Things to Do in National Mall and Memorials
Two miles of museums, monuments and memorials between the Capitol and the Potomac.
See top-rated activities »About the National Mall
The National Mall is the long lawn at the heart of Washington, and for most visitors it is the trip. The Capitol stands at the east end, the Washington Monument near the middle and the Lincoln Memorial at the west end, with the Reflecting Pool stretched between Lincoln and the World War II Memorial. South of the monument, the Tidal Basin is ringed by the Jefferson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Martin Luther King Jr. memorials, and by the Japanese cherry trees that bloom there each spring.
Museums line the Mall's eastern half. On the north side are the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the two buildings of the National Gallery of Art. Across the lawn are the National Air and Space Museum, the Hirshhorn's ring-shaped modern art gallery, the National Museum of the American Indian and the red sandstone Smithsonian Castle. Admission to all of them is free, and you can easily spend a whole day in just one.
The memorials are open around the clock, and many people think they look best after dark, when the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument are floodlit and the crowds thin out. The National Park Service staffs most of the major memorials during the day and offers short ranger talks. Distances are bigger than they look on a map, so wear comfortable shoes, use Metro and city buses to save your legs, or join a bike, pedicab or evening bus tour.
To go up the Washington Monument, reserve a free ticket through Recreation.gov, the official federal booking site, or line up early for the limited same-day tickets. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, just south of the Mall, also uses free timed passes during busy months.
Don’t Miss
The 555-foot marble obelisk at the center of the Mall. An elevator takes visitors to the observation level; free tickets are required and booked through Recreation.gov.
The temple-like memorial to Abraham Lincoln, with the seated statue by Daniel Chester French and the texts of the Gettysburg Address and his second inaugural carved inside. Open at all hours.
Dinosaur fossils, the Hope Diamond, an ocean hall with a life-size whale model and an insect zoo. Free, like the other Smithsonian museums.
Historic aircraft and spacecraft on the Mall. Its larger companion, the Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport, holds the space shuttle Discovery.
A bronze-latticed building whose history galleries begin below ground and climb toward the present. Free timed passes are sometimes needed; check before you go.
Two buildings of European and American art, including the only Leonardo da Vinci painting in the Americas, plus an outdoor sculpture garden.
A loop walk of about two miles past the Jefferson, FDR and Martin Luther King Jr. memorials, lined with the cherry trees that bloom in spring.
Maya Lin's black granite wall, engraved with the names of more than 58,000 Americans killed or missing in the Vietnam War.
Top-Rated Tours, Tickets & Activities in the National Mall
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ViatorTours, tickets, prices and reviews from Viator (a Tripadvisor company) and Tiqets — prices are per person, from, and were checked October 27, 2026. Best of Washington, DC may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.
Plan your time in the National Mall
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Get free trip quotes »the National Mall — FAQ
How long does it take to walk the National Mall?
The walk from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial is about two miles each way. With stops at the Washington Monument, the World War II Memorial and the Reflecting Pool, plan on at least two hours, and longer if you add the Tidal Basin loop.
Can you visit the memorials at night?
Yes. The memorials on the Mall are open 24 hours, and the Lincoln, Jefferson and World War II memorials are lit after dark. Evening tours by bus, bike or on foot are popular for that reason.
Which Smithsonian museums are on the National Mall?
Natural History, American History, African American History and Culture, Air and Space, the American Indian museum, the Hirshhorn, the Arts and Industries Building, the Smithsonian Castle and the National Museum of Asian Art are all on or beside the Mall. The National Gallery of Art is there too but is not part of the Smithsonian.
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