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$18M gift will help refurbish Lincoln Memorial (Photos)

Kate Ryan | kryan@wtop.com

February 15, 2016, 6:34 PM

David Rubenstein speaks at the Lincoln Memorial on a snowy Monday. Rubenstein is giving $18 million to fix up the memorial. He was joined by Secretary for the Department of the Interior Sally Jewell, Director of the National Park Service Jonathan Jarvis and Vice Chair of the National Park Foundation Board of Directors Al Baldwin. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
WTOP/Kate Ryan
(Left to right) Secretary for the Department of the Interior Sally Jewell, Philanthropist David Rubenstein and Director of the National Park Service Jonathan Jarvis at the Lincoln Memorial on a snowy Monday, Feb. 15. Rubenstein announced his $18 million gift for the memorial, which draws more 7 million visitors annually and is the most visited attraction on the National Mall. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
WTOP/Kate Ryan
TV crews and other members of the media await a news conference on the Lincoln Memorial restoration on Monday, a snowy day in the District. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
WTOP/Kate Ryan
Rubenstein gestures as he talks about the history of the Lincoln Memorial. Rubenstein said his admiration for Lincoln drew him to this project. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
WTOP/Kate Ryan
Rubenstein, a billionaire who founded The Carlyle Group investment firm in Washington, has already given $7.5 million to repair the Washington Monument after a 2011 earthquake, $5.4 million for the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, and $12.35 million for Arlington House, the home of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
Rubenstein, a billionaire who founded The Carlyle Group investment firm in Washington, has already given $7.5 million to repair the Washington Monument after a 2011 earthquake, $5.4 million for the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, and $12.35 million for Arlington House, the home of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
WTOP/Kate Ryan
The ceiling inside the Lincoln Memorial is due for a cleaning and restoration. The money Rubenstein is giving 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. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
WTOP/Kate Ryan
Rubenstein and Sean Kennealy, chief of professional services for the National Mall and National Park Service, talk inside the Lincoln Memorial. Rubenstein, a history buff, said he is particularly excited that his gift will provide the park service a better opportunity to tell Lincoln’s story to visitors at the memorial, and generally increase awareness about his presidency. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
WTOP/Kate Ryan
A broken light fixture is on the ground in the “under croft” where a visitors center will be added. The space will be 15,000 square feet for exhibits. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
WTOP/Kate Ryan
Graffiti can be seen on the support pillars under the memorial. There is no date cited for these particular sketches. 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. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
WTOP/Kate Ryan
The unseen superstructure is marked with graffiti from the workers who built the memorial over a seven-year period, including caricatures of former President William Howard Taft and memorial architect Henry Bacon. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
WTOP/Kate Ryan
The “under croft” area under the Lincoln Memorial. This view is from a catwalk looking toward the steps on the front side of the memorial. Park Service Director John Jarvis said the memorial, dedicated in 1922, is structurally sound but does need some repair work. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
WTOP/Kate Ryan
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Rubenstein, a billionaire who founded The Carlyle Group investment firm in Washington, has already given $7.5 million to repair the Washington Monument after a 2011 earthquake, $5.4 million for the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, and $12.35 million for Arlington House, the home of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)

WASHINGTON — 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.

Take a look at some of the repairs that will be made and some of the plans for the future of the memorial.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Kate Ryan

As a member of the award-winning WTOP News, Kate is focused on state and local government. Her focus has always been on how decisions made in a council chamber or state house affect your house. She's also covered breaking news, education and more.

kryan@wtop.com

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