Architecture of the National Mall: An Audio Tour with Context

(15 reviews)

Washington, D.C. audio tour: Architecture of the National Mall: An Audio Tour with Context

This is a 3mi walking tour

It takes an average of 90 mins to complete.

Washington, D.C.

The United States

$19.99

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About the Tour

Washington DC’s National Mall is filled with iconic monuments that celebrate the history of the city, and the country at large. On this walking tour with Kristen Weller, an architect and Context Travel expert, you’ll explore these premier public gardens and gain insights into what the memorials mean.

As you make your way from Union Square, the tour’s starting point, to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial where it ends, you’ll learn how the space has changed over the years, and who’s influenced it. You’ll hear how the park’s design mimics the Garden of Versailles in France, and how it was commissioned to be a ‘stage for American democracy’.

You’ll visit iconic structures, old and new, like the Washington Monument, the Tidal Basin, and the Smithsonian Castle. You’ll also have a chance to admire the Lincoln Memorial, which was previously part of the Tidal Basin and later filled in!

On this 90-minute walk around the National Mall, you’ll:

Take in views of the Capitol Building and its stunning dome structure
Hear how Joseph H Hirshhorn opened the Hirshhorn Museum to share his art collection with the people of the United States
Find out how the White House and Capitol Building both burned in the War of 1812, leaving the Dome of the Capitol incomplete until after the Civil War
Learn about James Smithson, the British chemist and mineralogist who was the founding donor of the Smithsonian Institution, and his quest to encourage the sharing of knowledge
Take in the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial, where lighting played an important role in the design of the building, which can be visited during the day or at night
Dive into the controversies surrounding the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Memorial
Find out how lawmakers in DC decided to enact the Height Act to preserve and protect their federal city
Take in the World War II Memorial and learn how Congress expedited the process of erecting it so that vets would still be alive to see it

By the end of this tour, you’ll have an understanding of the architecture and planning of the National Mall. You’ll also have a deeper appreciation for the meaning behind some of its most iconic structures.

Tour Producer

Context Travel

92 tours

Context was founded in Rome in 2003 by Paul Bennett and Lani Bevacqua an expat couple eager to curate experiences for travelers, not tourists. Since then Context has taken over 200,000 people to 60+ destinations around the world – accompanied by thousands of leading experts. What started as a dream to create cross-cultural connections is now a worldwide network and community of thoughtful, engaged travelers and experts.

Join a live private or small group tour in destinations around the world at contexttravel.com.

Preview Location

Location 10

Professor Joseph Henry Statue

Once across, turn left at the path then go down the stairs to keep walking toward the National Monument obelisk which should be slowly growing as we near it.

If you have mobility needs, please follow the pathway along Jefferson about halfway down the block to reach the ram... Once across, turn left at the path then go down the stairs to keep walking toward the National Monument obelisk which should be slowly growing as we near it.

If you have mobility needs, please follow the pathway along Jefferson about halfway down the block to reach the ramp for wheelchair access.

You'll see as we continue several buildings flanking us, most of which are museums of the Smithsonian Institution. We're walking among museums such as the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of Asian Art, the National Museum of American History, and several others. You may also notice several federal buildings as we walk, such as the US Department of Agriculture, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US Department of Commerce and more.

As we continue, the lawn surrounding us is where many national events, demonstrations, and protests take place. Within the decade, this outdoor space has gone through several upgrades costing upwards of forty million dollars. The main reason for the wear and tear that this has gone through is from the masses of people that travel here each year. Like any front yard, this space requires a great amount of maintenance which has led to developing the drainage systems, irrigation systems, and establishing a resilient lawn which will be able to keep up with the many events and uses. This lawn consists of a mix of Kentucky bluegrass in combination with tall fescues and beneath it is a very large cistern system which both collects runoff from rain and snow events, cleans this water and provides it for reuse to irrigate the grass.

The city of Washington DC sees on average thirty-nine inches of rain per year, which is a lot. To put this in perspective, it's more than Seattle, which is usually known for its raininess - the difference being that DC receives heavy downpours as opposed to the consistent rain during more days of the year experienced in the Pacific Northwes. The amount of snow DC sees each year varies greatly but can average around thirteen inches throughout the winter. The amount of maintenance that goes into upkeep here is down to a science, and in the event of a large amount of people in combination with a weather event, you may see temporary decking or other infrastructure elements in place to provide for a safe and healthy environment for both the visitors and the lawn.

You may see several loungers and recreational sports being played throughout our walk. The National Mall and Memorial Parks preserve more than one thousand acres of federal parkland. The space we're currently walking through allows for casual sports play, picnicking, and other typical park activities. If there are larger events or happenings here, the national park services may prohibit the use of the space for recreational activity, and ask that users relocate for those permitted events. For instance, George Washington University's commencement ceremonies have taken place on the National Mall near here. A large event like this may even redirect our walking path today, so please be cognizant of the signs and walking detours that we may have to take if that is the case. Later on in our walk, we'll see some of the reservable spaces that may be utilized for more organized recreational sports and tournaments.

I've often received the question of notable American films and television shows which have been filmed or set to have taken place here. You may recognize buildings such as the National Archives from National Treasure or some of the Smithsonian Museums from Night at the Museum. An interesting and fun fact is that a lot of popular shows and movies that are based in Washington D.C. may be filmed in our nation's capital but due to Maryland's competitive tax credits program, a lot of productions will do the bulk of their filming in cities such as Baltimore. This type of strategy was taken for the popular show House of Cards several years back. Later on, you'll see the Lincoln Memorial which is the most famed filming location on the National Mall and appears in several films including Forrest Gump, Wedding Crashers, Planet of the Apes, Captain America and many more.

On the news or while you're here, you may see protesting which is typical of our nation's capital as a way of exhibiting our freedom of speech. In the United States, the First Amendment protects our freedom to speak, assemble, and associate with others. These usually peaceful demonstrations consist of various numbers of people - if there are twenty-five or more people involved in a protest on the National Mall, a permit is required by the city of Washington DC. Permits are also typically required for other events including performances, marches, races, filming or photographing, and vigils. During the permit approval process, it'll be established what locations these events can take place in, dates, and timing. An example of this type of event is the Blossom Kite Festival - formerly known as the Smithsonian Kite Festival, a festival founded in 1967 where people of all ages fly kites in designated areas on the national mall. Another smaller, but equally exciting event is the Golden Retriever meet-up that happens every couple of years. These are just a few of many exciting and beautiful events that happen in our nation's front yard.

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Major Landmarks

Lincoln Memorial
Martin Luther King
Korean War Veterans Memorial
D.C. War Memorial
National Mall
Union Square
Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Hirshhorn Museum
Smithsonian Castle
Professor Joseph Henry Statue
Washington Monument
Jefferson Pier Stone
World War II Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial

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Getting There

Route Overview

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Start location
Washington, DC 89801, USA
Total distance

5km
Final location
5 Henry Bacon Dr NW, Washington, DC 20002, USA
Distance back to start location

3km

Directions to Starting Point

The tour begins at the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial in front of the Capitol Reflecting Pool. Travelers can take the subway Blue line or Silver line to the Federal Center SW station to reach the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

We'll stop in front of the following venues along the way:
National Museum of the American Indian, open daily from 10 AM till 5:30
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, open daily from 10 AM till 5:30 PM
Hirshhorn Museum, open daily from 10 AM till 5:30 PM

Best time of day

The walking tour can be taken at any time of day as most if not all of the monuments are lit up at night. If you'd like to enter the venues along the route, the best time of day is from 8:30 AM till 5 PM.

Precautions

Please bring a pair of headphones and your wallet. Don‘t forget to keep an eye on your belongings.

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Architecture of the National Mall: An Audio Tour with Context

About the Tour

Tour Producer

Context Travel

Preview Location

Location 10

Professor Joseph Henry Statue

How VoiceMap Works

Major Landmarks

Lincoln Memorial

Martin Luther King

Korean War Veterans Memorial

D.C. War Memorial

National Mall

Union Square

Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Hirshhorn Museum

Smithsonian Castle

Professor Joseph Henry Statue

Washington Monument

Jefferson Pier Stone

World War II Memorial

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Getting There

Route Overview

Directions to Starting Point

Tips

Places to stop along the way

Best time of day

Precautions

Get The App

Questions and Reviews