Originally Posted by cc_rider

Are you talking about a shopping mall?
I was at THE MALL. Capitol Building at one end, Washington Monument at the other, White House on the side and Smithsonian all around.
The bike rack was in front of the Sackler Gallery and next to the Smithsonian Castle, a very public place with NPS police around. Plus there is a food concession a few feet from the rack (I don't know how helpful they'd be, but it's something of a thief deterrent). I've locked up at many times before with no problem.