If you can avoid the green Reflecting Pool, try to make your way to the Lincoln Memorial. I have visited the Memorial several dozens of times, but I look forward to visiting it again to take a look at the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft where a new 15,000 square foot museum opened today. The project cost $69 million to complete and took a decade to complete.
According to the National Park Service, the “Lincoln Memorial undercroft invites visitors into a dramatic, previously unseen space beneath one of America’s most iconic monuments. This new 15,000‑square‑foot exhibit area reveals the massive concrete foundations that support the memorial and shares the story of how the Lincoln Memorial was built and how its meaning has evolved over the last century. Step into the cavernous structural chamber that has stood hidden since the memorial opened in 1922. The undercroft features:
- A soaring grid of concrete columns that support the memorial above
- Interactive exhibits that explore the memorial’s construction
- Multimedia presentations that trace the memorial’s role in American history and civil rights
This project, funded in partnership with the National Park Foundation, significantly enhances the visitor experience while preserving an essential part of the nation’s heritage.”
I go to a church with an undercroft, but a lot of people are unfamiliar with the term. It means an underground or deeply recessed room or vault under a building or memorial. So you will go into the area beneath Lincoln. You need tickets. Here is the info from the NPS:
Advance tickets
- Reserve tickets up to 30 days in advance
- New tickets available at 11 a.m. daily
- Each reservation allows up to six tickets
- Tickets are free; however, a $1.00 service fee applies per reservation
- Group Tickets (Online Only) – Groups may reserve up to 50 tickets up to 30 days in advance through Recreation.gov. No walk-ups are available for large group tours.
Same‑day tickets
- Distribution begins daily at 8:45 a.m.
- One person (16+ years old) may get up to six tickets for an available ticket time. All visitors two years of age and older must have a ticket to enter the Lincoln Memorial undercroft.
- Tickets are first come, first served. Supplies are limited. Expect high demand especially on weekends and peak visitation periods. Expect a line to begin forming before the ticket window opens.
Video of the new museum
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