Design Approval

The concept for the National World War I Memorial was first presented to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) in October 2016. For the next three years, and over the course of 30 public hearings and 15 inter-agency working group meetings, the design team revised and reworked the concept and details of the memorial in coordination with the CFA, World War I Centennial Commission, National Park Service, National Capital Planning Commission, D.C. State Historic Preservation Officer, and various other stakeholders. In September 2019, the CFA awarded final design approval.

Timeline

World War I Centennial Commission established by Congress
National World War I Memorial authorized by Congress
Memorial design competition launched
Competition-winning design selected
Memorial design concept presented to the Commission of Fine Arts
Concept approval given by the CFA
Final design approved by the CFA
Ground broken on the Memorial
Pershing Park re-opened as the National World War I Memorial
Sculpture “A Soldier’s Journey” to be installed
January 2013
December 2014
May 2015
January 2016
October 2016
July 2018
September 2019
December 2019
April 2021
2024

Winning Design

Visit the
Journey

Design
Competition

About the
Memorial

A Soldier’s
Journey