Everyone knows DC is full of monuments and memorials - Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson, WWII, Vietnam, etc. But what I bet you don't know is that there are tons more beautiful memorials/statues that don't get the main recognition the others do yet are just as cool if not cooler. I present to you the Albert Einstein statue and the Signers of the Declaration of Independence memorial.
Let's start with Big Al - one of the all time greatest, most influential scientists to ever live. His name alone (Einstein not Big Al) is synonymous with "genius." His statue is so much better than Lincoln's statue because there are no guards around him, so I was free to stand on Big Al's lap and give him a kiss :) Surrounding his feet are little dots on the ground, which at first glance seem like only decorations, but upon closer inspection is actually a picture of the solar system and the dots are all stars! Another cool thing you can do is stand directly in front of the statue, sort of close to it, and when you talk your voice echos back. Poor Al is tucked away in a grove of trees on Constitution Ave. without any signs pointing tourists his way, yet I thought his monument was awesome! In fact, I think on the next nice day I'm going to take a book and sit on Big Al's lap and enjoy reading with the most intelligent physicist!
So the second memorial that also doesn't get any recognition is the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. It is tucked away on a little island near the WWII memorial only accessible by a wooden footbridge. All the signers have their signature on a marble stone along with their printed name, where they were from, and their occupation. I think the fact that this memorial is on an island makes it way better than Washington's monument which is simply a tall, cement pencil stuck on a hill!
Next time you're in DC be sure to visit these 2 spots!
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