Nestled along the southwestern portion
of the Tidal Basin lies Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. Thanks to the lush
canopy created by the numerous trees within and around the memorial and the
lack of tall structures identifiable from a distance, the memorial at first
glance feels unassuming. During my very first visit and stroll along the Tidal
Basin, I remember being taken a bit by surprise when I suddenly and unexpectedly
found myself walking through the memorial as there were no structural fanfares
that declared I was entering the memorial grounds. It is not until I explored
the small corners, nooks, and details of the memorial that I began to truly
appreciate its grandeur and scope befitting of the 32nd President of
the United States and the era he presided over.
The memorial is structured around four
outdoor “rooms” each one representing one of four terms of FDR’s presidency. Sculptures
are aplenty here not only of FDR himself but also those depicting life in
America during The Great Depression including five men standing at a breadline
and another listening to the radio for FDR’s fireside chats.
The Breadline: Full Size Image for Purchase at http://goo.gl/CYIhbi
The memorial also
includes a sculpture of Eleanor Roosevelt honoring her contributions to the
United Nations. And then there’s the sculpture of Fala, FDR’s dog, which is a
favorite of my kids.
One of my favorite parts of the
memorial is its use of water. There are several water fixtures both flowing and
standing incorporated into the memorial. After eavesdropping on spiels by tour
guides a few times I learned that each water design symbolizes a different
stage of FDR’s presidency.
To me, the water also provides a level of intimacy
that counters the sprawling layout of the memorial grounds. There are many
“quiet” spaces and corners along the waterfalls, the sights of which help me
wash out the other visitors from my field of vision and the sounds of which
help me drown out the noises of tour groups bustling through the grounds.
The two best tips I can provide when
visiting this beautiful memorial is to take your time when exploring and to do
so around the time of sunset when the stones and water begin to shed the
monotone and whitewashed colors of the daytime light and begin to develop deep
contrasts thanks to well placed accent lighting as well as a few rays of yellow
and golden sunlight peeking through the tree branches.
The running water
structures especially benefit from this change gaining more depth as the
sunsets.
FDR Memorial Blue Hour: Full Size Image for Purchase at http://goo.gl/fDYK0c
You may even be rewarded with beautiful sunset
colors in the western sky juxtaposed against memorial structures. This photo was taken back in early April.
The edge of
the Tidal Basin is also a hop away where if the weather cooperates you can
watch the sky change colors in shades of purple with the Jefferson Memorial to
your right and the Washington Monument to your left.
Finally, if you have the opportunity to visit DC during the peak bloom period of the Cherry Blossoms make sure to walk through the memorial. It is absolutely stunning and provides colors to the grounds only seen a few days each year.
If you’re getting here by car, you can
look for street parking along Ohio Drive across from the softball fields
(always pay attention to the parking restriction signs). During late spring and
summer months parking spots along this road may be hard to come by during the
hours of sunset and if that’s the case drive down Ohio Drive southeast of the
14th Street Bridge. As soon as you pass under the bridge there are
free public parking lots which are only a 10 minute walk to the memorial. The
closest Metro station is the Smithsonian Station that is about a mile away. You
should also expect crowds especially in the form of tour groups during the
summer months. During my outing last week, I encountered a tour group comprised
of several hundred students that streamed through the grounds. If you happen to
cross paths with these large tour groups, park yourself in one of the many
tranquil nooks of the memorial and enjoy the scenery as you wait for them to
pass.