Renovated Arts of War statues unveiled at Lincoln Memorial Circle
Scaffolding comes down around the regilded Arts of War statues as restoration work wraps with a $5.1M price tag.
The Arts of War and the Arts of Peace statues just got a glow-up, President Donald Trump announced this week.
“Taking down the scaffolding around the regilded Arts of War sculptures!” the president posted on Truth Social on Monday, July 27, along with photos of the newly renovated statues with their updated golden coating.
Earlier this month, the National Park Service issued a notice to visitors stating that statue renovations would begin on July 2 at 6 a.m. and go through Sept. 30, 2026.
The agency issued a temporary closure and public use limit in certain designated parklands at the National Mall and Memorial Parks as part of the rehabilitation project.
The Park Service said the closure is necessary to maintain public health and safety, protect natural and cultural resources, and allow for unimpeded construction activity.
While the Park Service did not state a timeline for when the surrounding areas could be reopened to the public, it said closures will be lifted as soon as they are no longer necessary, the notice states.
See the regilded statues
What are the Arts of War and the Arts of Peace statues?
The Arts of War and the Arts of Peace statues are near the Lincoln Memorial. The statues of the Arts of War flank the east end of Arlington Memorial Bridge, close to the proposed spot of Trump’s arch. Meanwhile, the statues of the Arts of Peace are at the terminus of Parkway Drive at Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, according to the MTFA Design + Preservation architecture firm based in Washington, D.C.
The statues each have a gilded bronze casting of a horse and human figures above a monumental granite pedestal and base.
Why were the statues regilded?
According to the design firm, the statues had previously been covered with severe purple staining, which had been caused by the copper ions from the degraded bronze statues, likely stemming from chemical cleaners, poultices, laser cleaning and microabrasives.
A 2018 report from the firm analyzed the necessary work needed to restore the statues to their former glory.
While scaffolding continues to surround the statues, they’re now glowing with their brand-new gold coatings.
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com.