Philanthropist gives $18M to refurbish Lincoln Memorial

Philanthropist David Rubenstein, who has already donated tens of millions of dollars to refurbish the Washington Monument and other icons, is giving $18 million to fix up the Lincoln Memorial.

The National Park Service announced the gift today. The money will be used to fix the memorial's roof, clean the marble and improve accessibility by adding a second elevator. The park service also plans to create 15,000 square feet of visitor space tucked beneath the memorial for exhibits.

Rubenstein said his admiration for Lincoln drew him to this project.

"Lincoln deserves to have his memorial in tip-top shape," he said in a phone interview.

The Lincoln Memorial draws more than 7 million visitors annually and is the most-visited attraction on the National Mall.

Park Service Director John Jarvis said the memorial, dedicated in 1922, is structurally sound but does need some repair work.

"It's pretty stout, and I think really has held up quite well for a structure of its age," Jarvis said. "But you can't build a 100-year roof."

The memorial is built on pilings, and the park service is going to explore ways for visitors to see the foundations that anchor the memorial to the bedrock.