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Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial: fees, hours, camping and when to visit

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on National Park Service data. Published by Humblebee.

Entrance fee
None[1]
Busiest month (2025)
March[2]
Recreation visits, 2025
2,843,263[3]

This memorial is part of the National Park System in the District of Columbia[4]. NPS lists it as a fee-free park with no entrance fee[1].

Entrance fees and passes

The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial[1]. Some tours, campgrounds or permits inside a park can still have their own fees.

When to visit and hours

NPS says National Mall and Memorial Parks sites, apart from the Washington Monument, stay open to the public around the clock[5]. In the evenings, restrooms, museums and elevators shut, so check each site for its hours[5]. Rangers help visitors every day except December 25, from 9:30 am until 10:00 pm[6]. In 2025 the busiest month was March with 499,573 recreation visits[2]. The quietest month was December with 88,565[2]. NPS lists a summer (June - August) average high of 86 degrees and a winter (December - February) average high of 45 degrees[7].

January 2025: 94,219 recreation visitsJanFebruary 2025: 131,232 recreation visitsFebMarch 2025: 499,573 recreation visits499,573MarApril 2025: 442,880 recreation visitsAprMay 2025: 351,755 recreation visitsMayJune 2025: 242,485 recreation visitsJunJuly 2025: 211,093 recreation visitsJulAugust 2025: 202,069 recreation visitsAugSeptember 2025: 161,781 recreation visitsSepOctober 2025: 260,235 recreation visitsOctNovember 2025: 157,376 recreation visitsNovDecember 2025: 88,565 recreation visitsDec
Recreation visits counted by the National Park Service in each month of 2025. The busiest month, March, is highlighted[2].
Show visits by month
Month, 2025Recreation visits
January94,219
February131,232
March499,573
April442,880
May351,755
June242,485
July211,093
August202,069
September161,781
October260,235
November157,376
December88,565
Show visits by year
Year Recreation visits
2021[3] 2,032,470
2022[3] 3,321,897
2023[3] 3,341,654
2024[3] 3,251,594
2025[3] 2,843,263

Pets and dogs

Under the national NPS pet rule, pets in areas where they are permitted must stay crated, caged or on a leash of six feet or shorter[8]. Public buildings, public transportation and designated swimming beaches are off limits to pets, though service animals are excepted[8]. Each park can close more areas to pets[8].

Before you go

Questions people ask

Is there an entrance fee for Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial?
NPS lists it as a fee-free park, so there is no entrance fee[1].
Where can I park near Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial?
The NPS note points to street parking along Ohio Drive and West Basin Drive[9].
What are the hours?
NPS says National Mall and Memorial Parks sites, apart from the Washington Monument, stay open to the public around the clock[5]. Rangers help visitors every day except December 25, from 9:30 am until 10:00 pm[6].
Are dogs allowed at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial?
Under the national NPS rule, pets in areas where they are permitted must stay crated, caged or on a leash of six feet or shorter[8]. NPS lists pets permitted on 0 of its things to do here[10].

Facts and sources

  1. NPS lists Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial as a fee-free park: there is no entrance fee. National Park Service
  2. NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
  3. NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 2,032,470, 2022: 3,321,897, 2023: 3,341,654, 2024: 3,251,594, 2025: 2,843,263. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
  4. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is a unit of the U.S. National Park System in the District of Columbia. National Park Service
  5. Operating hours, Always Open: The sites of National Mall and Memorial Parks (other than the Washington Monument) are always open to the public. Restrooms, museums and elevators close in the evenings (check individual sites for hours) National Park Service
  6. Operating hours, Rangers on Duty: Rangers are on duty to assist the visiting public from 9:30 am to 10:00 pm daily (except December 25). The US Park Police are on duty 24 hours a day. National Park Service
  7. NPS weather and seasons overview for Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. National Park Service
  8. National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
  9. Parking or transportation fee note from NPS: Street parking is located on Ohio Drive and West Basin Drive. National Park Service
  10. NPS lists 1 things to do at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial: Reflect at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Pets permitted on 0 of them. National Park Service

Fees and hours are what NPS lists in its data at the snapshot date. They change: tell readers to confirm on the official park page before a trip. Visits are NPS recreation visits (counted entries, not unique people). Use them only for this park's own months and years, never to rank parks. Campground list and site counts come from NPS and Recreation.gov records. Count fields can differ slightly between the two. The pet rule is the national baseline (36 CFR 2.15). The park may close more areas to pets. Do not claim specific trails allow dogs unless a fact says so.