Trust for the National Mall

Wrapping up summer with a bow in our August newsletter: Read it NOW!

August was a big month: we celebrated anniversaries and milestones in history and embarked on transformational projects. From celebrating the National Park Service to commemorating the March on Washington, and driving the first ceremonial pile with kicking off the reconstruction of the seawalls at the Tidal Basin, there was never a dull moment.

We also look ahead to marquee events including the National Mall of Pickleball, returning this fall...along with an out of this world stargazing event.

Check out all the news on transformational projects and exciting events on America’s Front Yard here: https://mailchi.mp/nationalmall/august_2024_newsletter?e=[UNIQID].

Subscribe now for exclusive monthly news about special events, programs and our work with the National Park Service to restore, preserve and enrich the National Mall. nationalmall.org/sign-up-trust-for-the-national-mall

Today we mark the 61st anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a watershed moment that is uniquely remembered on the National Mall. In 1963, a quarter of a million people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial and along the Reflecting Pool to join Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s call for freedom, justice and equality.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial marked a moment on the National Mall that propelled a movement and cemented this space as America's Civic Stage.

61 years ago today, the National Mall became a stage for change as a quarter of a million people stood before the Lincoln Memorial. Dr. King's speech resonated from those steps and continue to shape history and inspire generations. Today, we remember that powerful moment on America’s Civic Stage.

Last year, the Trust was honored to partner with Netflix to share the March On: RUSTIN Audio Walking Tour, telling the story behind the 1963 March on Washington. This engaging mini-podcast and audio walking tour invites visitors to walk in the footsteps of history and Bayard Rustin, the architect of the march. The audio tour, narrated by Grammy Award winner Branford Marsalis, made its debut on the National Mall in 2023, timed with the release of Netflix’s RUSTIN biopic that premiered on Netflix last November. Listen to the audio walking tour here: nationalmall.org/marchon-rustin

Photos from US National Archives and The Library of Congress

DID YOU FEEL THAT? 13 years ago today, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake was felt across the National Mall, causing significant damage to the Washington Monument.

The Trust was honored to play a role in helping to restore it, thanks to the extraordinary generosity of philanthropist David M. Rubenstein.

The Monument was closed during a 32-month repair project to address damage including more than 150 cracks in the monument’s interior and exterior as well as pieces of stone that had been rattled free.

Read more about the restoration project and our work with the National Park Service to restore, preserve and elevate the National Mall: nationalmall.org/content/washington-monument-restoration?rq=washington%20monument

Need a break while visiting America’s Front Yard? If you take the time to visit our friends at Guest Services, Inc. for a snack or a drink, make sure to ROUND UP for the National Mall.

Your donation will help preserve the Mall for generations to come. From the legendary cherry trees to monuments to our nation’s heroes, and everything in between, just a few dollars can make a difference in restoring, preserving and enriching the National Mall.

Next time you stop by for your afternoon coffee or treat, take the chance to round up for future visitors to the Mall. Thanks to our generous partners at GSI!

Looking back on the 1-year anniversary of Beyond Granite, the groundbreaking exhibition that brought six extraordinary works by six visionary artists to the National Mall.

Still moved by the critical acclaim and the diversity and reach of the coverage that embraced the inaugural exhibition of Beyond Granite. Read the full stories on beyondgranite.org.

Yesterday, the Trust for the National Mall was honored to join the National Park Service to kick off a historic project funded by the that will protect the Tidal Basin for generations.

National Mall and Memorial Parks celebrated the beginning of the work by driving the first ceremonial pile that will provide foundational support for the reconstruction of the seawalls along the Tidal Basin and the Potomac River. Thank you, Congress, for supporting this crucial project that will address the severe flooding that threatens the treasured cherry trees, iconic memorials and this landmark space.

The event showcased the strength and impact of our public-private partnership with NPS that helps restore, preserve and elevate the National Mall and its historic purpose.

Federal funding and private philanthropy go hand in hand. Investments like this by the federal government help the Trust leverage and inspire private and corporate philanthropy. We can all play a part to help restore and guarantee the future of this iconic treasure.

Read more and learn how to get involved here: nationalmall.org/content/federal-funding-today-inspires-future-generosity

As Olympic fever rages on...we’re turning to a sport still waiting to make its debut at the world’s ultimate international games... Happy National Pickleball Day! 🏅 Signups for the 2024 National Mall of Pickleball open on September 18. Set your alarms to reserve your spot at the returning National Mall of Pickleball!

On this special day celebrating America’s fastest growing sport, we’re thrilled to remind you about the National Mall of Pickleball, returning after its smashing success in 2023. Stay tuned for more details and prepare for a pickleball experience like no other. Sign up to learn about special guests, matches, clinics and walk on play: 🏓✨

Find more info at https://nationalmall.org/pickleball

Our July newsletter 📧 is LIVE!

We’re taking another look back at this year’s awe-inspiring July 4th fireworks, and taking a look forward to the grand return of the National Mall of Pickleball this Fall.

Take a look for these updates and more in our July newsletter, and subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming programming and events: mailchi.mp/nationalmall/july2024-newsletter-13396318?e=f738bbf861

Sign up NOW to receive exclusive monthly news about special events, programs and our work with the National Park Service to ensure a vibrant, engaging and inspiring National Mall for generations to come. As we head toward 2026, our work has never been more important than right now. Join us! nationalmall.org/sign-up-trust-for-the-national-mall

Photo by Daniel Hamburg

Did you know that in 2013, the Trust for the National Mall worked with National Mall and Memorial Parks and Deere to rebuild the great green lawn that makes up America’s Front Yard?

This project improved drainage, created a sustainable irrigation system and used new, durable and drought tolerant turf varieties – the same ones used by the NFL. Now, even on the hottest days of summer, the grass panels on the National Mall are a welcoming green space for a picnic, reading a good book or turning a cartwheel!

Sign up to our newsletter to learn about summer news and events and more about our ongoing work on America’s Front Yard: nationalmall.org/sign-up-trust-for-the-national-mall

The search is on for the Ultimate Pickleball Duo!

The Trust for the National Mall is bringing back America’s favorite sport to America’s Front Yard, and we’re searching for America’s first-ever Ultimate Pickleball Duos – pairs of picklers from different generations who have a love of pickleball and have fostered a meaningful relationship on and off the courts. We know that pickleball brings people of all ages together on the courts, and we want to see YOUR Ultimate Duo play it out on the National Mall!

Tell us why you and your pickleball partner are the ultimate intergenerational duo for a chance to play on Center Court at the 2024 National Mall of Pickleball. Winners will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the National Mall of Pickleball in September 2024 for a chance to be crowned the Ultimate Duo.

Tag a friend who you think should enter! Visit nationalmall.org/pickleballultimateduo to learn more.

Summer Project Update: HALS Documents Constitution Gardens, Washington, DC

The Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS) began gathering dimensions of the eastern end of Constitution Gardens early this year using terrestrial laser scanning. National Council for Preservation Education (NCPE) Landscape Architect intern, Brock Corbin (UGA College of Environment and Design: Landscape Architecture), joined Dana Lockett, project supervisor, in May for a 12-week internship to begin converting the 3D into measured drawings. The plan and section drawings will be transmitted to The Library of Congress as a record of existing conditions before major rehabilitation of the takes place..

Constitution Gardens is an approximately 40-acre wooded park that was designed in the 1970s as the major site in Washington, DC, commemorating the American Bicentennial. The park, park of National Mall and Memorial Parks, is located between the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and 17th Street NW on the National Mall.. The park features a Lockkeeper's House and an artificial lake with a small island that is home to the memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Rows of surround the on all sides while and informal groupings of trees create an informal pastoral setting. There is a terraced paved area at the eastern edge of the lake and curvilinear serve as the gardens' circulation system.

The gardens, in their present condition, do not meet the original design intent or the vision of the 2010 National Mall Plan. Poor soil conditions and drainage occur throughout the gardens and affect vegetation. There are circulation challenges, the area is underused and lacks amenities such as food, restrooms, and recreational opportunities.

The Trust for the National Mall and the National Park Service have embarked on ambitious plans to restore Constitution Gardens inspired by the 250th anniversary of American independence coming in 2026. Constitution Gardens is about to gain its rightful prominence on the as a vibrant, engaging space that welcomes visitors to gather and learn, a place that properly honors the founding of our nation, and an ecologically sound urban park for future generations.

Learn more about the restoration of Constitutional Gardens at
https://nationalmall.org/content/constitution-gardens

Top Image: Brock Corbin, NCPE/HALS Summer Landscape Architect. stands in front of the historic Lockkeepers House on the National Mall with a high definition laser scanner.
Bottom Left Image: Brock Corbin works with the assembled point cloud to generate existing condition HALS drawings of Constitutional Gardens.
Bottom Right: Image of the Constitutional Gardens point cloud,

The has Olympic Fever 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Remember that time the NBC Sports Olympic Rings paid a visit to America's Front Yard on the way to Tokyo in 2022??

Let's go Team USA! 🇺🇸⚽️🤸👟 🏊‍♂️🥇

We had a BLAST watching this year’s Fourth of July fireworks on America’s Front Yard! If you want another chance to see highlights from the nation’s most iconic fireworks show, look no further than at these shots from some of our National Mall shutterbug friends. Check out more in our “Best of the 2024 National Mall Fireworks” album at nationalmall.org/content/july-4th-2024-on-the-mall-highlights.

Thanks to these fantastic photographers for capturing these incredible moments on the Mall!

Our work with the Park Service takes on new and pressing meaning as we head toward America's 250th on the National Mall, coming in just 2 short years in 2026. Sign up here to follow our work to preserve and elevate the National Mall before this exciting milestone: nationalmall.org/sign-up-trust-for-the-national-mall

📸 Featured photos by Samantha Heeley, Dave Lyons, Andrea Strauss, Christopher Chern, Robin Kent, Brad Herson, Daniel Hamburg, Everett Chu, Brennen T, and Marie Joabar.

HAPPENING TONIGHT: Check out for a one-of-a-kind LIVE view of the Fourth of July fireworks. "Pyro-technically" speaking the camera is pretty small, but thanks to our friends at EarthCam, you can get a pretty grand view from high atop the Washington Monument.

Tune in at 9:09 PM at https://nationalmall.org/monumentcam.

Get ready to have a blast watching the fireworks on ! Tune in tomorrow at 9:09 PM for your exclusive view of the most iconic fireworks show in the U.S. Thanks to our partners at EarthCam for making these spectacular views possible.

Let’s look back on some fantastic views from last year’s show from some incredible photographers who captured some of the finest moments.

If you’re bringing your camera to the show on Thursday, keep us in mind! We’ll be reposting our favorites for 2024 next week!

1 - Photo by Troy Meyer
2 - Photo by Carol Stalun
3 - Photo by Thomas Cluderay
4 - Photo by Andrew Yianne
5 - Photo by Thomas Cluderay

Staying in this Fourth of July? We’ve got you covered! Thank you to WTOP News for breaking the news. We’re sharing the best view in town of the iconic Fourth of July fireworks on thanks to our partners at EarthCam and the National Mall and Memorial Parks.

Tune in July 4 at 9:09 pm at nationalmall.org/monumentcam.

Read the full piece from WTOP here: wtop.com/fourth-of-july/2024/06/check-out-the-most-unique-view-of-dcs-july-4th-fireworks/

Have you visited this year’s Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall? Now’s your chance!


Come experience an array of Indigenous voices, stories, and perspectives on America’s Civic Stage.

This year’s theme is “Indigenous Voices of the Americas: Celebrating the National Museum of the American Indian.”

Don’t miss talks from Indigenous craftspeople or Indigenous dancers taking to the stage on the iconic National Mall.

Our partners at National Mall and Memorial Parks are also offering free programming, ranger talks and more to uplift the living traditions of Indigenous peoples in the Americas.

The Folklife Festival runs through Monday, July 1 on the National Mall. Check out programming from the National Park Service here: nps.gov/nama/learn/sff.htm

Fourth of July ‘fit check! Do you have your Independence Day gear ready for the most iconic fireworks show in the nation?

Whether you’re a local taking the “Monumental Tour” with guests or joining us from out of town, this is the shirt you need! In collaboration with Black-owned, D.C. Bailiwick Clothing Company, the “Monumental Tour” t-shirt is an homage to all the iconic memorials, monuments and sites on America’s Front Yard. Shop here: nationalmall.org/monumentaltourshirt

A portion of the proceeds from each sale benefits our mission to preserve, enrich and elevate the National Mall as the National Park Service’s non-profit partner. We’re proud to collaborate with Bailiwick Clothing Company to ensure a vibrant National Mall for generations to come. Shop here: nationalmall.org/monumentaltourshirt

What a year! We’re proud to have welcomed 40,000+ visitors to the National Mall’s newest destination to learn about the history of the Mounted Unit!

This month, we celebrated the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Park Police Horse Stables and Education Center on the National Mall with a special meet-and-greet, cookies and plenty of carrots for our neigh-bors. Last year, we unveiled the rebuilt stables as a new, state-of-the-art home for the horses and their officers—a project that was fully managed, funded and led by the Trust. Importantly, the brand-new Education Center, made possible through the critical support of Wells Fargo, creates a way for visitors to learn about the Mounted Unit and its presence on the National Mall.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to wish the stables a happy birthday! Plan your visit today—the Education Center is open Thurs – Sun from 9 AM – 3 PM. Learn more and see photo highlights: nationalmall.org/content/stables-anniversary

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival will be held on the National Mall this June 26 – July 1 with public performances, artist demonstrations, explorations of traditional foods and more!

This year’s theme, “Indigenous Voices of the Americas: Celebrating the National Museum of the American Indian,” will focus on the living traditions of Indigenous peoples and honor the 20th anniversary of the National Museum of the American Indian.

Along with this year’s festival, the National Park Service (lNational Mall and Memorial Parks) is offering free programming, ranger talks and information on Native American history on the National Mall. Check out the schedule here to plan your visit or learn more: nps.gov/nama/learn/sff.htm

Photo by Angela Napili

TOMORROW: Come sign our birthday card!

Tomorrow from 11AM - 2PM, we’re celebrating the one-year anniversary of unveiling the renovated U.S. Park Police Horse Stables and Education Center on the National Mall. All ages are welcome to meet the Mounted Unit horses and officers that call the stables home, and our first 300 guests can enjoy a cookie while supplies last! No RSVP needed.

Directions to the National Mall's stables and more information about this project can be found here: nationalmall.org/content/horse-stables

For generations, visitors have come to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to learn, explore and play in “America’s Front Yard.” Last year, it made for an iconic setting to co-host the very first National Mall of Pickleball. And this September, we're thrilled to announce Humana () and the Trust for the National Mall are back for year two!

In addition to more available courts and clinics featuring our favorite pros, D.C. Pickleball Team—this year we'll also focus on the intergenerational connections created by pickleball and the National Mall. This includes a nationwide hunt for America’s first-ever Ultimate Pickleball Duos—pairs of picklers from different generations who love pickleball and have a meaningful relationship on and off the courts.

Find more details on this year's National Mall of Pickleball, including how to join us this fall here: nationalmall.org/content/nmop-2024-press-release

Giddy on up to the National Mall this Friday, June 14th from 11 AM - 2 PM for a special birthday meet-and-greet with the Mounted Unit horses and officers!

Happy birth-neigh to the U.S. Horse Stables and Education Center! It’s been one year since we officially unveiled the completed home for the historic Mounted Unit on the National Mall and the brand-new Wells Fargo Education Center. We’re celebrating with a special open house at the Education Center where visitors can meet the horses and officers that call the stables home. Our first 300 guests will receive a commemorative cookie while supplies last! Please see the map below or here for directions: nationalmall.org/content/horse-stables

Designed, built, mane-tained and led by the Trust in partnership with National Mall and Memorial Parks, the Horse Stables and Education Center was made possible by the generosity of our supporters, including our longtime partners at Wells Fargo. Our volunteers have welcomed more than 40,000 visitors to learn about the mission of the Mounted Unit and meet the beloved horses that serve on America’s Front Yard. Learn more: nationalmall.org/content/horse-stables