Andrew Jackson Downing Urn

The Andrew Jackson Downing Urn is a marble memorial standing 9 meters (30 feet) tall in the formal gardens next to the Smithsonian Institution buildings. The white stone structure rises from a base surrounded by landscaped paths and planted beds that frame it within the garden design.

Designers Robert Eberhard Launitz and Calvert Vaux created this memorial in 1856 following Andrew Jackson Downing's death in a steamboat accident. The monument marked an early moment in the National Mall's transformation into a space dedicated to remembering important figures.

The memorial honors the philosophy of landscape design that Downing brought to America, a vision that continues to shape how public spaces are created today. Walking through the garden, you can experience how this place itself demonstrates the principles that made him influential.

The urn sits in the Enid A. Haupt Garden, which has paved paths that are easy to walk through and navigate. The location is accessible from the National Mall and near several Smithsonian museums, making it simple to visit as part of a larger exploration of the area.

Though now part of a larger garden complex, this was actually the first monument completed and installed on the National Mall grounds. Its placement pioneered the use of this area for official memorials and helped establish the Mall's role in commemorating important figures.

Location: Washington, D.C.

Inception: 1856

Creator: Robert Eberhard Launitz, Calvert Vaux

Elevation above the sea: 9 m

Made from material: Carrara marble

Address: 1000 Jefferson Dr SW, Washington, DC 20560

GPS coordinates: 38.88840,-77.02540

Latest update: December 12, 2025 14:22