Universal Accessibility at the Jefferson Memorial

Universal Accessibility at the Jefferson Memorial

Dedicated in 1943, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial honors the legacy of our nation's third president and Founding Father. The Memorial sits at the southern end of the Tidal Basin, in direct line with the Washington Monument and White House; and is adjacent to the famous Japanese Cherry Trees lining the Tidal Basin. The circular, open-air structure features a shallow dome of 54 columns constructed of marble and limestone. Within the interior chamber stands a 19-foot tall statue of Jefferson surrounded by quotations from his famous writings carved into the walls. The Memorial is one of our nation's most iconic landmarks and one of the most visited on the National Mall.

At 75 years old, the memorial has undergone various repairs and rehabilitation efforts. Significant public and private funding is needed to address serious structural failures, remove biofilm, improve universal accessibility for all visitors, enhance and expand the exhibits, and construct a permanent security perimeter to ensure the long-term protection of the memorial. 

As the broader repairs to the roof structure and cleaning continue, the Trust will be an advisor to the redesign of the undercroft exhibit space, bringing experts and historians together to support the National Park Service in the development of the interpretive content for the exhibits.

See the State of the National Mall Report for more details on this project.