Added: 01/26/2006 |
From Art Galleries To The National Mall, Washington Has It AllWashington, DC is a very popular tourist destination. As the nation's capital, school groups and families frequent this city to experience a little piece of history and to learn about our current government. Boasting such sites as the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial and National Mall, Washington has something for everyone.
One of the most famous sites is the National Mall, Washington, DC. The National Mall is a 2-mile stretch of land that runs from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol building. All along the National Mall, Washington has some of the country's most popular museums, including the National Gallery of Art and the National Air and Space Museum. The National Mall, Washington, DC serves as a central axis for many of the capital's museums, monuments and memorials. Therefore, many visitors will find the National Mall, Washington to be a great home base when visiting.
From the National Mall, Washington visitors can easily visit the US Capitol, which is home to the United States Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate occupies the northern wing of the Capitol, while the House of Representatives occupies the southern wing. In the center, the Capitol building boasts a large, domed room known as the Rotunda. The Rotunda is used for important ceremonial events, such as the lying in state of prominent citizens and the dedication of important works of art. The Rotunda itself is considered a work of art, featuring curved sandstone walls with Doric pilasters and wreaths of olive branches carved in the frieze. It is home to many works of art, including scenes of the revolutionary period and portraits of early American explorers.
Going back to the National Mall, Washington visitors can also easily venture to the Lincoln Memorial. Built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, this memorial was started in 1914 and took 8 years to complete. Each column in the famed memorial represents each of the states of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death. Inside the 99 foot tall marble temple is a large, 19 foot sculpture of the beloved Lincoln seated in a chair. The northern wall of the temple features an inscription of Lincoln's second inaugural address, while the southern wall features an inscription of the famed Gettysburg address. Often used as a gathering place for political rallies and protests, the Lincoln Memorial is also the site of Martin Luther King, Jr's famous "I Have A Dream" speech.
Also from the National Mall, Washington visitors can readily access the National Air and Space Museum. Part of the Smithsonian, the National Air and Space Museum has the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It includes more than 30,000 aviation artifacts and more than 9,000 space related artifacts. This 200,000 square foot building hosts more than 10 million visitors each year, making it one of the most popular Washington, DC museums.
Whether you're interested in art, history or government, Washington, DC has many attractions and activities to offer. Since many of the monuments and sites are free or very inexpensive to visit, it makes a great place for school groups and families on a budget to visit.
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