National Memorials & Museums
In stone, in bronze, and in quiet ground, the nation has built places to remember. These are the monuments to the men and women who served — where the names are kept, and where a grateful nation comes to say thank you.
The Nation's Monuments
Each memorial is a promise kept — that the names would not be forgotten, and that the cost would be remembered. Visit, and let the names speak.
Arlington National Cemetery
Open Daily · FreeArlington, Virginia
Our nation's most sacred shrine, holding more than 400,000 veterans and their dependents. Walk the rows of white headstones, witness the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and pause at the eternal flame. Open daily; free admission.
Plan a visit→World War II Memorial
Open 24 HoursNational Mall, Washington, D.C.
Dedicated in 2004, the memorial honors the 16 million who served and the 400,000 who died in the Second World War. Fifty-six pillars encircle a pool — one for each state and territory — with twin Atlantic and Pacific pavilions. Open 24 hours.
Plan a visit→Vietnam Veterans Memorial — The Wall
Open 24 HoursNational Mall, Washington, D.C.
Maya Lin's black granite wall, dedicated in 1982, bears the names of 58,281 service members who died or remain missing in Vietnam. Touch a name, leave a tribute, or find a loved one with the directory. The Wall is open 24 hours; rangers are on site daily.
Plan a visit→Korean War Veterans Memorial
Open 24 HoursNational Mall, Washington, D.C.
Nineteen stainless-steel figures patrol a field, reflected in a black granite wall etched with faces. The Pool of Remembrance lists the cost: 54,246 dead, 103,284 wounded, 8,177 missing. Dedicated in 1995. Open 24 hours.
Plan a visit→Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Hourly Guard ChangeArlington National Cemetery
Guarded without interruption since 1937 by the Sentinels of the 3rd Infantry ('The Old Guard'). The Changing of the Guard occurs every hour on the hour (every half hour, April–September, daylight). Silence and respect are observed at all times.
Plan a visit→Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima)
Open DailyArlington, Virginia
The iconic sculpture of the flag raising on Iwo Jima, dedicated in 1954, honors every Marine who has given their life since 1775. The base bears every major Marine Corps engagement. Visit at dusk for the evening flag ceremony in summer.
Plan a visit→National World War I Memorial
Open DailyWashington, D.C.
Rededicated in 2021 at Pershing Park, the memorial honors the 4.7 million Americans who served in the Great War. A sculpted wall, 'A Soldier's Journey,' tells the story of a nation answering the call. Open daily.
Plan a visit→National Museum of the United States Air Force
Free AdmissionDayton, Ohio
The world's largest military aviation museum — 350+ aircraft and missiles, from the Wright brothers to stealth. Free admission, free parking. A walking history of American air power and the airmen who flew it.
Plan a visit→Ways to Honor the Fallen
Whether you walk the Wall or visit from across the country, there is a way to say thank you.
Visit in Person
Most national memorials on the Mall are open 24 hours and free to visit. Arlington National Cemetery is open daily with free admission. Plan ahead for parking and allow several hours — these are places to walk slowly.
Leave a Tribute
Visitors leave flowers, photographs, letters, and personal mementos at the Vietnam Wall and at individual graves. The National Park Service collects and preserves these tributes — they are never discarded.
Find a Name
Directories at the Vietnam Wall and online databases at Arlington help families and friends locate a specific name or gravesite. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund offers a name locator and an online Wall of Faces.
Honor from Afar
Can't travel? The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's Virtual Wall, the Arlington app, and the National Park Service's online tours let you pay respects from anywhere — and leave a digital remembrance.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund keeps the Virtual Wall — search any name, read the remembrances left by families, and add your own. Every name on the Wall has a story.
“Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices.”
— President Harry S. Truman