U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation

United States Navy Memorial
United States Navy Memorial
Location	Washington, D.C., U.S.
Coordinates	38°53′39″N 77°1′23″W / 38.89417°N 77.02306°W / 38.89417; -77.02306Coordinates: 38°53′39″N 77°1′23″W / 38.89417°N 77.02306°W / 38.89417; -77.02306
Established	October 13, 1987
Governing body	U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation

The United States Navy Memorial, on Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 7th Street Northwest and 9th Street Northwest in Washington, D.C., honors those who have served or are currently serving in the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and the Merchant Marine.

The National Park Service, through its National Mall and Memorial Parks administrative unit, provides technical and maintenance assistance to the foundation. The memorial is adjacent to the Archives station of the Washington Metro and the National Archives building.

Associated with the memorial is the Naval Heritage Center. The Heritage Center is open 362 days a year, closing only on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. The Heritage Center offers unique space available for rent. The event/meeting space includes the gallery deck with full view of the memorial exhibition area and can hold up to 400 guests for standing receptions. The President's Room is ideal for board meetings or smaller receptions holding up to 50 seated guests and The Burke Theater that offers state of the art projection system and seats up to 242.

For U.S. sea services, The United States Navy Memorial is the triumph of a centuries-old dream. In the early days of America's national independence, architect Pierre L'Enfant envisioned a memorial in the nation's capital "to celebrate the first rise of the Navy and consecrate its progress and achievements." But it was only in the twentieth century that L'Enfant's vision was realized.

Pennsylvania Avenue, "America's Main Street," the boulevard that links the U.S. Capitol and White House, the scene of many parades, pageants, and national memories, was chosen to be the location.