Military Women's Memorial, Arlington

The Military Women’s Memorial is the only national memorial dedicated to women who have served in or with the United States Armed Forces. Dedicated on October 18, 1997, it documents women’s military service from the American Revolution to the present. The memorial stands at the ceremonial entrance to Arlington National Cemetery and incorporates the historic Hemicycle, a granite retaining wall completed in 1932 as part of the Arlington Memorial Bridge project.

Its education center contains galleries tracing the changing roles of military women through artifacts, photographs, uniforms, documents, oral histories, interactive displays, and temporary exhibitions. The Hall of Honor recognizes women killed in action, lost in the line of duty, held as prisoners of war, or awarded some of the nation’s highest military honors. Architectural features include the Court of Valor, a reflecting pool, a 200-jet fountain symbolizing women’s voices, and glass panels engraved with quotations by and about servicewomen. The upper terrace provides views across the cemetery and toward the Washington Monument. At the heart of the memorial is the National Register, an interactive database containing service information, photographs, awards, and personal experiences of more than 333,500 registered military women. Research collections include artifacts, a specialist library, digital resources, and more than 1,400 recorded oral histories dating from the First World War onward.

The memorial also presents educational programs, lectures, ceremonies, public events, and changing exhibitions examining women’s experiences and contributions across the uniformed services throughout American military history.