Melania Trump marks reopening of Washington Monument, takes ride to top

First lady Melania Trump marked the reopening of the Washington Monument on Thursday by riding to the top of the structure with a group of D.C. schoolchildren.

According to a White House press release, Trump participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the monument’s newly-opened visitor screening center, and also distributed passes for free entry to national parks to 4th grade schoolchildren who attended the event, part of the “Every Kid in the Outdoors” initiative.

“This program provides free access to fourth graders, and those accompanying them, to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas including all national parks. The program focuses on helping kids engage with nature and the environment,” read the White House statement.

{mosads}Trump was joined at the ceremony by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt as well as other top Interior and Parks officials, according to the release.

The 555-foot tall structure has undergone multiple renovations and repairs over the years, and reopened this week after being closed for a little more than three years.

Among the latest repairs and renovations to the monument included a repair of the elevator which takes visitors to the top of the structure as well as the addition of the visitor facility.

The monument also underwent repairs following a 2011 earthquake in Virginia that damaged the structure.