Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Washington DC, DC

The 30-foot Stone of Hope emerges from the Mountain of Despair in a striking sculptural composition on the Tidal Basin. Powerful at any hour.

Photography Guide

Best Time: golden hour
Crowds: Moderate
Shot Types: portraitwidedetail
Best Seasons: springfall

Practical Tips

Side lighting in morning or late afternoon carves dramatic shadows across the inscriptions. Come early to have the plaza to yourself.

Gallery

Nearby Places

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Washington DC, DC

WWII Memorial

The symmetrical oval of granite pillars and rainbow pool sits at the center of the National Mall axis. The 56 state and territory pillars frame the Washington Monument perfectly.

blue hourspring · fall

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Washington DC, DC

Korean War Veterans Memorial

Nineteen stainless steel soldiers patrol through juniper bushes beside a granite mural wall that reflects them - creating a ghostly double of the patrol in stone.

blue hourfall · winter

Waterfronts

Washington DC, DC

FDR Memorial

Seven and a half acres of waterfalls, sculpture, and quiet garden rooms trace the years of FDR's presidency. The cascading water walls are among DC's most photogenic features.

blue hourspring · fall