Does the Washington Monument have stairs or an elevator?

The interior is occupied by iron stairs that spiral up the walls, with an elevator in the center, each supported by four iron columns, which do not support the stone structure.



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What is inside the Washington Monument? Inside the ground floor lobby, there is a statue of George Washington. An elevator provides transportation to the top floor, the 500' observation deck at the base of the pyramidion.

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Touring the Washington Monument The nonstop elevator ascent to the top floor 500 feet above the ground takes approximately 70 seconds. Once at the observation deck, you are free to explore at your leisure. The 500' foot observation deck has windows on all four sides.

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The Washington Monument opened to the public in 1888. The 1893 Rand, McNally travel guide to Washington noted: “A staircase of 900 steps wends its way to the top, around an interior shaft of iron pillars, in which the elevator runs; few people walk up, but many people descend that way.”

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5 Things You Might Not Know About the Washington Monument
  • Plans for the monument began even before Washington was elected president. ...
  • The original design for the monument was much different than what ended up being built. ...
  • The monument was once the site of a hostage situation. ...
  • The monument has survived an earthquake.


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However, after Washington became president, he scrapped the plans for his memorial, as federal government funds were tight and he didn't want to use public money for the project.

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His first job was the elevator operator for the monument in the 70s. “The public has not had access to the stairwell since 1976,” he said. In 1971, people could no longer walk up to the top as visitors sometimes fell ill on the way. In 1976, the National Park Service closed the stairs due to vandalism.

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Plan Your Visit to the Pedestal There are 215 steps or approximately 10 stories to climb to the top of the pedestal. There is an elevator for those who cannot use the stairs. Tickets to the pedestal are limited and can sell out in advance.

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The Washington Monument was constructed in two phases after laying the cornerstone in 1848. The color line shows where construction halted in 1856, when private donations to fund the Monument dried up.

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