Activity Overview
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is one of several national memorials in Washington, D.C. located on the National Mall. Completed in 1982, the memorial is dedicated to members of the U.S. armed services that served in the Vietnam War from 1955 until 1975. It consists of a Memorial Wall, a Women's Memorial, and a statue, and is often ranked as one of the top memorials in the United States due to its unique architectural features. If you're planning to spend a few hours exploring the National Mall, it is a must-see attraction.
Things to Do
- Visit the famous Memorial Wall, which consists of immense slabs of black granite inscribed with the names of over 58,000 men and women who served in the Vietnam War and were killed or went missing in action.
- Check out The Three Soldiers, a bronze statue depicting three young soldiers serving in the Vietnam War. It was designed so that the soldiers appear to be looking at the Memorial Wall and the names of their fallen comrades.
- View the Vietnam Women's Memorial, a statue that was added to the memorial site in 1993 in order to honor the many women that served in the war. It is also the first memorial in Washington, D.C. to honor the military service of women.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Insider Tips
- People who have family members that died in the Vietnam War often make rubbings of their loved one's name on the wall by taking a piece of paper and rubbing a pen or pencil over the inscription bearing their name.
- If you plan to take public transportation to the memorial, the nearest metro stop is Foggy Bottom, which is accessible using the Orange and Blue lines.
- While you're in the area, you may also want to visit other nearby landmarks such as the Lincoln Memorial and the National World War II Memorial.
