Washington Monument Will Remain Closed Indefinitely for Repairs

The Washington Monument will remain closed indefinitely until repairs are made to its elevators, which have been breaking down periodically, the National Park Service announced on Monday.

The monument had already been closed since mid-August. The National Park Service has been unable to fix the elevators, which take visitors to the top of the 555-ft. structure, and decided to keep the monument closed until the elevators are modernized.

“Despite the continuing work on the Washington Monument elevator, we have not been able to determine the causes of the ongoing reliability issues,” the National Park Service said in a statement on Facebook.

The park service said it still needs to determine the duration and scope of the work; another announcement is expected in the coming weeks.

The Washington Monument has had a rough couple of years. The obelisk was damaged during a 2011 earthquake and was closed for three years while it underwent repairs.

The monument’s closure comes amid an influx of travelers to the National Mall, many of whom came to celebrate the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture over the weekend, located steps away from the Washington Monument.