The Albert Einstein Memorial

When you visit Washington, DC, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Smithsonian museums are high on your list. But if you’re looking for a lesser-known site, the Albert Einstein Memorial is a great off-the-beaten-path stop.

Tucked away near the National Academy of Sciences on Constitution Avenue, this bronze statue of Einstein is impressive. The memorial has been there since April 22, 1979, in honor of the centennial of the great scientist’s birth.

Visiting the Albert Einstein Memorial

Unlike many grand, towering monuments in DC, this one has a personal feel. Sitting 12 feet tall, Einstein appears relaxed, casually seated on a bench, as if he is ready to chat.  The paper Einstein holds lists his most important scientific works: the theory of general relativity, the photoelectric effect, and his most famous formula, E = mc2, the equivalence of energy and matter. 

At his feet lies a stunning black granite star map. Stand on the right spot, and your voice will echo back to you—a fun little secret of the monument!

Behind the statue, on the back of the bench, are three quotes from Einstein engraved.

“As long as I have any choice in the matter, I shall live only in a country where civil liberty, tolerance, and equality of all citizens before the law prevail.”

“Joy and amazement of the beauty and grandeur of this world of which man can just form a faint notion.”

“The right to search for truth implies also a duty; one must not conceal any part of what one has recognized to be true.”

Visit in the early morning or evening for a peaceful moment with Einstein, and don’t forget to touch his nose for good luck—it’s a quirky tradition!