D.C. Dispatch: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Opens

Trip Ideas & Itineraries | Fodor's Editors

Forty-eight years after the famous "I Have a Dream" Speech, the much-anticipated Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial opens this Saturday, August 28th. After Saturday's ceremony, the first memorial on the Mall to a non-president will open to the public. Expect some lines in the coming months.
Start with our Washington, D.C. Travel Guide; you can learn more about the site with our Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial review.
Inspired to learn more about the African American influence on the Washington, D.C.? Also see our Black History Walk

Add the New Memorial to Your Monumental Stroll

Start at the unmissable Washington Monument, just south of the The White House. The elegant obelisk built in memory of George Washington dominates the skyline. If you want to go to the top, go early to the nearby visitor center to reserve free timed tickets. To the west, see the World War II Memorial and continue along the Reflecting Pool, with the imposing Lincoln Memorial dominating the view ahead of you. Look for the plaque marking where Dr. King stood for his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial, before visiting the newly opened Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
On either side of the Lincoln Memorial are the Korean War Memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Constitution Gardens. Also make time to visit the Tidal Basin, home to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

Photo Credits: Memorial courtesy Johnny Bivera / Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc.