Accessibility

A tall cream-colored statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. stands in an open area. In front of the statue, visitors cross and chat.
Discover how you can experience the memorial!

Photo: NPS / Kate McCarthy

Welcome

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial welcomes all individuals with disabilities and their service animals! The park strives to make visitation accessible by removing barriers and communicating accessibility. Explore our accessibility page for access information before you visit. National Mall and Memorial Parks has loanable wheelchairs located at the World War II Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and Korean War Veterans Memorial if needed. Braille brochures are available at the Survey Lodge Ranger station, located at approximately 1601 Independence Avenue. Visit Photos & Multimedia to view an audio described and close captioned video Keeping the Dream Alive. Contact us with any questions or for help planning your visit!


Resources Additional aid
  • TTY Federal Relay Service (800) 877-8339
  • Voice Carry Over (VCO) (877) 877-6280
  • Speech-to-Speech (877) 877-8982
 
Three bollards are embedded in the sidewalk leading to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
Bollards leading to the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial.

Photo: NPS / Kate McCarthy

Parking

  • Accessible parking is available next to the memorial on West Basin Drive.
  • Standard parking is offered along Independence Avenue.

Access

  • Visitors walk from the sidewalk along West Basin Drive and Independence Avenue into the open memorial area. There is enough room to navigate around in a wheelchair. As visitors approach the memorial from this direction, there are bollards leaving about 3 and ½ feet of room to navigate through.
 
A concrete bench with no back or arm rests sits near the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial
Benches surround the memorial for convenience.

Photo: NPS / Kate McCarthy

  • The surface of the memorial is firm concrete. Concrete benches with no arm or back rest blend into low concrete walls in the memorial area.

 
A railing blocks the Tidal Basin, but ends in the middle of the picture.
A railing stands on the side of the memorial facing the Tidal Basin.

Photo: NPS / Kate McCarthy

  • The Tidal Basin sits on the other side of the memorial. A railing protects visitors from falling, but be aware the railing ends after a few yards, and the sidewalk continues around the Tidal Basin.

 
Books, pamphlets, and items are placed for sale inside of the bookstore. The checkout desk aligns the back wall.
The bookstore's interior.

Photo: NPS / Kate McCarthy

Bookstore

  • The bookstore is located across West Basin Drive from the memorial. To enter the bookstore, visitors must pull open the double doors or press the push to open button located on the right, standing at about three feet tall. There is a threshold visitors must navigate over.
  • There is room to navigate around the bookstore in a wheelchair. The surface of the bookstore is firm concrete.
  • Accessible, gendered restrooms are located on the back side of the bookstore. Restrooms can only be accessed from the outside. Each restroom has two wheelchair accessible stalls, and a changing table. The entrance for each restroom is about three feet wide. There is also one family restroom.The water fountain is not usable at this time.
 
A closed ticket window sits on the East side of the bookstore.
The bookstore's information window.

Photo: NPS / Kate McCarthy

  • The information window is located on the side of the bookstore facing West Basin Drive. The window sits at about three feet above ground level.
 

Last updated: March 21, 2024

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

1100 Ohio Drive SW
Washington, DC 20242

Phone:

202 426-6841

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