World War II Memorial
The World War II Memorial is a national memorial in the United States dedicated to Americans who served in the armed forces and as civilians during World War II. It is in Washington. Management falls to the National Park Service. Its 2025 visitor count was 4M.
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A national memorial inside Washington
Visits hit a record in 2024, then fell back
The National Park Service counted 5,160,769 visitors in 2024, a record. In 2025 the count fell 23% to 3,993,717. Visitors ↓
Best month: Sep
September is mild and quieter than average, with a high of 80°. When to go ↓
You can stay in Washington
World War II Memorial is inside Washington, which has 247 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Baltimore
Baltimore is about 37 miles northeast (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
An airport 3 miles away
Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) has airline service, about 3 miles from World War II Memorial.
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
Crowds and weather by month
Every month at World War II Memorial is set out below.
World War II Memorial
The World War II Memorial is a national memorial in the United States dedicated to Americans who served in the armed forces and as civilians during World War II. It is located on the Mall in Washington, D.C.
The memorial consists of 56 granite pillars, decorated with bronze laurel wreaths, representing U.S. states and territories, and a pair of small triumphal arches for the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, surrounding an oval plaza and fountain. On its short axis is a memorial wall of gold stars representing the fallen within its own reflecting pool, and opposite, a sloped and stepped entrance plaza leading into the oval from 17th Street. Its initial design was submitted by Austrian-American architect Friedrich St. Florian.
- Type
- National Memorial
- Established
- 2004
- Run by
- National Park Service
- Wikipedia readers
- 37K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/wwii
The practical side
Rooms near World War II Memorial
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Washington (247) and Arlington (58).
- 1White House
- 2Washington Monument
- 3United States Triumphal Arch
- 4Smithsonian Institution
- 5Arlington National Cemetery
- 6Lincoln Memorial
- 7Ford's Theatre
- 8National Mall
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From World War II Memorial | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | in town | — | 247 201 hotels · 2 motels · 24 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 12 hostels · 2 campgrounds | 693,645 | $737K | D− |
| Arlington | 3 mi west | 5 min | 58 54 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 236,254 | $895K | — |
| Alexandria | 5 mi southwest | 10 min | 44 41 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 160,662 | $735K | C |
| Bethesda | 8 mi northwest | 10 min | 26 23 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 69,397 | $1,170K | — |
| Tysons | 10 mi west | 15 min | 25 25 hotels | 28,936 | $640K | — |
| College Park | 9 mi northeast | 15 min | 17 16 hotels · 1 motel | 35,418 | $438K | — |
| National Harbor | 8 mi south | 10 min | 10 9 hotels · 1 inn or B&B | 4,454 | $473K | — |
| Springfield | 11 mi southwest | 15 min | 13 13 hotels | 31,154 | $640K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Nearby, too
The best known nearby are within 2 miles.
Big draw1in town National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw2in town National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw3in town LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw4in town MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw52 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw6in town National MemorialLincoln Memorial7.7M visitors a year
Big draw7in town National Historic SiteFord's Theatre National Historic Site394K visitors a year
Big draw8in town National park siteNational MallPhoto credits
White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · Lincoln Memorial: Aerial_view_of_Lincoln_Memorial_-_east_side.jpg: Carol M. Highsmith derivative w, Public domain · Ford's Theatre National Historic Site: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Mall: Raul654 at en.wikipedia. Later version(s) were uploaded by Michael Shields at e, CC BY-SA 3.0
3,993,717 people came in 2025
Yearly visitors, 2016 through 2025, are below.
World War II Memorial, answered
Is World War II Memorial in Washington?
Yes. It’s inside Washington, DC. The address is 1750 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20024.
When is the best time to visit World War II Memorial?
September, with a high of 80°. May is the busiest month (about 587,861 visitors).
How many people visit World War II Memorial each year?
3,993,717 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 5,160,769, set in 2024.
How far is World War II Memorial from Baltimore?
About 37 miles northeast of Baltimore, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to World War II Memorial?
Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), about 3 miles away.
Where should I stay near World War II Memorial?
Washington (in town, 247 places to stay), Arlington (3 mi, 58 places to stay) and Alexandria (5 mi, 44 places to stay).
Tips from Washington
Tips will appear here once someone posts in Washington’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.