Memorial Overview
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial pays tribute to those who served in the Vietnam War and is one of the most visited attractions in Washington DC. The memorial is a black granite wall inscribed with the names of 58,286 Americans killed or missing in the Vietnam conflict. The veterans’ names are listed in chronological order of when the casualty occurred, and an alphabetical directory helps visitors locate names. Park rangers and volunteers provide educational programs and special events at the memorial.
A life-size bronze statue depicting three young servicemen is located near the Vietnam Memorial Wall. Also nearby is the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, a sculpture of two women in uniform tending to the wounds of a male soldier while a third woman kneels nearby. Visitors often leave flowers, medals, letters, and photos in front of the memorials. The National Park Service collects these offerings, and many are displayed at the Smithsonian Museum of American History.
Address: Constitution Avenue and Henry Bacon Dr. NW Washington, DC (202) 634-1568
The closest Metro station is Foggy Bottom.
Hours: Open 24 hours, staffed daily 8:00 a.m. to midnight.
Building a Visitor and Education Center
Congress has authorized the construction of a Vietnam Memorial Visitors Center on the National Mall in Washington, DC. When completed, the Visitors Center will serve to educate visitors about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Vietnam War, paying tribute to all of the men and women who served in America’s wars. To maintain the prominence of the Vietnam Wall and other nearby memorials, this center will be constructed underground.
The chosen site for the proposed education center was approved in 2006 by the National Park Service, the Commission of Fine Arts, and the National Capital Planning Commission. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held in November 2012. The new facility will be built northwest of the Vietnam Memorial Wall and northeast of the Lincoln Memorial, bordered by Constitution Avenue, 23rd Street, and Henry Bacon Drive. The Memorial Fund continues to raise funds for the building of the Visitor Center, and no opening date has yet been set.
About the Memorial Fund
Established in 1979, the Memorial Fund is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Its most recent initiative involves building the Education Center at The Wall. Other initiatives include educational programs for students and teachers, a traveling Wall replica that honors America’s veterans, and a humanitarian and mine-action program in Vietnam.
