Statue of Abraham Lincoln (Lincoln Memorial) Tomb

Address: 2 Lincoln Memorial Cir NW, Washington, DC 20037, USA

Website: https://www.nps.gov/linc

Hours: Open 24 hours

Admission: Free

The Statue of Abraham Lincoln sits inside the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The memorial was dedicated in 1922 and the seated marble figure of Lincoln is 19 feet tall.

The interior houses the large seated statue and carved inscriptions of the Gettysburg Address and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, both intended for public reflection. The memorial’s colonnaded exterior of 36 columns frames the west end of the National Mall and provides an iconic eastward view over the Reflecting Pool to the Washington Monument.

Designed by architect Henry Bacon with the statue by sculptor Daniel Chester French, the memorial was built between 1914 and 1922 and dedicated as a national monument to Abraham Lincoln. The statue was carved in marble by the Piccirilli Brothers and installed at the time of dedication.

The memorial occupies the western terminus of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on the northern edge of the Reflecting Pool.

• Statue height and dedication: The seated marble figure is 19 feet tall and was dedicated in 1922.
• Inscripted speeches: Inscriptions of the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural Address are carved on the interior walls.
• Best viewing: The memorial faces east across the Reflecting Pool to the Washington Monument, making sunrise views and the axial vista popular photo spots.

What to See#

• Lincoln statue: A 5.8 metre (19 foot) seated figure carved in marble and executed by the Piccirilli Brothers from a model by sculptor Daniel Chester French; installed in the memorial chamber and set on a large pedestal.
• Inscription chamber: Interior walls of the memorial chamber bearing the full texts of the Gettysburg Address and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, carved in stone for public reading.
• Colonnade and terrace: A colonnaded, temple-like exterior with a peristyle of 36 Doric columns representing the states in the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death, plus the broad steps and terrace framing the west end of the National Mall.

On the west end of the National Mall, between the Washington Monument and the Potomac. Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU (Blue/Orange/Silver lines) or Smithsonian (Orange/Blue/Silver to Federal Triangle plus a walk). Numerous Metrobus lines and parking nearby.

• Visit at sunrise or sunset for the best photographs - the statue's face and the Reflecting Pool to the west create memorable compositions.
• Climb the memorial steps for views back toward the Washington Monument and the Mall.
• Weekday mornings are usually quieter than weekends; avoid major federal holidays if possible.