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Korean War Veterans Memorial, Washington, DC

Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicHistory BuffFree

Korean War Veterans Memorial

Southeast of the Lincoln Memorial, West Potomac Park · Washington, DC

Why you should go…

Set in West Potomac Park southeast of the Lincoln Memorial, this memorial honors those who served in the Korean War. Nineteen stainless steel statues of a platoon on patrol reflect in a 164-foot black granite mural wall, making 38 figures, a nod to the 38th parallel. More than 2,500 archival images are sandblasted into the granite. A Wall of Remembrance added in 2022 lists the names of the war dead, and a round Pool of Remembrance sits in a grove of linden trees.

  • #war memorial
  • #national mall
  • #military history
  • #monument

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Korean War Veterans Memorial, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Lincoln Memorial

    Free

    Climb the marble steps where Dr. King spoke and take in the Mall's most moving view, free and open 24 hours.

    Steps awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
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    Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

    Free

    See Dr. King's 30-foot granite likeness emerge from the Stone of Hope beside the Tidal Basin, ringed by a wall of his words.

    0.2 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Vietnam Veterans Memorial

    Free

    Walk the black granite wall etched with more than 58,000 names, then see the Three Servicemen statue and the Vietnam Women's Memorial.

    0.2 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Tidal Basin

    Free

    Walk the path around a 107-acre basin lined with cherry trees, past the Jefferson, FDR and Martin Luther King, Jr. memorials.

    0.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Museums
    Powerful

    United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

    Free

    A profound, self-guided journey through Holocaust history just off the Mall, free, with timed passes for the Permanent Exhibition.

    0.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Museums
    History Buff

    National Museum of African American History and Culture

    Free

    A powerful journey through African American history and culture, from the slave trade galleries to Motown and beyond.

    0.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums