WASHINGTON — Facing a $26 million earthquake repair bill and years of financial woes, the iconic Washington National Cathedral will start charging visitors in 2014, an abrupt change that cathedral officials had long resisted.
Adults will be charged $10, and seniors, students, children, veterans and members of the military will be charged $6, according to cathedral officials. Regular worship services and Sundays will remain free of charge; the ticket plan is scheduled for a six-month trial run starting in January.
“We are called to preserve and restore a building that is more than a century old and to offer programs that have a distinctive impact on our city, our nation and the world,” said David J. Kautter, chairman of the Cathedral Chapter, the building’s governing board.
The rare 5.8-magnitude earthquake in August 2011 damaged the cathedral’s central tower, flying buttresses, decorative finials and intricate stonework. To date, the cathedral has raised $10 million toward its $26 million repair bill. The cathedral has hosted three presidential state funerals (Eisenhower, Reagan and Ford) as well as other services to mark important milestones.
Share with others: