Just for Fun

How many steps does it take to inspire a nation? Find out for yourself when you stand in the footsteps of Martin Luther King, Jr., Marian Anderson and even Forrest Gump at the Lincoln Memorial. The statue of the president stands 19½ feet tall, and the memorial itself is engraved with quotes from two of his most famous speeches, the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural Address.

What makes a hat an American treasure? Visit the National Museum of American History (14th & Constitution Ave. NW) to see one of the hats once worn by the president, along with other Lincoln artifacts.

Or, get face-to-face with a lifelike replica of Honest Abe dressed in the president’s finest attire at Madame Tussauds Washington, DC (1025 F St. NW). You’ll be greeted by a Lincoln statue as you enter the attraction. Once inside, you can take a seat next to Abe in a replica of the Presidential Box at Ford’s at the world-famous wax museum.

How can you snag a seat at an inaugural ball? Tour a special exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery, where the second inaugural ball took place. View invitations, copies of the menu and illustrations from the legendary party and practice your dance steps like one of the president’s guests.