The plaza features an inlay that partially depicts Pierre (Peter) Charles L'Enfant's plan for the City of Washington.

[1] The John A. Wilson Building, the seat of the District of Columbia government, faces the plaza, as does the historic National Theatre, which has been visited by every U.S. president since it opened in 1835.

[9] In 2014, the American Planning Association noted that Freedom Plaza is a popular location for political protests and other events.

[12] During the morning of November 14, 2020, thousands of President Donald Trump's supporters gathered in and around Freedom Plaza for a series of demonstrations associated with the "Million MAGA March".

Various groups including Women for America First and March for Trump organized the event to protest the results of the November 3 presidential election.

[16] The Plaza is a modification of an original design by architect Robert Venturi that the United States Commission of Fine Arts approved.

[5] The surface of the raised portion of the Plaza, consisting of dark and light marble, delineates L’Enfant's plan.

[2][3] The Plaza is a popular location for skateboarding, although the illegal sport damages stonework, walls, steps, and sculpture while presenting a persistent law enforcement and management challenge.