Originally called the National Air Museum when it was formed on August 12, 1946 by an act of Congress, some pieces in the National Air and Space Museum collection date back to 1876.
President Roosevelt asked the Commission of Fine Arts about the possibility of erecting a memorial to Thomas Jefferson. Construction went from 1938-43, & Roosevelt laid the first cornerstone himself.
Created in 1800 the library is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution & the largest library in the world. In 1815 Thomas Jefferson sold his entire personal collection of books to the library
On the second floor of the Theater, you can see the boxseat where Abe Lincoln was sitting when he was killed. On the lower level the museum displays exhibits about Lincoln’s life and his tragic death.
The pool, measuring some 2,000 feet long, was built soon after the 1922 dedication of the Lincoln Memorial; both were designed by architect Henry Bacon.
pleasant in the daytime, but the best time to walk by this reflecting pool is on a clear, windless night.
