The Mall (Washington, DC)
. The Washington Monument and Lincoln memorial are visible in the background.]]The National Mall (or just The Mall) in Washington, DC is an open area of gardens, fountains, trees, flower beds, and monuments open to the public for recreation, cultural development, protests, or simply escape from the urbanization of the U.S capital.
As it has been designated by the National Park Service, the National Mall refers specifically to the land stretching from the grounds of the Washington Monument to the United States Capitol directly to the east. However, commonly the term "National Mall" refers to the whole area starting at the Lincoln Memorial and extending due east to the Capitol, with the Washington Monument providing a clear division west of the physical center.
USGS satellite image of the National Mall (proper), taken April 26, 2002. The Capitol and surrounding grounds on the right were pixellated before release, presumably for security reasons.
The National Mall features the following museums and monuments:
Landmarks of the National Mall
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1. Washington Monument 2. National Museum of American History 3. National Museum of Natural History 4. National Gallery of Art sculpture garden 5. West Building of the National Gallery of Art 6. East Building of the National Gallery of Art 7. United States Capitol 8. Ulysses S. Grant Memorial 9. United States Botanical Garden |
10. National Museum of the American Indian (note: the image above shows the site still under construction) 11.National Air and Space Museum 12.Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden 13.Arts and Industries Building 14.Smithsonian Institution Building ("The Castle") 15.Freer Gallery of Art 16.Arthur M. Sackler Gallery 17.National Museum of African Art |
Other nearby features
. The Washington Monument, Reflecting Pool, and United States Capitol are visible in the background.]]
Other attractions within walking distance of the Mall include the Library of Congress and the United States Supreme Court to the east behind the Capitol; the White House (on a line directly north of the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial), the National Archives, the Old Post Office, the National Theater and Ford's Theater to the north; the National Postal Museum, and Union Station to the northeast; and the Jefferson Memorial (on a line directly south of the Washington Monument and the White House), the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, the George Mason National Memorial, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to the south.
The Mall, in combination with the other attractions in the Washington metropolitan area, makes the nation's capital city one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.
In addition, the Mall's status as a wide, open expanse at the heart of the capital makes it an attractive site for protests and rallies of all types. One notable example is the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a massive rally for African-American civil rights, at which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr gave his famous "I have a dream" speech. To date, the largest rally on the Mall was the 2004 March for Womens' Lives, in favor of abortion rights and against George W. Bush.