This is one of the newer memorials and it might take a little bit of discussion to help younger children understnad the concepts involved in the display. It memorializes not only FDR but also the times in which he served. There are 4 different areas, one for each term he served.  It's kind of fun to line up next to the statues and pose as though you were one of them...stand at the end of the bread line and become part of history; in a photo at least!

You might notice there are 2 statues of FDR. The larger one is the official one and your children may have a hard time finding the wheelchair (its almost totally hidden) but the younger ones enjoy standing next to Fala, FDR's dog. The second statue is much smaller, and was added just a few years ago. It reflects FDR in the kitchen chair adapted to serve as his wheelchair and is life-sized. Disability rights advocates fought 6 years to have this placed at the memorial. I found it to be a more realistic memorial showing just how frail his body was but not his spirit. (Side note: we also saw FDR's leg braces at the Smithsonian later on)

The only statue in DC of a first lady stands at the FDR Memorial and that is one of his wife, Eleanor. It's interesting to note the differences in the water falls and splashing as these reflect the times of each term also.  Some are softer and quieter while others are almost raucus in the amount of noise and movement they create.

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