Photo: ALEX WROBLEWSKI / AFP / Getty Images
The White House has announced that its new helipad will be a highlight for visitors during the upcoming fall garden tours. These free tours, which traditionally occur in the spring and fall, will be open to the public on October 17 and 18 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visitors will have the opportunity to see the South Lawn, the Rose Garden, the White House Kitchen Garden, the expanded White House Beehive, and the newly completed helipad.
President Donald Trump announced earlier this month that construction of the granite landing pad on the South Lawn was finished. The helipad, designed for Marine One, was funded by Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, at a cost of $6 million. The helipad is part of several recent improvements to the White House grounds, including the unveiling of an expanded beehive in April, which First Lady Melania Trump helped reveal. The beehive is designed to resemble a miniature version of the White House.
The tours are free, but tickets are required for entry. The National Park Service will distribute timed tickets on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 8:30 a.m. on the days of the tours outside the White House Visitor Center.
The helipad's completion comes amid ongoing discussions about media access to the White House. According to The Hill, President Trump recently showed off the helipad during a ribbon-cutting ceremony, though some major networks chose not to cover the event due to a dispute over media access. Despite these controversies, the White House remains focused on showcasing its new features during the fall tours.