The Pentagon Memorial opened to the public at 7 p.m. on September 11, 2008, following a Dedication Ceremony earlier in the day for invited guests only.
About the Pentagon Memorial:
In remembrance of the events of September 11, 2001, the Pentagon Memorial honors the 184 people whose lives were lost at the Pentagon and on American Airlines Flight 77, their families and all those who sacrifice that we may live in freedom.
Built on 1.9 acres of land within view of the crash site of American Airlines Flight 77, design elements of the Pentagon Memorial include:
- Rectangular reflecting pools of light glow from beneath 184 gracefully cantilevered benches, each inscribed with the name of one of the victims.
- The benches are arranged in a timeline of the ages of the victims.
- The memorial benches face opposite directions, determined by whether the victim was in the Pentagon or on American Airlines Flight 77.
- Trees will are clustered in the park to provide shade and a canopy light and natural beauty.
See Images of the Pentagon Memorial
Hours of Operation:
The Pentagon Memorial will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Getting to the Pentagon Memorial:
Because there is no public parking at the Memorial, the METRO system is recommended as the primary means of transportation for visitors. Private vehicles are permitted to unload and pick up passengers at designated areas, but parking and standing at these locations is prohibited and these regulations are strictly enforced.
Metered parking options are available on the streets of Crystal City and Pentagon City. The closest public parking facility is located at The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City shopping mall, which has parking for a fee. There are limited parking spaces (currently five spaces) for visitors with disabilities, located in the Pentagon South Parking Lot, next to the Memorial Park. Vehicles parking in these spaces must display a valid disabled parking permit issued by the state of the vehicle registration.
Closest METRO Stations:
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority operates the second largest rail transit system and the fifth largest bus network in the United States. The following METRO rail stations are within walking distance to the Pentagon Memorial:
- Pentagon METRO Station on the Blue and Yellow Lines is the closest rail stop to the Memorial
- Pentagon City METRO Station on the Blue and Yellow Lines
- Arlington National Cemetery Station on the Blue Line
Prohibited Activities:
Prohibited activities at the Pentagon Memorial include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Possession of firearms, fireworks, alcoholic beverages and glass containers, narcotics, and other dangerous substances
- Political soliciting, selling and posting of posters, flyers, handbills and similar items
- Eating and Drinking (water is permitted)
- Smoking in the Memorial or the Gateway.
- Wheeled Vehicles, Roller Blades, etc. (Those used by persons with disabilities, strollers and baby carriages are permitted.)
- Pets and other animals (Seeing Eye dogs, guide dogs, police working dogs, etc. are authorized entry while performing their intended services. Owners and handlers are asked to pick up after their animals.)
- Music that can be heard by others, noise making devices such as public address systems, and sporting activities such as jogging, Frisbee playing and basketball bouncing are not allowed in the Memorial.
- Photography is permitted within the Pentagon Memorial only. Photography at all other locations on the Pentagon Reservation (pedestrian walkways, vehicular pathways and drop-off areas, for example) is strictly prohibited.
Before visiting the Pentagon Memorial, be sure to check the following official web sites for updated information:
