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. The observation deck provides views out two windows on the north, south, east, and west sides of the pyramidion.

In 2026, visitors reach the top of the Washington Monument via a high-speed elevator that ascends the 555-foot structure in approximately 70 seconds. To access this elevator, visitors must first secure a timed entry ticket, which is highly competitive and usually reserved via Recreation.gov up to 30 days in advance (a small $1 service fee applies). On the day of the tour, guests gather at the "Lodge" on 15th Street for a security screening similar to airport protocols. Once cleared, a National Park Service Ranger escorts a small group into the monument’s ground-floor lobby to board the elevator. The lift stops at the 500-foot observation level, which features four windows on each side offering panoramic views of the U.S. Capitol, the White House, and the Lincoln Memorial. After viewing, visitors descend one floor via stairs to the 490-foot exhibit level to learn about the monument's construction before taking the elevator back down. Interestingly, the descent is often slower, as the elevator windows are programmed to dim and brighten so guests can see some of the 193 commemorative stones embedded in the interior walls.