Thomas Jefferson Memorial
A round white memorial on the south shore of the Tidal Basin, modeled on the Roman Pantheon, with a 5.8-meter bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson and lines from the Declaration of Independence carved on its walls.
Completed in 1943 to honor Thomas Jefferson, principal author of the Declaration of Independence and third president. Inside the rotunda, the bronze statue faces the direction of the White House, and the walls are carved with excerpts from the Declaration of Independence and Jefferson's letters. The steps are a classic spot for photographing the Tidal Basin and the Washington Monument, especially at sunrise and at night. It is open 24 hours and free, and park rangers are on duty until 10 p.m. It is about a 20-minute walk along the Tidal Basin from the National Mall, or you can rent a shared bike.
Opening hours
All day (management office 09:30–22:00)
Nearby sights
- Tidal Basin Cherry Blossoms
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
- Washington Monument
- National World War II Memorial
- Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- International Spy Museum
- Freer Gallery of Art