The National Mall in Washington, D.C., is a symbolic center of our country. Framed by monuments to Presidents Washington and Lincoln and their singular accomplishments, the Mall begins at the U.S. Capitol, where our participatory democracy is constantly renewed. Bordered by the Smithsonian's national museums, which enshrine our knowledge of history, culture, science, and the arts, the Mall is home to our national civic rites—presidential inaugurations, Independence Day festivities, and victory celebrations.