The National Park Service, National Capital Planning Commission, and Van Alen Institute launched the Memorials for the Future ideas competition earlier this year to explore new approaches to designing and experiencing memorials in the next century. It is part of a larger conversation on creating a more inclusive and accessible commemorative landscape, sharing complex stories about nationally significant people and events, and considering new materials, technology or temporary/ephemeral approaches to enable broader participation. As part of this public program the finalists for the Memorials for the Future ideas competition will be announced. Following this announcement, a distinguished panel will examine possibilities for the next generation of commemoration including areas of identity, narrative, place-making, and innovative design.