Martin Luther King Memorial

 The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and there is no fee to visit. 

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is part of the National Mall and Memorial Parks. The memorial is located at the intersection of Independence Ave. and West Basin Drive SW in Washington, D.C. Parking is limited near the memorial. The nearest metro stop is the Smithsonian. 

What You'll See:

You enter the memorial through a piece cutout of the Mountain of Despair. As you walk through it looks as if a piece was pushed forward and stands alone. 

  The centerpiece; a 30-foot statue of Dr. King's likeness is carved into the Stone of Hope, which is inscribed with the words, "Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope," a quote from his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

  

  I was overwhelmed with emotions as I approached the memorial. The weight of what this man and so many others sacrificed and achieved for the greater good of African Americans and all mankind hit me like a brick and tears rolled down my face.

 

On both sides of the Stone of Hope is an inscription wall, featuring quotes from King's speeches, sermons and writings from around the world. As my family walked along reading the powerful inscriptions on the wall, I smiled and watched my children with gratitude in my heart that they live in the world that Dr. King fought for and dreamed about.

This was my family's first visit to the MLK Memorial and I have to say, it was absolutely beautiful and I look forward to returning. The monument is located on a tranquil four-acre site, overlooking the Tidal Basin, next to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial and across the water from the Jefferson memorials.

Oh Happy Day! This was a bucket list stop for me and I'm just so very Thankful I was able to share this experience with my husband and children!