After Years of Repairs, the Washington Monument Will Reopen in May

After being closed for almost three years, the Washington Monument will reopen on May 12.

The mighty obelisk has been under repair since Aug. 23, 2011, when a 5.8 magnitude earthquake caused more than 150 cracks in the structure. The last scaffolds will begin to come down this week.

David M. Rubenstein, co-founder and co-CEO of the Carlyle Group and a prominent philanthropist, donated half of the $15 million repair bill.

“The National Park Service (NPS) has done a spectacular job of repairing the monument, and I hope as many people as possible will soon be able to see the unique view from the top,” he said.

NPS announced on Tuesday that the reopening ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. on May 12, with public tours commencing three hours later.

[Examiner]