Stairs connect the observation deck with the ground floor, but they are closed to the public.

For the general public, the answer is currently no. While the Washington Monument does contain a 897-step staircase, it is closed for general climbing and is primarily used for maintenance, emergencies, and very rare, specially guided tours. The stairs were closed to the public in the 1970s due to safety concerns and the physical strain on visitors (as well as the difficulty of monitoring the historic commemorative stones embedded in the walls). Today, the only way to reach the observation deck at 500 feet is via the express elevator, which takes about 70 seconds. During the ride up, the elevator windows are dimmed, but on the way down, the operator typically slows the lift and clears the glass so you can see some of the 193 carved commemorative stones that were donated by states, cities, and foreign nations during the monument's construction. While you cannot "get your steps in" on the way up, the view from the top remains one of the best in D.C., and the elevator's history-themed descent provides a unique glimpse into the monument's interior that you wouldn't see if you were focused on climbing 50 flights of stairs.