Washington DC’s National Mall is America’s front lawn — a 2-mile green corridor between the Lincoln Memorial and the US Capitol that contains 19 free Smithsonian museums and the nation’s most iconic monuments. This companion post accompanies a real washington dc walking tour filmed in 4K, the video National Mall Washington DC | 4K Walking Tour, which explores the iconic National Mall with its monuments and memorials in stunning 4K detail.
About This Walking Tour
This 4K walking tour covers the National Mall’s principal monuments and memorials in stunning 4K detail. The walk begins at the Lincoln Memorial — the Greek temple completed in 1922 housing Daniel Chester French’s 19-foot marble statue of Lincoln — and proceeds east along the Reflecting Pool past the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Maya Lin’s 1982 black granite V-shaped wall inscribed with the names of 58,320 Americans killed or missing in the war) and the Korean War Veterans Memorial.
The Washington Monument, the 169-metre marble obelisk completed in 1884 (the world’s tallest structure at the time of completion), stands at the Mall’s midpoint. The Smithsonian museums line both sides of the Mall — the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of American History, and the National Air and Space Museum are the most visited. The walk continues to the US Capitol Building (the current cast-iron dome was completed in 1868) and then west toward Georgetown, one of Washington’s oldest neighbourhoods, with its Federal-era rowhouses, Georgetown University, the C&O Canal towpath, and M Street’s shops and restaurants.
Highlights of Washington DC
The Lincoln Memorial has been the symbolic heart of American civil rights history since Marian Anderson sang here in 1939 (denied access to Constitution Hall because of her race) and Martin Luther King Jr delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech from its steps to 250,000 marchers on August 28, 1963. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, designed by Maya Lin when she was a 21-year-old architecture student, is one of the most emotionally affecting memorials ever built — visitors search for names in the reflective black granite and often leave flowers, letters, and photographs at the base.
The Smithsonian Institution, founded in 1846 with a bequest from British scientist James Smithson (who never visited America), operates 19 museums and galleries on the Mall, all free to enter — making the National Mall one of the most extraordinary free cultural experiences in the world. The National Archives Building near the Mall houses the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights. Georgetown, incorporated as a separate Maryland town in 1751, was absorbed into the District of Columbia in 1871; its Georgetown University (1789) is the oldest Jesuit university in the United States, and the C&O Canal towpath offers a peaceful walking or cycling route beside the historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
A Brief History of Washington DC
The US Constitution of 1787 mandated the creation of a federal district not under the control of any state. President Washington selected the site on the Potomac River; French engineer Pierre Charles L’Enfant was commissioned to design the city in 1791 with its grand diagonal avenues radiating from the Capitol and the President’s House. The city was partially burned by British forces in August 1814. The McMillan Plan of 1902 established the Mall’s current layout — clearing the Victorian-era railway station and gardens that had encroached on the central greensward.
Washington served as a Union headquarters and hospital city during the Civil War. The Lincoln Memorial was completed in 1922, the National Gallery of Art in 1941. The March on Washington of August 28, 1963 was the largest civil rights demonstration in US history. The Smithsonian museums expanded significantly through the 20th century, and the Mall now receives approximately 30 million visitors annually — more than the entire population of many countries.
Practical Tips
The United States dollar (USD) is the currency. English is the primary language. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is approximately 8 km from the Mall via Metro; Dulles International Airport is approximately 45 km. The Metro Blue/Orange/Silver Lines serve Smithsonian station directly on the Mall. All Smithsonian museums are free. The monuments are open 24 hours. Georgetown requires a short bus or rideshare ride from the Metro, or a 30-minute walk from the Mall.
Best Time to Visit
Late March through April for the National Cherry Blossom Festival around the Tidal Basin, when hundreds of Japanese cherry trees donated in 1912 bloom simultaneously. September through November offers excellent walking weather and thinner crowds than spring. Summer is hot and humid but all attractions are open; book Smithsonian entry to specific exhibitions in advance.
Watch & Explore More
Watch the 4K National Mall tour above and walk through the symbolic heart of American democracy. For more East Coast US city walks, see Boston: The Freedom Trail and New York City: Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park. Subscribe to @walkingtoursvideoscom for walking tours from great cities around the world.