Indianapolis is a city that is home to some of the most significant and oldest memorials in the United States. From the Indiana World War Memorial and Museum to the USS Indianapolis CA 35 Memorial, these monuments honor those who served in various wars and conflicts, as well as all Indiana veterans. The Indiana World War Memorial and Museum is a 30,000-square-foot museum that displays American military history from the Revolutionary War to the present. It is open Wednesday through Sunday at 9 a.m., and visitors must wear a face covering inside in accordance with the state of Indiana's mandate.
The Medal of Honor Memorial plays recorded stories of medal winners or the conflicts they fought in at nightfall. The University Park is located just south of the World War Memorial and is worth visiting. During the Civil War, this land was used as a place to train Union troops. After the war ended, Indianapolis came together and created a fund to convert the land into the park it is today.
The semi-cylindrical monuments of Korea and Vietnam, which are part of the American Legion Mall, were opened in 1996. The Congressional Medal of Honor monument is located at the north end of the Indy Canal, in White River State Park. At just 2 feet tall and 5 feet wide, it was created to serve as both a standalone marker and a podium where people could stand and interact with the monument. The USS Indianapolis Memorial is one of only 26 monuments designated a national monument by an act of Congress. Several cities competed to house the National Headquarters, but Indianapolis was chosen because of its proposal in the 1920s to build the Plaza in Memory of the Indiana War. This gray and black granite monument is engraved with the history of the collapse on one side and, on the other, the names of all those who served. Veteran's Memorial Plaza honors all Indiana veterans and is centrally located in seven blocks in the Memorial District.
Installed on the east bank of Central Canal in 1995, the USS Indianapolis CA 35 Memorial was designed by Joseph Fischer to recognize those who died in service.
