This memorial is dedicated to the 34th President of the United States of America.
Congress created a commission to build the memorial in October 1999, with final design approval and groundbreaking in 2017.
The planned opening of May 8, 2020, the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, was postponed until September 17th of the same year, due to the outbreak of Covid-19.
The rescheduled dedication date coincided with Constitution Week, which Eisenhower established as President in 1956.
Plan Your Visit
The memorial is located just a block off the southeastern end of the national mall, not far from the west side of the United States Capitol Building.
Designed by Frank Gehry and sculpted by Sergey Eylanbekov, it is an open-air memorial and you can visit it twenty four hours a day, every day of the year.
No tickets are required.
Rangers and volunteers are on duty from 9:30AM to 5PM daily.
How to Get There:
The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial is located at 540 Independence Ave SW, across the street from the National Air and Space Museum.
Public Transit:
The memorial is a short walk from either the L’Enfant Plaza (Blue, Orange, Silver, Green, and Yellow lines) or Federal Center SW (Blue, Orange, and Silver lines) Metro stations. There are nearby stops for the 681, 881, 883, 884, 886, and P6 Metro buses. There is also a Capital Bikeshare dock on the same block.
Parking:
Public transit is always recommended, however, if that is not an option, there are parking garages in the area, though you’ll want to make sure of their hours of operation. You may want to check out the SpotHero app to help find a parking space.
Accessibility/Bathrooms:
The site has wheelchair accessibility and there is a small welcome desk and gift shop, as well as restrooms. Be aware that restrooms are typically only accessible during daytime hours.
Symbolism:
A series of statues illustrate phases of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s life, from his boyhood, to his service during the Second World War, to his presidency.
A 447 foot long, 60 foot tall “tapestry” made of stainless steel depicts an abstract image of the Pointe du Hoc promontory during peacetime, reminding us of Eisenhower’s role in European victory.
Finally there are several inscriptions with quotations from Eisenhower’s speeches, including his Homecoming Speech and Guildhall Address.
The memorial is located in proximity to several buildings that remind us of Eisenhower’s presidential legacy including the Department of Transportation and Department of Education.
