How do we decide which stories from the past deserve to be remembered? Every monument, memorial, and historic site reflects a series of choices about what to honor, how to tell the story, and what lessons future generations should take away. While history records the events of the past, memory shapes how people understand and commemorate them. By looking closely at monuments, you can gain insight into the events they represent and the values and priorities of their creators.

Few places offer a richer opportunity for such an exploration than Washington’s National Mall. Historian and professor Christopher Hamner leads this engaging day of discovery, beginning with a morning lecture at the Ripley Center that introduces the concepts of history and memory and provides practical tools for interpreting monuments. After a boxed lunch, head onto the National Mall for an immersive study of four memorials: the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, World War II Memorial, and Ulysses S. Grant Memorial. Through guided observation and discussion with your study leader, discover how these powerful spaces forge public memory, provoke reflection, and continue to influence the way Americans understand the past.

Know Before You Go

• Tour participants meet at the S. Dillon Ripley Center (1100 Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, DC).
• The tour begins with a lecture and includes a boxed lunch.

General Information

• Registration for this tour will end by 2 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 19, 2026.
• Smithsonian Associates is a mask-friendly environment. Please feel free to bring and wear a mask at any time during a tour, both for your safety or the safety of others.
• As we aim to move away from single use water bottles, guests are strongly encouraged to get in the habit of bringing their own reusable water bottle on tour.
• For additional tour information:
• Study Tour Policies
• Refund/Cancellation Policy