Albert Einstein Memorial
Robert Berks stood in a Princeton home during 1953 to create a life study of Albert Einstein. The sculptor later cast the bronze figure at Modern Art Foundry in Astoria, Queens, New York. This process resulted in a statue weighing approximately four tons and standing twelve feet tall. Berks had previously created portrait busts for figures like John F. Kennedy and Mary McLeod Bethune. He based this specific work on the bust he made from life decades earlier. The monument sits within an elm and holly grove near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
The memorial was unveiled at the National Academy of Sciences annual meeting on the 22nd of April 1979. This date marked the centennial year of Einstein's birth. Physicist John Archibald Wheeler spoke during the ceremony about the statue's meaning. He described it as a monument uniting space and time into space-time. Wheeler also noted that the universe begins with a bang rather than existing forever. Tourists now visit the site frequently to pose for pictures near the grove of trees.
James A. Van Sweden designed the landscape architecture surrounding the statue. The bench supporting the figure is made from Mount Airy white granite from North Carolina. Three caissons support the entire structure totaling one hundred thirty-five tons. These foundations sink twenty-three to twenty-five feet into bedrock. The circular dais measures twenty-eight feet in diameter and uses emerald-pearl granite from Larvik, Norway. The engineering ensures stability while integrating the sculpture into the natural setting.
More than two thousand seven hundred metal studs are embedded within the circular dais. Astronomers from the U.S. Naval Observatory positioned these studs to represent celestial objects at noon on the 22nd of April 1979. The arrangement includes the sun, moon, planets, four asteroids, five galaxies, ten quasars, and many stars. Different stud sizes denote apparent magnitude or binary star systems like pulsars and globular clusters. Visitors standing at the center experience direct eye contact with Einstein and amplified spoken words.
Three equations appear engraved as if written on papers held by the seated figure. They summarize general relativity, the photoelectric effect, and the equivalence of energy and matter. Quotations along the back of the bench reflect Einstein's concern for social justice. One quote states he would live only where civil liberty and tolerance prevail. Another expresses joy and amazement at the beauty of the world. A third emphasizes the duty not to conceal recognized truth during a search for it.
The statue appeared in the opening title sequence of Sesame Street during its twentieth season. In July 2012, Polish-born artist Olek yarn bombed the sculpture with colorful crocheted wraps. This intervention covered the entire statue in pinks, purples, and teal hues. A chocolate copy once displayed at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel also drew attention. These artistic acts transformed the static bronze
into a dynamic cultural symbol over time.
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Common questions
When was the Albert Einstein Memorial unveiled in Washington DC?
The memorial was unveiled on the 22nd of April 1979 during the National Academy of Sciences annual meeting. This date marked the centennial year of Albert Einstein's birth.
Who created the bronze sculpture for the Albert Einstein Memorial?
Sculptor Robert Berks created the life study and cast the bronze figure at Modern Art Foundry in Astoria, Queens, New York. The resulting statue weighs approximately four tons and stands twelve feet tall.
Where is the Albert Einstein Memorial located within Washington DC?
The monument sits within an elm and holly grove near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. James A. Van Sweden designed the landscape architecture surrounding the statue to integrate it into the natural setting.
What do the metal studs embedded in the Albert Einstein Memorial dais represent?
Astronomers from the U.S. Naval Observatory positioned more than two thousand seven hundred metal studs to represent celestial objects at noon on the 22nd of April 1979. The arrangement includes the sun, moon, planets, asteroids, galaxies, quasars, and stars.
How many equations are engraved on the Albert Einstein Memorial bench?
Three equations appear engraved as if written on papers held by the seated figure. They summarize general relativity, the photoelectric effect, and the equivalence of energy and matter.