Constitution Gardens

Aerial view of Constitution Gardens

Quick Facts

Amenities

3 listed

Public Transit, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Wheelchair Accessible

Constitution Gardens is a serene, landscaped park on the National Mall, bordered by the Reflecting Pool, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Washington Monument. Envisioned in the 1970s as part of a broader effort to introduce more natural, people-focused spaces to the Mall, the gardens occupy land that once held temporary war-era office buildings. After President Richard Nixon personally supported the idea of transforming the site into a living memorial to the nation’s founding principles, Constitution Gardens was designated a national park in 1976 and formally dedicated in 1978 as a gift from the American people in honor of the U.S. Bicentennial. The name, incidentally, is derived from its location along Constitution Avenue, not a reference to the nation's written charter of government. 

The park was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in collaboration with landscape architect Dan Kiley, whose modernist approach emphasized open lawns, winding paths, and gentle topography. At the heart of the gardens lies a four-acre lake with a curving shoreline that creates a sense of calm and enclosure amid the busy Mall. A small island in the lake is home to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence Memorial, dedicated in 1984. The memorial’s low granite walls and individual plaques for each signer encourage quiet reflection rather than monumental display.

Constitution Gardens was conceived as a counterbalance to the Mall’s formal, neoclassical structures—a softer, more organic landscape meant for strolling, picnicking, and informal recreation. Its trees, meadows, and water features provide seasonal color and offer habitat for birds and other wildlife within the urban core. Benches, shaded paths, and broad lawns make the gardens a popular place for residents and visitors seeking respite from the city’s more structured ceremonial spaces.

Today, Constitution Gardens remains an important component of the National Mall’s cultural landscape. While plans for future restoration and revitalization have been considered, the gardens continue to serve their original purpose: offering a peaceful green retreat that celebrates the natural beauty of the capital and the foundational ideals of the nation.