Anyone can find their way to D.C.'s various memorials on their own, but to really ramp up the experience and get the most out of your visit, try this two-hour walking tour that's led by a professional architect and a veteran Washington Walks guide. You'll hear how controversy has always accompanied memorial-building in this country, and you'll see how collective decision-making by multiple review committees ultimately shapes what is built. The Washington Monument may have set the precedent for national landmarks becoming entangled in controversy and you'll learn all about it. You'll also find out why the proposed site for the National World War II Memorial was greeted with strenuous objection and learn about the struggle to honor the Korean War veterans as powerfully as the Vietnam War vets. Even revered Abraham Lincoln did not come by his stately seat at the end of the National Mall easily. This walking tour will visit all of these sites and relay the dramatic, fraught backstory of each along along with design critiques and assessments from a pro.

* Additional fees apply.