On a recent work trip, I was able to take time to visit Arlington National Cemetery, a very meaningful location for honoring veterans. While young children may not be ready yet to maintain the respect and silence required to honor the veterans who rest here, this would be an excellent stop for older children and teens to help instill respect for those who protect our country.
Visitors enter through the Museum and Visitor’s Center, which offers a lot of great information, including some geared for the education of children. You can take a tram tour starting there for $19.50 per person (with a significant military or veteran discount offered) that makes 6 or 9 stops, depending on the day of the week. I chose to walk instead, the grounds being large but not overwhelming (around one mile squared). The monuments are walkable, but there are often funerals taking place in different areas, so that can determine your route and sometimes make it longer.
I walked first to the John F. Kennedy gravesite and memorial – one of only two presidents buried there (the other being Taft.) His grave includes a memorial flame and lays in the foreground of the Arlington House, which was the first memorial constructed for George Washington, built in the early 1800’s.
Next, I went to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watched the Changing of the Guards. It was completely silent, despite the large crowd gathered that included some young people on a field trip. The ceremony is somber but stirring. Since 1948, sentinels have stood guard over this tomb 24 hours a day. Guards are changed in an elaborate ceremony every hour ( or every half hour in season).
The amphitheater is just uphill from the tomb and stands behind the guards. Inside the entry way are many points of interest, including artifacts left by notable individuals over the years to honor those who were lost. The Memorial Amphitheater is over 100 years old.
According to the website: “A copper box placed in the cornerstone contains copies of the Bible, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution; a U.S. flag; designs and plans for the amphitheater; a map of Pierre Charles L’Enfant’s design for Washington, D.C.; one of each U.S. coin and postage stamp in use in 1915; an autographed photo of President Woodrow Wilson; and other documents pertaining to the history of the amphitheater and the nation’s capital.” Meaningful quotes are inscribed along the frieze:
“When we assumed the soldier, we did not lay aside the citizen.”
— George Washington, letter to the New York Provincial Congress, June 26, 1775
Above the stage: “We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain.” — Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863
Above the west entrance: “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.” (“It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country.”) — Horace, Odes (III, 2, 13)
After walking the hallowed grounds, I decided to walk past my metro stop along Memorial Avenue and across Memorial Bridge that crosses the Potomac and extends into DC, near the Lincoln Memorial, which I also had a chance to explore. Along the road and bridges are several memorials honoring various groups and divisions.
Once in DC, I was very close to the Lincoln Memorial (always surprisingly large in person!), which is across from the pool from the iconic Washington Monument and the beautiful World War II Memorial featuring fountains and colonnades representing the states of the union. If you are not afraid of walking a few miles, there is much to be seen along this corridor, and the metro is of course, a great way to save some steps if needed.
