Military Women's Memorial

"Women's war memorial" redirects here. For the memorial in London, see Monument to the Women of World War II.

Military Women's Memorial
A neoclassical exedra with central apse, inlaid with red granite
Map showing the location of Military Women's Memorial
Map showing the location of Military Women's Memorial
Location of Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Arlington County, Virginia
LocationArlington County, Virginia, United States
Coordinates38°52′50″N 77°4′00″W / 38.88056°N 77.06667°W / 38.88056; -77.06667
Area4.2 acres (1.7 ha)
EstablishedOctober 17, 1997
Visitors200,000[1] (in 2016)
Governing bodyNational Park Service
Websitewww.womensmemorial.org
ArchitectWeiss/Manfredi
NRHP reference No.95000605[2]
Added to NRHPNovember 13, 1982

The Military Women's Memorial, also known as the Women In Military Service For America Memorial, is a memorial established by the U.S. federal government which honors women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. The memorial is located at the western end of Memorial Avenue at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia.

The structure that houses the memorial was originally known as the Hemicycle and was built in 1932 to be a ceremonial entrance to the cemetery. It never served this purpose, however, and was in disrepair by 1986. Congress approved the memorial in 1985, and the Hemicycle approved as the site for the memorial in 1988. An open design competition was won by New York City architects Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi. Their original design was leaked to the public and caused significant controversy. Two years of fund-raising and design revision followed. A revised preliminary design was approved in July 1992, and the final design in March 1995. Ground was broken for the memorial in June 1995, and the structure was dedicated on October 18, 1997.

The memorial is notable for its successful mixing of Neoclassical and Modern architecture. The memorial largely retained the Hemicycle but added a widely praised skylight on the Hemicycle terrace that incorporates not only memorials to servicewomen but also acts as a transition to the memorial below. Construction of the memorial, however, generated a lawsuit when a nearby pylon (part of the gateway to the cemetery) was damaged. Raising funds to pay off the construction debt incurred by the memorial took several years.

  1. ^ Barakat, Michael (October 20, 2017). "Women served too: Va. memorial to female vets marks 20th anniversary". Associated Press. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
  2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.