Alan Karchmer/Eisenhower Memorial Commission
Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
“The building of such a peace is a bold and solemn purpose. To proclaim it is easy. To serve it will be hard. And to attain it, we must be aware of its full meaning -- and ready to pay its full price.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower, Second Inaugural Address, January 21, 1957
The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial, designed by architect Frank Gehry, was dedicated on September 17, 2020. The National Mall’s newest memorial honors Eisenhower as both the 34th President and the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in World War II. The memorial tells the story of a humble boy from the American heartland who became one of the country’s most revered heroes.
At the western entrance to the Memorial, a life-sized statue of young Ike thoughtfully looks out onto his future, welcoming visitors to similarly daydream about what may be. The accompanying inscription, taken from Eisenhower’s Homecoming Speech, proclaims “The proudest thing I can claim is that I am from Abiline,” representing the power and meaning of home and family.
Positioned at an angle slightly facing each other, heroic-sized bronze statues in the memorial’s contemplative core honor Eisenhower’s dual achievements as President and General. Over his two terms as President, Eisenhower had one of the highest average presidential approval ratings in American history, with frequent bipartisan support across the country. On one side, Eisenhower is depicted in the oval office flanked by civilian and military advisors, symbolizing the balance he had to strike between national security and peaceful progress. Similarly, on the other side, Eisenhower, one of only nine Americans to ever reach the rank of 5-star general, is seen in the moments before launching the D-Day invasion, the largest seaborne invasion in history.
Perhaps the most striking element of the memorial is the 450-foot tapestry constructed of woven stainless steel. The tapestry features a line sketch of Pointe du Hoc, a landmark on the Normandy coastline, notably depicted in peacetime. This backdrop to the memorial honors the sacrifice the world made to liberate Europe and Eisenhower’s continued commitment to world peace during his time as President.
Learn more about the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial by visiting the National Park Service website
Support of the dwight d. eisenhower memorial
Once opened, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission transitioned the leadership for the Memorial to the National Park Service in partnership with the Trust for the National Mall. The Trust, along with the Friends of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Committee, ensure programming and preservation will support the vision of the Memorial for decades to come. Since its opening in 2020, it has welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors, just steps from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
The Memorial has provided a foundation for the award-winning Volunteer-in-Parks (VIP) Program, which empowers a diverse community of volunteers to contribute their skills and knowledge through rewarding, engaging, and mutually beneficial experiences. The Trust launched the Friends of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Committee, chaired by Kansas State Rep. Susan Estes, to support the fundraising efforts for programming at the Memorial and continue the living legacy of President and General Eisenhower.
The Trust, in partnership with esteemed organizations and institutions, puts on a number of events on the grounds of the Memorial. Please visit our event calendar to learn more and attend.
Celebrating One Year of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
In honor of the first anniversary of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial in October 2021, volunteer docents at the memorial shared reflections on their experiences welcoming visitors to the memorial and the significance and legacy of General and President Eisenhower.
Did you know?
There are 96 trees on the Memorial site, all of which grow in Kansas, President Eisenhower’s home state.
Nearly all the buildings bordering the memorial site, The Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, Voice of America, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Air and Space Museum (representing NASA) have roots in the Eisenhower administration.
General Eisenhower is depicted holding his hand out when addressing the 101st Airborne Division. He is meant to be discussing fly fishing with the troops to lighten the tension ahead of the D-Day invasion.
The tapestry consists of 600 individual panels, each 3 x 15 feet, constructed of artistically welded stainless steel. In total the tapestry contains around 85 million individual welds.