Lincoln Memorial will open interactive experience in 2026 (includes video story)

Starting in 2026, visitors will be able to go underneath Washington D.C.’s Lincoln Memorial to the undercroft, a large open area where the concrete foundations, are located, to visit an interactive experience showcasing the architecture of the building and to learn about its historic role in civil rights in the United States.

Visitors will learn about the construction methods they used in the 1900s and the historic moments that have taken place around the monument, such as Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech, as well as scores of demonstrations and gatherings over the decades.

National Park Service spokesperson Mike Litterst explained that while the 15,000 square foot exhibit space will start construction this month, it has been in the works since the 1960s.

“We still see the focus today on civil rights at the Lincoln Memorial,” he explained. “If you look back to the Black Lives Matter protests and the women’s march, those events are still focusing on the Lincoln Memorial. It is still a relevant story, and it’s a good time to tell that story.”

The museum is set to open just in time for the 250th celebration of the nation’s independence.

Angela Rivas is a Miami native majoring in Journalism and minoring in Criminal Justice. She has a passion for writing and dreams of becoming a journalist telling stories about our world.