How to Do a Washington Monument Walkdown Tour
Experiencing the interior of the Washington Monument requires planning ahead. Call the link below to see if the National Park Service is even offering the walk down tour. Prior to September 11, tours were common, but now they are very restricted. Tickets are free. If tours are offered, plan on being at the ticket dispensing booth, in front, at least an hour and half prior to the 8:30 a.m. dispensing time. They go fast. A visitor may claim up to six tickets each. Ask about the walk down tour and then secure tickets for either the 10 or 11:30 a.m. time slot. The tours start at the stop thirty minutes later.
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Instructions
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Walking down the Washington Monument
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Impossible to take a bad photograph, the monument is, at 555 feet, the tallest building in the District.
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Past security, there is a brief wait for the elevator. A statue of the distinguished statesman greets the visitor.
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From eight portals above, The Capital, the White House, Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials are visible in each direction as is the Pentagon.
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The walk down tour is worthwhile in that the stairwell showcases donated marble representing all the states and armed forces as well as other established institutions. The artwork and reliefs are exquisite.
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Tips & Warnings
As mentioned tickets go fast. Being only 20th in line does not secure tickets when the first 19 are tour bus drivers with a badge that allows them to procure tickets for all their passengers.
When waiting, have a book.
