Welcome to Hidden Memorials: a new series which gives a brief introduction to the city's lesser known monuments, memorials and statues.
Did you know that the Albert Einstein Memorial has been sitting in a courtyard of the National Academy of Sciences for just over thirty-four years? The bronze statue by sculptor Robert Berks (who did the JFK bust at the Kennedy Center) was dedicated on April 22, 1979 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the scientist's birth. The statue shows Einstein sitting on a rounded bench of white granite steps from North Carolina, holding a paper with three of his most famous formulas (including E=mc^2 of course). There are also three quotes on the back of the bench. However, one of the coolest things about the monument might be the platform below his feet. The metal studs on the platform are meant to resemble various celestial bodies (stars, planets and the like) in the exact position that they were at the time of the statue's dedication. Take a trip out to Foggy Bottom if you want to check it out.
· Albert Einstein Memorial [Wikipedia]
· The Einstein Memorial [National Academy of Sciences]
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