washington monument tour price

• Skip to global NPS navigation
• Skip to this park navigation
• Skip to the main content
• Skip to this park information section
• Skip to the footer section

Exiting nps.gov

Alerts in effect, fees & passes.

Last updated: January 16, 2024

Park footer

Contact info, mailing address:.

1100 Ohio Drive SW Washington, DC 20242

202-426-6841

Stay Connected

• Skip to global NPS navigation
• Skip to the main content
• Skip to the footer section

Exiting nps.gov

Washington monument.

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Wheelchair Accessible

The Washington Monument honors and memorializes George Washington, the first president of the United States. The memorial is 555 feet, 5.125 inches tall, and was the tallest building in the world when it was completed in 1884. Designed by Robert Mills and eventually completed by Thomas Casey and the US Army Corps of Engineers, the monument is at the center Great Cross Axis of the National Mall, extending west from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial and Potomac River and south from the White House to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. The structure was completed in two phases of construction, one privately funded (1848-1854) and one publicly funded (1876-1884). Built in the shape of an Egyptian obelisk, evoking the timelessness of ancient civilizations, the Washington Monument embodies the awe, respect, and gratitude the nation felt for its most essential Founding Father. Advance tickets are required to visit the interior of the Washington Monument; get tickets online . A project through the  Save America's Treasures Grant Program , which helps preserve nationally significant historic properties and collections, funded work to restore the Washington Monument in 1999. Restoration work included repointing exterior joints, sealing cracks, repairing exterior stones, re-glazing the observation windows, repairing lighting fixtures, and preserving the interior commemorative stones.

National Mall and Memorial Parks , Washington Monument

You Might Also Like

• national mall and memorial parks
• washington monument
• historic preservation fund
• historic preservation grants
• save americas treasures

Last updated: January 12, 2024

• PARKS BY NAME
• PARKS BY STATE
• REVIEWED PARK INDEX
• PHOTO LICENSING
• ABOUT NATIONAL PARK PLANNER
• REPORT ERRORS
• PRIVACY POLICY

National Mall and Memorial Parks | WASHINGTON MONUMENT

• PARK AT A GLANCE
• CONSTITUTION GARDEN
• EISENHOWER MEM.
• JEFFERSON MEMORIAL
• KOREAN WAR MEM.
• LINCOLN MEMORIAL
• MLK, JR. MEMORIAL
• PENNSYLVANIA AVE
• ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL
• VIETNAM MEMORIAL
• WASHINGTON MON.
• WW I MEMORIAL
• WW II MEMORIAL
• OTHER MEMORIALS
• DIRECTIONS / CONTACT

Washington Monument

WASHINGTON MONUMENT HISTORY

Operating hours, getting tickets.

MONUMENT TOURS

The Washington Monument was the first monument erected to a president on the National Mall. Its original design by Robert Mills—a circular colonnade surrounding an obelisk with a statue of George Washington at the top—resembled a mix between the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the monument that stands today. However, the design called for more money than had been raised, so the plan was to construct the obelisk first and perhaps add the colonnade at a later date, which never happened. No statue of Washington was added either, making it the only memorial to a president on the Mall that does not have an actual sculpted figure of the man being memorialized.

Construction on the obelisk began in 1848 and continued for ten years, rising to 156 feet before money ran out. Up until that point it was paid for by private donations only. The monument then sat for another eighteen years before President Grant authorized federal funding to complete the project. If you look closely, you will see that the marble used for the monument is two different shades of color. The change denotes the height of the first construction phase. The monument was finished using marble from a different quarry.

A subtle color change of the marble marks different construction periods

The Egyptian-style obelisk is comprised of over 36,000 heavy blocks of marble stacked on top of each other. No mortar holds the structure together, just the weight of the stones. To date, it is the largest free standing stone monument in the world.

Inside the monument is a steel frame, stairs, and, originally, a steam powered elevator that took twelve minutes to lift tourists to the top. The elevator has since been modernized and a trip takes a little over a minute, but that doesn’t make it any more reliable—the monument was closed for nearly three years starting in 2016 for elevator repairs. During the trip you can see some of the Memorial Stones embedded in the interior walls. These are similar to ceramic tiles and were donated by states, organizations, and even foreign countries.

At the very top of the monument is an aluminum cap called the apex. Though nothing more than the size of a cone-shaped hat, at the time it was the largest piece of shaped aluminum in existence. It was chosen over other metals such as bronze and copper because it would not tarnish the stones below. All four sides of the apex are engraved: two sides with the names of the politicians and architects responsible for the monument’s existence, one side listing the date the symbolic cornerstone was laid (July 4, 1848), and one side with the Latin phrase meaning Praise be to God . In 1934, the monument was repaired by the National Park Service, and an inscription noting the date was added to the side with the Latin phrase. The monument was repaired one other time in 2011 after an earthquake damaged the structure; it reopened in 2014.

Illustration of the apex being installed

The Washington Monument was completed in 1884 and officially dedicated on February 21, 1885. At its finished height of 555 feet, it was the world’s tallest building until the Eiffel Tower was completed in 1889. Even today it is the 2nd tallest structure in Washington, D. C. The Height of Buildings Act of 1910 limited building height to 130 feet or the width of the street on which it sits, whichever is the shortest. Any taller buildings, such as the U. S. Capitol, were built before this time. The only exceptions are the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (constructed from 1920-1959) and the One Franklin Square building that was completed in 1989. The only structure taller than the Washington Monument is the Hughes Memorial Tower, a radio tower also built in 1989.

View of the Washington Monument from the Lincoln Memorial

• Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day: 9 AM to 9 PM (last ticket at 8 PM) • Rest of the year: 9 AM to 5 PM (last ticket at 4 PM) • Closed on July 4th and Christmas Day • Ticket office opens at 8:30 AM

The Washington Monument can close at any time due to technical problems or security issues. Before getting up early and heading down to the monument only to find that it is closed, be sure to check the National Park Service’s Washington Monument website. You must look for the tiny, barely noticeable ALERT button on the menu, for the National Park Service doesn’t have the sense to post such important information in plain sight. I was a victim of this on my last visit to Washington, and I wasn’t the only person who showed up claiming there was no notice on the website.

The Washington Monument is the only memorial on the National Mall that requires a ticket, for inside is an elevator that takes visitors to the top for the best views of Washington, D. C. Tickets are free, and everyone over the age of two must get one. You can get a ticket on the day of your visit at the ticket office at the Monument or online in advance.

According to Recreation.gov, the ticket reservation website, during the summer there are 600 tickets available each day at the ticket office for walk-up visitors and 150 tickets for advance reservation by individuals online (only 15 for each of ten time slots). There are also 605 tickets set aside for large groups (55 for each of 11 time slots), and these tickets are only available online. That puts the total number of tickets available each day at 1,355. There are less tours in the off-season, so per my calculation there are approximately 950 tickets available each day during the off-season.

GETTING TICKETS ONLINE

Tickets for the Washington Monument can be obtained up to 90 days in advance online at Recreation.gov . There are separate reservation pages for individuals and groups. The tickets are free, but there is a small service charge ($1/ticket). Regardless of season, tickets are gone weeks, if not months, in advance. I have tried twice to get tickets up to two months in advance and had no luck, and both times were in the off-season.

Individuals can get up to 6 tickets online. Groups can get up to 55 tickets, and to get more than six tickets at one time you must get them online. Nobody can get more than six tickets at the ticket office. It is possible for groups to get tickets on the day of the tour at the ticket office, but they must send one person for each six group members to stand in line with everyone else.

Only 15 tickets per time slot for individuals isn’t a lot, but I think I found a loophole in the reservation system. On the Individual reservation page you cannot purchase more than six tickets, as expected. Just for kicks, I went to the Group reservation page and figured that if I didn’t request seven or more tickets that I would get an error message. I was not only able to request two tickets without any error message, I made the purchase with no warning and no problems. There was no minimum ticket order. In fact, there’s nothing on the Group reservation page that defines a “large group” or mentions any negative consequences of gaming the system.

You must print your ticket or download it onto your phone and bring it with you. There is no will-call window to pick up tickets if you forget them.

GETTING TICKETS AT THE MONUMENT

Online tickets sure make things easy, but unless you know months in advance of when you will be in Washington, you most likely will find yourself standing in line at the Washington Monument Lodge trying to get a ticket on the day of your visit—no tickets for subsequent days are given away at the box office. If you can find your way to the Monument, you can’t miss the Lodge situated near 15th Street. In addition to serving as a ticket office, the Lodge has an information desk, souvenir store, and a public restroom. The ticket office opens at 8:30 AM, and the first tour for walk-up visitors is at 9 AM (10:30 AM for reserved tickets).

Washington Monument Lodge

If you want a ticket, you must arrive early and stand in line, but how far in advance depends on the season and the day of the week. I can tell you my personal experience and the experience of a buddy of mine, but there are so many combinations of circumstances that it is impossible to predict with certainty the time you need to arrive in order to get a ticket. All I feel comfortable in saying is that if you are in line by 7 AM, you should be able to get a ticket. You may find, as I did, that on some days this is way earlier than necessary, but it’s better than getting left empty handed.

Each individual can get up to 6 tickets. As mentioned above, if you need more than six tickets, either order them online or have one person for each six group member stand in line.

NOTE: The METRO does not start running until 7 AM on Sunday, so if that’s how you are getting downtown, I would avoid attempting to visit the Washington Monument on Sundays unless you got tickets online.

Standing in line for Washington Monument tickets

The following is my account and my buddy’s account of getting tickets.

TUESDAY AFTER MEMORIAL DAY

First, let me make some circumstances clear. Though school is out before Memorial Day where I live in Georgia, school is not out in Virginia or D. C. at this time, so the Tuesday after Memorial Day is just a typical weekday. Furthermore, since this is getting towards exam time, there won’t be many school groups. Thus, while the Tuesday after Memorial Day is not the off season, it’s certainly not the summer, a weekend, or school group season. On top of that, tour times extend from 5 PM to 9 PM starting on Memorial Day weekend, so there are 40% more tickets available than during the off-season. With that said…

I arrived at 7 AM and was 26th in line, and by the time the ticket office opened there were approximately 200 people in line (remember, each person can get up to 6 tickets, so 200 people doesn’t mean only 200 tickets). The people who arrived at 8:30 still got a ticket, and it took them 30 minutes to reach the box office. The attendant told me that on most days all tickets are gone by 9:30 AM, which means people who get there around 9 AM or later typically do not get a ticket. On the day I visited, it took until 10:30 AM to give out all tickets.

The main difference between arriving at 7 AM and 8:30 AM is that the earlier you get there, the more choices of times you have. It took until 9 AM for the first time slot to sell out, so on the day of my visit even those who arrived at 8:30 AM could get just about any time they wanted. This may not be the case on other days (see my buddy’s experience below). The first slots to go will be the earliest times, 9 AM through 11 AM.

Moral to the story: I could have slept an extra hour and still gotten a ticket, but as I said, you can’t go wrong arriving too early.

SATURDAY, APRIL 6 (BUDDY’S EXPERIENCE)

Just wanted to thank you for the tip about visiting the Washington Monument. Because of you we were able to see it. I got there at 7:30 A.M. There were about 100 people in line in front of me. By 8 AM the line was probably 500 people. I got my tickets. The couple behind me were the last to get tickets for the day.

While my buddy reports being one of the last people to get a ticket despite arriving as early as 7:30 AM, he was there when tours ended at 5 PM each day. Tours ran until 9 PM when I visited the day after Memorial Day, so there were 40% more tickets available. This is why those in my line who arrived at 8:30 AM still got a ticket. And as you can see, with 500 people being in line on a weekend in April as compared to 200 when I visited on a weekday after Memorial Day, it appears that regardless of season, weekends are going to be packed. I highly suggest being in line by 7 AM on weekends.

MONUMENT TOUR

Tours of the Washington Monument run every thirty minutes, with the first being at 9 AM (for walk-up guests, 10:30 AM for online tickets). There is no time limit for your stay inside the monument, but you pretty much run out of things to do in about fifteen minutes.

Once you have a ticket, head up to the waiting area at the base of the monument about fifteen minutes prior to your tour time. The reason for arriving early is that the park Ranger will start sending groups of eight people up to the security check point—pockets empty, metal detectors, etc.—so that people are ready to enter come the actual tour time. There is no advantage to being first in line as far as what you will see inside, but you may save a little time waiting in line.

You are welcome to bring a camera of any type with you and a small backpack. No large backpacks, strollers, and the usual forbidden items such as guns, knives, bombs, and open food and drink.

Once inside, an elevator will take you straight to the top viewing area where you will find four small windows, one for each direction on the compass. You may have to wait in line to look out a window because the place is likely to be packed.. The windows are fairly clean, so you can get decent photos out of them.

Waiting to take a photo from the top of the Washington Monument

The White House can be seen out of the north window

Lincoln Memorial and World War II Memorial can be seen from the west window

Jefferson Memorial can be seen from the south window

Capitol and Mall (under repair) can be seen from the east window

When done, you must walk down a flight of stairs to catch the elevator back down to ground level. This is done to avoid a crowd of people fighting to get on and off at the top level in such a compact space (I you are in a wheelchair or cannot walk down the stairs, you can board from the top level.)

Exhibits about the Washington Monument and its construction are located on the lower level, and you can read these while you wait for the elevator. As mentioned, there is no time limit for the tour, so if you want to read all of the information, which takes about 10 minutes, you don’t have to get on the very next elevator.

SCHEDULING YOUR TIME

Not counting the time you spend in line to get tickets, allow one hour for your tour of the Washington Monument. This includes arriving 15 minutes early, taking in the views, and reading through the exhibits.

Back to the Top

© 2014-2024 Copyright Steven L. Markos . All Rights reserved. Designed by National Park Planner

Loading, Please Wait!

Washington Monument and DC Highlights Tour

• Guided Stops + English-Speaking Tour Guide (on and off the bus)
• Transportation in late model, luxury, climate-controlled tour bus
• Free bottled water on buses
• Admission to Washington Monument
• Entry/Admission - USA Guided Tours
• Entry/Admission - Washington Monument
• Hotel pick up and drop off
• 905 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004, USA U.S. Navy Memorial
• Washington Monument, 2 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20024, USA
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Service animals allowed
• Near public transportation
• Infants must sit on laps
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Children must be accompanied by an adult
• Most travelers can participate
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 55 travelers
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
• Washington Monument
• White House
• Vietnam Veterans Memorial
• Korean War Veterans Memorial
• U.S. Capitol

Similar experiences

• You'll start at 905 Pennsylvania Avenue NW 905 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004, USA U.S. Navy Memorial See address & details
• 1 USA Guided Tours Admission included See details
• 2 Washington Monument Stop: 60 minutes - Admission included See details
• 3 U.S. Capitol See details Pass by White House
• 4 Vietnam Veterans Memorial See details
• 5 Lincoln Memorial See details
• 6 Korean War Veterans Memorial See details
• 7 Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial See details
• You'll end at Washington Monument 2 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20024, USA See address & details

• G6534JHerich 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazingly amazing tour Best tour hands down! Kris (tour guide) was great he had so much information about the capitol that kept us attentive at all times and the driver Kevin was very friendly and funny and fun. Loved it Read more Written May 14, 2024
• Mr_Dazza 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Full day of history, well worth the tour. Our tour guide Natiea and driver Tate were so informative and interesting all day. We visited most, if not all, of the amazing sites throughout Washington DC. Read more Written May 14, 2024
• 157anaraquelr 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles The most complete tour ever We had a great time around DC. Our tour guide was Kris Carter and the driver was Kevin. The bus was pretty comfy and they’ve served us some water along the tour. Kris provided us plenty of useful historical information , fun facts and with a bunch of great jokes. Kevin was also in a great mood, and also making sure we watched our step while entering or leaving the bus. They’ve set a good time for us to walk around the places as well as take pictures. I came to visit the US from Brazil and it was really worthy! Read more Written May 14, 2024
• Lolycakes 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Perfect tour to see all the monuments Christopher was great! He was very informative and had lots of jokes. Went to all the memorials, White House, capital, Potomac river cruise, and had lunch at Georgetown. Upgraded to the glass top which was great when he opened it up and we got to cruise with the top off. But then it started to rain so he had to close the roof. Definitely recommend if you want to see all the sights in one day. Read more Written May 14, 2024
• Excursion21787032522 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Fantastic DC tour! Loved Nick the tour guide. We really enjoyed the war memorials and the tour guide Nick had so much information about each location. The Capital tour was great. The boat ride wasn't much and it was raining while we visited so that affected the boat ride. Would highly recommend the tour to anyone visiting DC. Read more Written May 13, 2024
• asiat677 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Recommend! Very nice and friendly tour guy ( Kris). He showed us all the essential places and told us many exciting stories. The small group gives you almost 1:1 experience. Comfortable car. Nice experience! Thank you! Read more Written May 13, 2024
• davidsX6549UX 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Tour was phenomenal! Tour was phenomenal... best way to get the most out of Washington D.C. in a short amount of time. Dion "13" and Maggie were beyond hospitable and Dion's knowledge of history keeps you engaged from the word "go". Would certainly recommend this tour to anyone and would most certainly sign up for a future tour should I visit D.C. again! Read more Written May 13, 2024
• Easter100 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Well worth a trip. Cities can leave you cold and isolated or they can offer a rich and rewarding experience. Washington DC provides the latter. The central downtown area is dominated by government buildings, memorials and museums. There’s not many shops (although I did spot a Macy’s) and cafes/restaurants are not that numerous and pretty well spread out. The parks and memorials are impressive and spotlessly clean. As the seat of US government, Washington has large numbers of law enforcement officers visible but my impression is that even if they weren’t around, there is no threatening atmosphere and I didn’t feel unsafe at any time (even at night). If you can, take a trip up the Washington Monument, the views are well worth it. If you’re there for more than a few days and plan on moving around the city, get a multi-day pass for the Metro train system. Travel is quick, frequent and reliable, trains are clean and covers all the central area and most suburbs (including Dulles Airport). I arrived in the evening and one thing I would warn about is the very long wait at passport control. Two and a half hours after getting off the plane, I was through to collect my bags. Washington DC is good value for a few days trip especially if you’re keen on culture and history. Residents are friendly and proud of their city. Read more Written May 13, 2024
• Sherpa53576330755 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Taking in Washington DC with insight and stories from local resident, guide, and driver Rafael (Guide) and John (Driver) I had an absolute BLAST spending a beautiful May Day with Rafael (Guide) and John (Driver). The ability to take in the highlights of the City, especially narrated by a lifelong resident (Rafael), made this solo visit to DC more enjoyable. I have visited DC many times throughout my life and today’s tour was a perfect bundle of everything in a single day. I highly recommend taking DC in this way. Read more Written May 13, 2024
• erical14 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Outstanding perspective at night My husband and I booked this tour after reading all of the great reviews and it didn't disappoint. Very nice clean tour bus, outstanding tour guide Terri. Terri was very knowledgeable and efficient. I would highly recommend this tour. Read more Written May 13, 2024
• Happiness309056 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Two thumbs up and a big toe!!! Great Tour and guides!! Nice mix of driving and walking. Tour bus was very comfortable. This tour of DC hit all the great spots and the guides were very knowledgeable. I highly recommend!! Read more Written May 13, 2024
• Nick159 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles CEB/SPC meetings Wanted to wonder around this place was amazing really enjoyed the artifacts would like to go back again I loved the exhibits Read more Written May 13, 2024
• mischif246 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles our tour was amazing Lenard our driver was great and Notiana was our tour guide. both were amazing and made the tour great. Notiana was very professional and gave all details of the stops Read more Written May 12, 2024
• charlesdJ7217DK 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Worth it! This was a very interesting and entertaining tour! Derek did a great job. The monuments at night were amazing The time flew by. Definitely recommend. Read more Written May 12, 2024
• rivasjoe 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Must do tour while in DC Great experience, very educational. This tour has great people guiding you from the bus drivers to the tour guide. Very knowledgeable individuals. Read more Written May 12, 2024

More to explore in Washington DC

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Buy it with

Washington Monument and DC Highlights Tour provided by USA Guided Tours

Washington Monument

Built to honor george washington, the commander-in-chief of the continental army and the first president of the united states.

Built to honor George Washington, the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and the first President of the United States, the Washington Monument was once the tallest building in the world at just over 555 feet. The monument to America's first president still holds the title of world's tallest stone structure and obelisk. Maintained by the National Park Service, the Washington Monument is located on the center of the National Mall between the U.S. Capitol and Lincoln Memorial. The easiest way to get to the monument is by taking the Metro. The two closest Metro stops are Federal Triangle and Smithsonian, both on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines. If traveling by bus, take DC Circulator's National Mall route or ride Metrobus routes 32, 34 or 36. If driving, visitor parking is available on Ohio Drive, between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. Note that street parking is often limited near the National Mall. Please check the National Park Service's website for updates before you plan your visit: https://www.nps.gov/wamo/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

Additional Information

Distance to conv center.

Array Miles

Metro Station

Smithsonian

15th St. & Constitution Ave. NW Washington , DC 20001 United States

(202) 426-6841.

View Gallery

Nearby Favorites

Embassy suites washington, dc-convention center.

Steps from Washington Convention Center and more!

TripZero: Housing for Sustainable Events

Run a delightfully sustainable event. Allow TripZero to source your ev...

Arlington National Cemetery Tours

Arlington National Cemetery is an enduring tribute to those who have d...