Women in Military Service for America Memorial facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Women In Military Service For America Memorial |
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 Women In Military Service For America Memorial
Location in Washington, D.C.
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| Location | Arlington County, Virginia, United States |
| Area | 4.2 acres (1.7 ha) |
| Established | October 17, 1997 |
| Visitors | 200,000 (in 2016) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | |
| Architect | Weiss/Manfredi |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000605 |
| Added to NRHP | November 13, 1982 |
The Women In Military Service For America Memorial, also known as Military Women's 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, in the United States. The structure in which the memorial is housed was originally known as the Hemicycle, and built in 1932 to be a ceremonial entrance to the cemetery. It never served this purpose, 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 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.
Images for kids
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Final design for the Hemicycle in 1929
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The Hemicycle under construction in 1931
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The nearly-complete Hemicycle in late 1931
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Aerial view of the Hemicycle in 1993, prior to its conversion into a memorial
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The Great Seal of the United States, carved over the center of the apse in the Hemicycle
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The Weiss/Manfredi design proposed piercing niches in the Hemicycle to create entry stairs.
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Brig. Gen. (ret.) Wilma Vaught, memorial foundation president, focused the foundation on fund-raising after the design controversy.
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In the first revised design, the glowing tall pylons were replaced with softly illuminated, horizontal glass panels.
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The rill between the fountain and pool was criticized by the Commission of Fine Arts as "too Middle Eastern"; the 200-jet fountain was one of the last design elements added.
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Construction of the interior of the memorial
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A crowd of about 30,000 watched the dedication of the WIMSA memorial in 1997.
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The upper terrace with its glass panel skylight was named by critics as a highlight of the memorial.
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The memorial's ability to honor the dignity of and merge seamlessly with Arlington National Cemetery is a critical element of its design, critics say.
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Map of the interior of the memorial as of 2013.
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The 15th anniversary of the memorial was celebrated with a night-time ceremony on October 20, 2012.
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First Lady Michelle Obama tours the memorial with Brig. Gen. (ret.) Wilma Vaught in March 2009.
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The pylon accidentally toppled during construction of the memorial.
