MLK Memorial set to open in DC today

Today tourists and Washingtonians will get their first up-close look at the memorial to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

The site is having a soft opening this morning without fanfare to kick off a week of celebrations ahead of Sunday's official dedication.

The memorial sits on the National Mall near the Tidal Basin, between memorials honoring Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson. It includes a 30-foot-tall sculpture of King and a 450-foot-long granite wall inscribed with 14 quotations from the civil rights leader. The public will be allowed onto the site starting at 11 a.m.

Sunday's dedication ceremony will mark the 48th anniversary of the March on Washington and King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech. President Barack Obama is scheduled to speak at the dedication.

Enjoy!