The "Madams of DC" Guided Walking Tour
Overview
Available languages
2 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
The Madams in DC walking tour gives you a totally unique side of DC's history that you won't hear anywhere else. The Civil War completely transformed the capital, and turned Pennsylvania Avenue into a red light district lined with bawdy houses, taverns, theaters, and commercial ventures. Hard to imagine, now that it's lined with monolithic government buildings! You'll learn about how the women who worked in these brothels made their way in life, and even had an impact on affairs of government.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Guests must be able to be on their feet for at least 2 hours.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Freedom Plaza
Where Freedom Plaza is now once used to be the notorious neighborhood known as Murder Bay. As we walk through this spacious open area currently used for festivals and music events, you'll hear all about the taverns, gambling houses, and brothels popular with Northern Arm soldiers that used to stand there.
On the block where the Trump International Hotel, formerly the Old Postal Office building, currently stands, was the 11th Street strip, a subsection of the Red Light district on Pennsylvania Avenue where the Military Provost Guard harassed and arrested some of the raucous Madams in the neighborhood.
What‘s Included
2 hours of fascinating information by an experienced guide. No entry fees necessary.
Options
The "Madams of DC" Guided Walking Tour
Reviews
75 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
This was a fantastic tour...
Chelsea M,Mar 7, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This was a fantastic tour for visitors and locals alike. I felt like I was seeing the city’s history with new eyes. Rich storytelling. Well-researched and constantly being updated, so no two tour experiences is identical. Furthermore, Off the Mall Tours is a small, woman-owned business. I’ll be back for other tours, and maybe even this one again!
Off The Mall is the Best!
gingerartpiano,Aug 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Katie is the best tour guide! She knows so much about everything DC-related. She made sure to keep her tour intersectional and discussed madams from all walks of life and backgrounds. I learned so much, and I cannot recommend Off The Mall tours enough!
Terrific taste of civil war DC.
DCJill202,Jul 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This tour was amazing. Katie is so passionate about the subject. She answered so many of our questions. She brings each of her subjects to life. I also love that she provided so much research and pictures of the city at the time period she discusses. She was perfectly clear when something was her own speculation, and when she was still looking for confirmation of a fact.
Katie Makes History... Risqué and Riveting!
chelseygrassfield,Jun 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Katie is a terrific guide. You can tell she loves what she does by the beaming smile she wears the entire time she's telling you the history of the Civil War brothels and madams. She's meticulously researched her descriptions, and isn't complacent—she continues to do research on the topic. So I imagine the tour is a little different each time as she adds new findings. The tour was a great way to learn about the impact of the Civil War on DC and the fascinating madams who kept the soldiers entertained.
I truly enjoyed this...
Mark S,Jun 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00I truly enjoyed this tour. Katie is a fantastic tour guide. I have been on some great tours in the DC area, but this tour is unique. Learning about monuments is interesting but the information is broadly available. Katie does her own research and is still uncovering interesting facts from the Civil War era to the early 1900s. Katie is very well spoken and is a great story teller. She is also kind and friendly, and interacted with each of the members on the tour.
Bringing the Hidden Past to Life
deeliteful0702,Jun 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Only through a tour like this one can you discover the hidden past of the madames as none of their buildings exist today. The most famous brothels have been torn down and built over, but you can't hide the past. The past will find a way to speak. Our guide gave the women a voice and their stories live on.
Wonderful, well researched tour
Joy M,May 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Took the Madams of DC tour tonight. The guide was extremely knowledgeable and an excellent storyteller. The information presented was well researched, historically accurate, and yet not boring. The guide welcomed both input and questions from the group. I took this tour at the end of a very long day - when I had a painful blister and was hot, sweaty, and considered ditching because I was so tired - yet I wholeheartedly enjoyed every minute of the tour.
A unique tour beyond traditional landmarks
67yukoy,Nov 3, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide, Katie, shared her knowledge and insight of the lives of women who once worked in a red-light district, now the central area of DC in an engaging and interactive way. Her narrative was based on her thorough research, which allowed me to understand a topic that would otherwise have been gossipy and judgmental, in light of its political and social context. I could feel her warm and thoughtful gaze toward those women. As a DC resident, I would recommend this walking tour (as well as her other tours) especially to locals because it makes the beaten paths in and around the otherwise inorganic government offices begin to look more colorful than ever.
WONDERFUL
Traveler04625962451,Aug 18, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00WOW! I'm a sucker for a walking tour, and this one DELIVERED. Katie, our tour guide, was warm, funny, engaging, and super knowledgeable. Not only did we learn FASCINATING stories about the DC brothels and madams during the Civil War, but we learned wonderful gems about the history of DC itself. Don't sleep on this tour company!
Great experience!
Carole S,Aug 17, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00The guide was fantastic and everything about the tour was great. The one snag was that she did not have our names on the list. Viator did not ever give her the names. I am concerned that since Viator did not give her our names they also did not give her the money.
From US$30.00
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Operated by Off the Mall Tours