Freedom Plaza

Originally known as Western Plaza, the landmark was renamed in honour of Martin Luther King Jr for its proximity to the Willard Hotel, where he wrote his "I Have A Dream" speech.

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in Washington DC
Women's Suffrage
Beyond gaining the right to vote, explore the advancements women have made in math, science, and art.
Star-Spangled Banner, 1814
Let yourself be astounded by the 200 year old flag from the Battle of Baltimore, where Francis Scott Key penned "O say does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave."
The National Christmas Tree
Every year since 1923, a Christmas tree has stood in front of the White House, adorned in decorations from all 56 states and territories.
Dorothy's Original Ruby Red Slippers, 1939
Dorothy's "There's no place like home" slippers always crack the top ten list of iconic items on display at the National Museum of American History
Old Ebbitt Grill
This DC establishment was the favorite after-hours drinking spot of Presidents Andrew Johnson, Warren Harding, and Teddy Roosevelt. The saloon was also home to Presidents McKinley, Cleveland, and Grant.
Antibody Science
From eradicating smallpox and battling tetanus, the National Museum of American History documents the American role in antibody based therapies and diagnostics.

Related Tours

The National Mall: Washington DC Private Half-Day Walking Tour

Discover the history and significance of Washington, DC with a private half-day walking tour of the National Mall. Your expert guide will lead you along the National Mall to the monuments, memorials and museums that make up this historic site. Along the way, learn about the city's incredible history as well as current events that shaped its past.

On your private tour, you will:

  • See one of the most famous houses in the world, The White House - the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States;
  • Pass by the Washington Memorial, and walk along the famed National Mall;
  • Visit the Vietnam War Memorials to honour the men and women who fought in the war;
  • Climb the iconic stairs to the Lincoln Memorial, and read the immortal words spoken at Gettysburg;
  • Enjoy the spectacular views over the reflecting pool and the Capitol;
  • Visit the evocative Korean War Veterans Memorial and learn about The Forgotten War Memorial housing the Wall of Remembrance;
  • Hear the story of Dr King’s I Have a Dream Speech at the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial, learn about the numerous marches that have taken place in the capital and the changes inspired by these movements;
  • Your tour ends here, where we recommend you continue on to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and Jefferson Memorial at your leisure.

Your tour will begin with views of two of the most famous buildings in the country – the U.S. Capitol and the White House. While learning about the history of each, you’ll have the chance to learn more about the fascinating politics of the most powerful country in the world. 

From there, your tour continues to more of Washington DC’s iconic sites, where you’ll learn all about the stories of the nation and its capital and each unique monument and memorial along the National Mall. On your private tour, your guide will take you to several of the city’s most famous monuments, from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial.

Your tour ends at the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial where you are free to continue exploring at your own pace.

Secrets & Scandals: Washington DC Private Half-Day Walking Tour

Explore the political heart of Washington D.C. with an expert private guide who will regale you with the stories of corruption and scandal at the very heart of political power in the USA. From stories of presidential scandals to the Secret Service, your experienced guide will weave together intrigue, conspiracy theories, and everything you never knew about how decisions are made in America. 

On your private tour, you will: 

  • See the famous buildings synonymous with American power and democracy the world over;
  • Learn about the 4 presidential assassinations from Abe Lincoln to JFK, and the many attempted assassinations – and how they were thwarted;
  • Enjoy stories of how during the Prohibition era, DC was likely, and hypocritically, the least dry place in the United States;
  • Get to know the main sites around the White House neighbourhood, where so many national & international scandals have started or taken place, including Old Ebbitt Grill and the Willard;
  • Hear tales of corruption, secrets and lies at the heart of political power in Lafayette Square, including of Kennedy's affair with suspected East German spy Inga Arvad and how his father involved the notorious FBI director, J Edgar Hoover, in ending the tryst;
  • Hear all the historical and very latest gossip about what goes on behind those secure, closed doors protecting those in power, and the various drinking holes that litter the city;
  • Your tour ends at the White House, where you'll hear about the wild parties thrown, including Andrew Jackson's inauguration party in which he slipped out of the house through a back window to escape the rabble.


Washington DC has a reputation as a wheeler-dealer city where billion-dollar contracts, cosy media deals, and political alliances are sealed in smokey bars, boardrooms, and dinners hosted by power brokers in swanky Georgetown townhouses. 

On this experience down memory lane of scandals past, discover the secrets, lies and backstories behind DC’s congressmen, journalists, military men and politicos throughout history

Your guide will spill all the details of the stories of the occupants of the White House - both those from the recent past, including Nixon, Kennedy, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Obama and Trump - and its nineteenth-century occupants.
You will trawl the haunts associated with some of Washington’s greatest rumours, indiscretions and media storms, security details, news-hounds, senators, lawmakers, cable news stars and White House officials. 

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