August 28, 2011, the 48th anniversary of the groundbreaking March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom witnessed the dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.  It is fitting that on this date, reminiscent of the defining moment in Dr. King's leadership in the Civil Rights movement; in the form of solid granite, his legacy is further cemented in the tapestry of the American experience.  His leadership in the drive for realization of the freedoms and liberties laid down in the foundation of the United States of America for all of its citizens, without regard to race, color, or creed is what introduced this young southern clergyman to the nation. The delivery of his message of love and tolerance through the means of his powerful gift of speech and eloquent writings inspire to this day, those who yearn for a gentler, kinder world .  His inspiration broke the boundaries of intolerance and even national borders, as he became a symbol, recognized worldwide of the quest for civil rights of the citizens of the world.

The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum maintains the world's largest and  most significant collection of aviation and space artifacts, encompassing all aspects of human flight, as  well as related works of art and archival materials. It operates two landmark  facilities that, together, welcome more than eight million visitors a year, making it the most visited museum in the country. It also is home to the Center for Earth and  Planetary Studies.

The Museum houses thousands of artifacts showcased in exhibitions on  aviation, space exploration, and planetary science. At both of its locations, the Museum presents programs, educational activities, lectures, and performances that reflect the American  spirit, and the innovation, courage, and optimism that have led to triumphs in  the history, science and technology of flight. At the Museum in Washington, DC, which  opened in 1976 and is located in the heart of the Smithsonian complex in Washington, DC, some of the most awe-inspiring icons of flight are on display. 

The National Air and Space Museum is the largest of 19 museums included in the Smithsonian Institution. The Museum's Director is assisted by three Associate Directors, who oversee Research and Curatorial Affairs; Management and Public Programs; and External Affairs. The Smithsonian's aeronautical collection began in 1876 when a group of kites was  acquired from the Chinese Imperial Commission.

The National Arboretum in Washington, DC displays 446 acres of trees, shrubs and plants and is one of the largest arboretums in the country. Visitors enjoy a variety of exhibits from formal landscaped gardens to the Gotelli Dwarf and slow growing Conifer Collection. The National Arboretum is most known for its bonsai collection. Other special displays include seasonal exhibits, aquatic plants, and a National Herb garden. During the early spring, the site is popular spot to see more than 70 varieties of Cherry Trees.

The National Gallery of Art and its Sculpture Garden are a national art museum in Washington, D.C. Andrew W. Mellon donated a substantial art collection and funds for construction of the museum. The core collection also includes major works of art donated by Paul Mellon, Ailsa Mellon Bruce, Lessing J. Rosenwald, Samuel Henry Kress, Rush Harrison Kress, Peter Arrell Brown Widener, Joseph E. Widener, and Chester Dale. The Gallery's collection of paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculpture, medals, and decorative arts traces the development of Western Art from the Middle Ages to the present, including the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas and the largest mobile ever created by Alexander Calder.

The Gallery's campus includes the original neoclassical West Building designed by John Russell Pope, which is linked underground to the modern East Building, designed by I. M. Pei, and the 6.1-acre Sculpture Garden. The Gallery often presents temporary special exhibitions spanning the world and the history of art.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., at Judiciary Square, honors the more than 19,000 U.S. law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty throughout history.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund was established by former U.S. Representative Mario Biaggi (D-NY), a 23-year New York City police veteran who was wounded in the line of duty over 10 times before retiring in 1965.

Check website for information on museum that is adjacent to memorial http://www.nleomf.org/

The National Museum of African Art is an African art museum located in Washington, D.C., United States. The museum is one of nineteen under the wing of the Smithsonian Institution. The museum, which was started in 1964, was originally located at the Frederick Douglass House in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

In 1979 the museum was transferred over to the Smithsonian and relocated to the National Mall. It opened in its current location, as one of two institutions, constructed mostly underground, in the quadrangle complex behind the Smithsonian Institution Building (the Castle), in 1987. The other is the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery for Asian art.

The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center collects, preserves and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. Among the items on display are the original Star-Spangled Banner and Archie Bunker's chair. The museum is part of the Smithsonian Institution and located on the National Mall at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.

The museum opened in 1964 as the Museum of History and Technology. It was one of the last structures designed by the renowned architectural firm McKim Mead & White. In 1980, the museum was renamed The National Museum of American History
to represent its mission of the collection, care, study, and interpretation of objects that reflect the experience of the American
people.

The Crime Museum is a privately owned museum dedicated to the history of criminology and penology in America. It is found in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington, D.C., half a block south of the Gallery Place station. The museum was opened in May 2008 and was built by Orlando businessman John Morgan in partnership with John Walsh, host of America's Most Wanted, at a cost of US$ 21 million. Unlike most museums in Washington, DC, the Crime Museum is a for-profit enterprise.

More than 700 artifacts in 28,000 square feet of exhibition space relate the history of crime, and its consequences, in America and American popular culture. The museum features exhibits on colonial crime, pirates, Wild West outlaws, gangsters, the Mob, mass murderers, and white collar criminals. Twenty-eight interactive stations include the high-speed police chase simulators used in the training of law enforcement officers, and a Firearms Training Simulator (F.A.T.S.) similar to that utilized by the FBI.

The National Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. With free admission and open doors 364 days a year, it is the most visited natural history museum in the world. Opened in 1910, the museum on the National Mall was one of the first Smithsonian buildings constructed exclusively to hold the national collections and research facilities. The main building has an overall area of 1,320,000 square feet (123,000 m²) with 350,000 square feet (33,000 m²) of exhibition and public space and houses over 1,000 employees.

The museum's collections total over 126 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, and human cultural artifacts. With 7.4 million visitors in 2009, it is the most visited of all of the Smithsonian museums that year and is also home to about 185 professional natural history scientists — the largest group of scientists dedicated to the study of natural and cultural history in the world

The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) is a gender specific museum, located in Washington, D.C. is the only museum solely dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements in the visual, performing, and literary arts. NMWA was incorporated in 1981 by Wallace and Wilhelmina Holladay. Since opening its doors in 1987, the museum has acquired a collection of more than 4,500 paintings, sculptures, works on paper and decorative art. Highlights of the collection include works by Mary Cassatt, Frida Kahlo, and Élisabeth Louise Vigée-Le Brun. The museum occupies the old Masonic Temple, a building listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.