Visitor Tips and Cemetery Etiquette

Millions of people visit Arlington National Cemetery each year. Many come to pay respects at graveside services, or to visit a loved one's final resting place. Please remember that Arlington is an active cemetery — a place of honor, grieving and reflection. We ask that visitors abide by the following guidelines. 

•  Please review our safety guidelines and security procedures, including 100% ID check, before you visit.

•  Speak quietly so that your experience does not distract or disturb other visitors. Use headphones if you are listening to something. 

•  Enjoy the space appropriately. We encourage you to explore the cemetery (you may walk on the grass to find a grave) and attend a public ceremony. However, activities such as running, climbing, bicycling, playing sports and picnicking are not allowed. 

•  Leave your pets at home. Only approved service animals and military working dogs are permitted. 

•  Respect the property. Do not damage or sit on monuments, gravestones, plants or other property. They are historic features of this sacred site, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  

•  Respect funeral services by staying at a distance. If you encounter a funeral procession, please step aside and wait for the procession to pass. If your exploration of the cemetery brings you near a funeral service, please move along to an area that is not the site of active mourning. 

•  Show respect to the flag. When the American flag is used in a ceremony or service, or when a bugler sounds Taps, civilians should place their right hand over their heart. Military service members and veterans may salute.  

•  Drink water. The cemetery grounds are vast, and the weather is often very hot during the summer; stay hydrated! You may bring bottled water or purchase it at the Welcome Center. Download or print a map of water fountains/bottle fillers throughout the cemetery. Our ANC Explorer mobile app will also help you locate water fountains. Do not drink from spigots, as they do not contain potable water. Food and alcoholic beverages are not allowed.

•  We welcome visitors with disabilities. The cemetery does not provide wheelchairs or strollers, but you may bring your own. 

•  Visiting with children? Consult our Education Program! See, in particular, the "Activities for Children" section in Understanding Arlington.  

•  Medical incidents: Arlington National Cemetery does not have in-house emergency medical services. If a medical emergency occurs on ANC property, tour group guides or chaperones should call 911. For medical incidents that are not emergencies, please contact Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Directorate of Emergency Services at 703-588-2800. 

•  To learn about the cemetery's history and traditions, and for more tips that will enhance your visit, click here

•  Public Wreath Ceremonies: If you are participating in a public wreath ceremony, please consult the dress code

•  Self-guided walking tours are featured in our Education Program: https://education.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Tours. 

•  Download our mobile app, ANC Explorer, to locate gravesites and other points of interest. 

•  Visitor rules for Army National Military Cemeteries are established in the Code of Federal Regulations, 32 CFR § 553.33