For the first time in more than 100 years, the space beneath the Lincoln Memorial will open to the public, offering visitors a rare look under one of Washington D.C.'s most iconic landmarks.
A cross section of the Lincoln Memorial shows the new undercroft exhibit area
The previously unseen undercroft of the Lincoln Memorial opened for free tours starting June 25, with a 15,000-square-foot exhibit unveiling the story of Lincoln and how the memorial was built.
"This exhibit reveals the previously hidden foundation of one of America’s most iconic memorials and celebrates the story behind its construction," Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said on social media.
Here's what to know about the Lincoln Memorial undercroft and how to get tickets four tours.
Columns are seen June 18 at the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum in Washington during a media preview.
What’s in there?
The exhibit beneath the Lincoln Memorial showcases "how the memorial was built, how it has shaped Americans’ understanding of Abraham Lincoln and how its meaning has evolved for generations who have gathered there," according to the Trust for the National Mall.
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It features 120 large concrete pillars that support the weight of the 38,000-ton memorial above.
The museum also tells the story of other influential people with ties to the memorial, including Marian Anderson, a Black opera singer who performed a concert in 1939 on the Lincoln Memorial steps after being barred from singing at Constitution Hall.
The Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum features exhibits telling the story of the construction of the monument June 18 during a media preview in Washington, D.C.
“You walk up today, you look at the statue, you look at the speeches,” Mike Litterst, spokesperson for National Mall operations under the National Park Service, told DC News Now. “But you don’t understand the symbolism unless you have a really good guidebook with you or take the time. Now, with the museum, we’re going to point those features out.”
The National Park Foundation spent $45.5 million on the project, and the Trust said $38.7 million was gifted from private donors.
"You can't really be a great country if you don't really honor your history and understand your history," philanthropist David Rubenstein, one of the primary donors, told CBS News.
Superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks Kevin Griess sits June 18 on a replica of the Lincoln Memorial seat that can be used as a photo-op in the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum in Washington, D.C.
How to get tickets
Visitors can go to the museum for free, but timed tickets are required.
You can reserve tickets up to six tickets up to 30 days in advance at Recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. Same-day, walk-up tickets also are available. One person may get up to six tickets at a time by visiting the Korean War Veterans Memorial kiosk on Daniel Chester French Drive.
"Tickets are first come, first served. Supplies are limited," the National Parks Service said. "Expect high demand especially on weekends and peak visitation periods. Expect a line to begin forming before the ticket window opens."
A peek under the Lincoln Memorial
Original walls of the Lincoln Memorial in the undercroft museum
Displays in the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum tell the story of the memorial's construction in Washington.
A display in the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum in Washington
A signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation is displayed June 18 in the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum in Washington.
A signed copy of the Thirteenth Amendment is displayed in the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum in Washington.
The exhibit showcases "how the memorial was built, how it has shaped Americans’ understanding of Abraham Lincoln and how its meaning has evolved for generations who have gathered there," according to the Trust for the National Mall.
A display about civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum in Washington
Details of the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum during a media preview in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon
A feature of the original walls of the Lincoln Memorial is visible June 18 in the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum in Washington.
Tools found under the Lincoln Memorial are displayed in the museum.
Graffiti found in the Lincoln Memorial undercroft was recreated on the walls of the women's bathroom in the museum.
Graffiti in the Undercroft, which was recreated on the walls of the women's bathroom in the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum, during a media preview in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon
Graffiti in the Undercroft, which was recreated on the walls of the women's bathroom in the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum, during a media preview in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon
The Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum offers a new perspective on the memorial
Columns in the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum, during a media preview in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon
Details of the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft Museum, during a media preview in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon
