the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall (hosted 7 in 2009. 4 million visitors). A large group of scientists studying the natural history of our planet works here. The museum's collection includes over 500 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, archaeological and cultural artifacts.

The main attraction is the National Collection of Gemstones and Minerals, one of the largest collections of its kind in the world. It includes famous examples of gemstones and minerals, including the world-famous Hope Diamond and the Star of Asia sapphire, one of the largest sapphires in the world. The collection currently includes more than 15,000 gemstones, 350,000 minerals and 300,000 ore samples. The collection of approximately 35,000 meteorites is considered one of the most complete collections of its kind in the world.

The National Museum of Natural History charts the evolution of life on Earth from the beginning to the present day. Particularly popular is the Paleobiology Hall, where giant dinosaur fossils are on display.

National Museum of American History

National Museum of American History, opening hours 10:00 - 17:30, in the summer 10:00 - 18:30. One of the most educational museums, covering the social, political, cultural, scientific and military history of the United States. The main attraction is the Vault with a huge collection of iconic American items, ranging from the original text of the national anthem of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln's top hat, to a Kermit the Frog doll and Dorothy Gale's red slippers (actress who starred in the film The Wizard of Oz).

National Museum of the American Indian

National Museum of the American Indian, opening hours 10:00 - 17:30. The most modern (2004) of all the Smithsonian museums displays the cultural traditions of the indigenous peoples of North, Central and South America. The museum focuses more on 20th century history and modern culture than the pre-Columbian and colonial era. Perhaps the most important attraction is the museum building, designed by the famous Canadian architect Cardinal Douglas. The facade is covered with limestone, reminiscent of the rocks of the American Southwest, there are practically no sharp corners, and the walls of the building are curved.

National Air and Space Museum

The second most visited museum on the National Mall is the National Air and Space Museum, which contains the world's largest collection of old aircraft and spacecraft. As of June 2007, the museum's exhibits included 61 aircraft, 51 large spacecraft, and more than 2,000 small exhibits. The museum houses the 1903 Wright Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis (made the first non-stop flight from Paris to New York, 1927), the crew module of the Apollo 11 spacecraft (carried astronauts to the surface of the Moon, pictured above), The Enola Gay bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Park

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Park, opening hours: 10:00 - 17:30; Sculpture Park - 07:30 until sunset. The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Park was originally conceived as a contemporary art museum, and its collection focuses primarily on art created within the last 50 years. The museum houses collections of famous artists: Pabla Picasso, Henri Matisse, Mary Cassata, Thomas Eakins, Henry Moore, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Franz Klein, Hans Hoffmann, Louis Morris, Kenneth Nolan, John Chamberlain, David Smith, Francis Bacon, Willem de Kooning, Milton Avery, Archil Gorky, Edward Hopper, Larry Rivers and others. A visit to the Sculpture Park will be a real pleasure for children.

Museum of Arts and Industry

The beautiful building became the second oldest museum on the territory of the National Pier (1881). The building was built to provide the Smithsonian with a place to publicly display its growing collection. In 1971, the museum building was included in the list of National Historic Monuments of the United States. The Museum of Arts and Industry is currently closed for renovation.

Smithsonian Castle

Smithsonian Castle, opening hours 08:30 - 17:30. This red brick Castle became the first premises of the Smithsonian Institution. The main offices of the Smithsonian Institution, an information center are located in the Castle, and exhibitions are periodically organized here. In 1965, the Castle was included in the list of National Historic Monuments of the United States.

National Museum of African Art

National Museum of African Art, opening hours 10:00 - 17:30. Located underground on the grounds of the National Mall, the museum specializes in African art and culture. Established as a private museum in 1964, it officially became part of the Smithsonian Institution in August 1979. The exhibits in the museum (more than 7,000) are represented from all parts of Africa, but most of them originate from the sub-Saharan region. Most of the exhibits include sculpture, masks, furniture, wooden musical instruments, talismans and amulets. The museum has a family atmosphere with daily activities and programs for children.

Freer Art Gallery and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Freer Art Gallery and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, hours 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
The Freer Art Gallery is adjacent to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, together forming the Smithsonian Institution's National Asian Art Museums. Both galleries display art from East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Islamic world, the Ancient Near East, Ancient Egypt, and a significant collection of late 19th-century American art. The main exhibition spaces of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery are located underground.

Washington Monument

The monument to the first US President George Washington has become a symbol of pride, gratitude and patriotism of the American people. No single person in American history played such an important role as the first president, and no building in Washington to this day exceeds the height of this monument. Construction of the obelisk began in 1848 and was completed in 1884, almost 30 years after the death of the architect. The obelisk was built from marble, granite and gneiss (a type of rock), materials brought from every state in America. A break in construction occurred due to the American Civil War. The difference in the color of the marble is visible at about 46 m, indicating a place where construction was suspended for several years. Upon completion, it became the tallest structure in the world, exceeding the height of Cologne Cathedral. The obelisk held the title of the tallest structure in the world until 1889, when the Eiffel Tower was built in Paris, and today retains the title of the world's tallest structure made of stone.
Tickets can be purchased for free near the obelisk or ordered in advance online at the National Park Service Reservation Center. Rising up the elevator, through 8 small windows you will see the panorama of the National Mall and the surrounding area.

National Memorial to the Heroes of World War II

World War II was the major event of the 20th century, with sixteen million American soldiers serving in the military and 400,000 of them dying. The memorial honors Americans who served in the armed forces during World War II. The architect tried to convey the tragedy and horrors of war in granite with 56 columns and two arches around the square and fountain. The memorial is located on the grounds of the National Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Opened by President George W. Bush on May 29, 2004. Every year, the memorial is visited by more than 4 million people.

District of Columbia War Memorial

The only memorial on the National Mall is dedicated to DC's World War I heroes. The small Doric-style temple building serves as a tribute to the 26,000 Washingtonians who fought in World War I. At the foot of the memorial are engraved the names of 499 fallen soldiers.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Perhaps the most impressive of all the National Mall memorials is dedicated to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who fought and died (or went missing) during the Vietnam War. The memorial currently consists of three distinct parts: the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall (the most famous part of the memorial, pictured), the Three Soldiers sculpture, and the Vietnam Women's Memorial.

The names of the 58,195 American soldiers killed in Vietnam and Southeast Asia are inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. In 2007, the Memorial took tenth place in the “List of the most popular architectural objects in the United States” according to the influential American Institute of Architects. It receives approximately 3 million visitors every year.

Korean War Veterans Memorial

The Korean War Veterans Memorial is dedicated to the memory of soldiers who fought during the Korean War (1950 – 1953). During one of the largest wars of the 20th century, hundreds of thousands of people died on both sides.

In the center of the composition are 19 statues of American soldiers just over two meters high.
The soldiers' uniforms represent several branches of the American Army. They are dressed in full combat gear and scattered among juniper bushes surrounded by trees symbolizing Korea's rugged terrain. The 50-meter-long black granite wall is engraved with images of soldiers and military equipment that took part in the fighting.

Lincoln Memorial

Most of the National Mall memorials in Washington are impressive, but none are quite as impressive as the Abraham Lincoln Memorial. The Memorial building features a huge sculpture of a seated Abraham Lincoln with inscriptions of the president's most famous speeches.

On October 15, 1966, the Lincoln Memorial was designated a National Historic Site in the United States. Open to the public 24 hours a day. In 2007, it took seventh position on the “List of the Most Popular Architectural Objects in the United States” according to the American Institute of Architects.

Bureau of Engraving and Printing

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is not a museum, but a government agency of the U.S. Treasury Department where paper money is printed for the Federal Reserve System. Those interested can take advantage of free excursions on weekdays (but you must get tickets for them). They don't give out free dollars here, but it's worth coming here to see the millions of dollars being printed literally before your eyes.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) also produces Treasury securities for the United States government, many different types of certificates, forms, and special documents for U.S. government agencies, but its main product is paper money for the Federal Reserve System. Does not produce coins here; all coins are minted at the United States Mint.

Martin Luther King Monument

The most modern of all existing monuments on the National Mall (2011) is dedicated to the fallen leader of the movement for black civil rights in America. Sculptors worked on the monument for two decades, depicting King with the text of his most famous speech, “I Have a Dream.” Martin Luther King advocated for equality regardless of race and led the black civil rights movement. Under pressure from this movement, authorities were forced to pass the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, which established equal voting rights for African Americans and prohibited segregation in public places.

On August 22, 2011, the Memorial was opened by US President Barack Obama. Although this is not the first monument to African Americans in Washington, Martin Luther King is the first black person to be so honored on the grounds of the National Mall (and the fourth non-president).

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

The memorial is dedicated to President Roosevelt and the era personified by his name. Overflowing with sculpture and numerous man-made waterfalls (beautifully illuminated at night), the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is one of the National Mall's most tranquil areas to stroll and relax. It is divided into four sections, each focusing on a different period of Roosevelt's administration.

The memorial was dedicated by President Bill Clinton on May 2, 1997. The sculptures depicted the 32nd President of the United States along with his dog Fala. Other sculptures at the Memorial show scenes of the Great Depression, such as listening to Roosevelt's evening radio addresses to the nation or unemployed people waiting in line for a free meal. It also features a bronze statue of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, the only memorial depicting a presidential spouse.

Given Roosevelt's disability, designers designed the memorial to be accessible to people with a variety of physical disabilities.

Jefferson Memorial

Thomas Jefferson played an invaluable role as one of the Founding Fathers of the Republic, the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third President of the United States. Construction of the Memorial in neoclassical style was completed in 1943. In keeping with his role in American history, a huge bronze statue of him was erected in 1947. Quotes from Jefferson's letters, including the Declaration of Independence, are reproduced on the walls. In 2007, the Memorial was listed in fourth place on the American Institute of Architects' list of the most popular architectural sites in the United States.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, open 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. daily. The Memorial Museum is dedicated to the study and interpretation of the history of the Holocaust and serves as a memorial to the millions of people who died during the Holocaust. This is the saddest place for visitors to the National Mall. Its exhibition is dedicated to what exactly happened during the Holocaust, its senseless inhumanity and the incredible suffering caused. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's collection contains more than 12,750 artifacts, 49 million pages of archival documents, 80,000 historical photographs, 1,000 hours of archival film, and 9,000 oral eyewitness accounts. Since its opening on April 22, 1993, the Museum has welcomed nearly 30 million visitors, 91 heads of state and more than 3,500 foreign officials from more than 130 countries.
Entrance to the memorial museum is free, but you must purchase a ticket. During the tourist influx season (March-August), the number of tickets is limited - first come first gets it.

The impressive architecture and beauty of the site make the National Mall a unique place to honor American history.
The influential American Institute of Architects has compiled a ranking of the best buildings in America, according to which six of the best buildings in the top ten are located in Washington: the White House, the National Cathedral of Washington, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the Capitol Building, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.