WASHINGTON (Nexstar) — For years, people have only been able to gaze at the recognizable Washington Monument in the nation’s capital; repairs and renovations kept them from venturing inside.
“We are so disappointed. We think it would be amazing to go up,” said El Miller, one of the hundreds of thousands of people who visit the iconic structure.
In just a few weeks the 555-foot fixture on the National Mall will re-open to visitors.
In 2011, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit the Washington, D.C. area. It created more than 150 cracks in the monument. Now, those have been repaired, and Mike Litterst with the National Park Service says it’s made other upgrades, too.
“We have thoroughly modernized the elevator … and have the most state-of-the-art security and screening equipment that an icon of this type needs,” Litterst said.
Starting Sept. 19, people can start to take that elevator all the way to the top. Tours will be on a first-come, first-served basis until October, when people can start to buy tickets online.
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