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The Washington Monument will reopen to the public next month after more than three years of renovations, the National Park Service announced Friday.
The 555-foot-tall landmark will reopen on Sept. 19, at 9 a.m. It has been closed since Aug. 17, 2016, in order to undergo upgrades, including a modernized elevator control system and a brand-new security screening facility.
An aerial shot of the Washington Monument. (REUTERS/Joshua Roberts)
Same-day tour tickets for visits between Sept. 19 and Oct. 18 will be available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 8:30 a.m. each at the Washington Monument Lodge. The Lodge is located in 15th Street between Madison Drive, NW and Jefferson Drive, SW. Beginning Oct. 10 at 10 a.m., tickets for tours from Oct. 19 on can be reserved online at www.recreation.gov.
The monument is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
ASTEROID THE SIZE OF THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT WILL FLY PAST EARTH THIS MONTH
According to the National Park Service, the elevator modernization project was made possible by a $3 million donation to the National Park Foundation’s Centennial Campaign by financier and philanthropist David M. Rubenstein.
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The security screening facility, which will replace a temporary building constructed in 2001, cost $7.7 million and is built with funds allocated from the National Park Service's budget from fiscal year 2017.
The National Park Service says the facility will "offer full ballistic and blast protection and includes queuing space for 18-20 visitors at a time, screening equipment, an accessible restroom for National Park Service and U.S. Park Police staff and a security office."
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