The Washington Monument on the National Mall is scheduled to reopen to the public with limited capacity on Thursday, October 1, at 9 am, after remaining closed for six months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The announcement came on Monday from the National Park Service (NPS), which ensured that there will be a number of safety measures in place.
“The monument will be open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a new set of safety and cleaning procedures to keep staff and visitors safe from the spread of infectious diseases,” said the NPS release.
After a six-month closure, the Washington Monument will reopen to the public on Thurs., Oct. 1, with a new set of safety and cleaning procedures. Tickets will be available online at https://t.co/PA6Q5cvOt7 starting Sept. 30. More at https://t.co/090jFtuFoM. pic.twitter.com/CFK3U5I64S
— National Mall NPS (@NationalMallNPS) September 28, 2020
Tickets will be available online only on recreation.gov starting Wednesday, September 30, with each day’s ticket becoming accessible for reserving or purchase at 10 am the day before the planned visit. There will be no ticket distribution on site. The practice aims at promoting physical distancing and reducing queuing for tickets.
Among the precautions taken against the spread of coronavirus are timed ticketing, limited entries, physical distancing, and additional cleaning. The comprehensive safety program includes:
- Significantly reduced elevator capacity, limiting trips to four-eight passengers to allow for physical distancing.
- A policy that requires face coverings for all individuals while inside the monument to account for physical distance limitations.
- Touchless check-in.
- Touchless hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the monument.
- Time limit at 500’ observation level of 10 minutes per group.
- A closure each day from 1 to 2 pm for cleaning and disinfecting using antiviral disinfectant cleaners recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).