diff --git a/plotly/plotly/plotly.py b/plotly/plotly/plotly.py
index e3ba3fa4292..926aa354ac3 100644
--- a/plotly/plotly/plotly.py
+++ b/plotly/plotly/plotly.py
@@ -163,33 +163,8 @@ def plot(figure_or_data, validate=True, **plot_options):
         False: do not open plot in the browser, but do return the unique url
 
     """
-    if isinstance(figure_or_data, dict):
-        figure = figure_or_data
-    elif isinstance(figure_or_data, list):
-        figure = {'data': figure_or_data}
-    else:
-        raise exceptions.PlotlyError("The `figure_or_data` positional argument "
-                                     "must be either `dict`-like or "
-                                     "`list`-like.")
-    if validate:
-        try:
-            tools.validate(figure, obj_type='Figure')
-        except exceptions.PlotlyError as err:
-            raise exceptions.PlotlyError("Invalid 'figure_or_data' argument. "
-                                         "Plotly will not be able to properly "
-                                         "parse the resulting JSON. If you "
-                                         "want to send this 'figure_or_data' "
-                                         "to Plotly anyway (not recommended), "
-                                         "you can set 'validate=False' as a "
-                                         "plot option.\nHere's why you're "
-                                         "seeing this error:\n\n{0}"
-                                         "".format(err))
-        if not figure['data']:
-            raise exceptions.PlotlyEmptyDataError(
-                "Empty data list found. Make sure that you populated the "
-                "list of data objects you're sending and try again.\n"
-                "Questions? support@plot.ly"
-            )
+    figure = tools.return_figure_from_figure_or_data(figure_or_data, validate)
+
     for entry in figure['data']:
         for key, val in list(entry.items()):
             try:
diff --git a/plotly/tools.py b/plotly/tools.py
index 85ea9644cec..fa5c6898598 100644
--- a/plotly/tools.py
+++ b/plotly/tools.py
@@ -1230,3 +1230,35 @@ def __init__(self, url, width, height):
 
         def _repr_html_(self):
             return self.embed_code
+
+
+def return_figure_from_figure_or_data(figure_or_data, validate_figure):
+    if isinstance(figure_or_data, dict):
+        figure = figure_or_data
+    elif isinstance(figure_or_data, list):
+        figure = {'data': figure_or_data}
+    else:
+        raise exceptions.PlotlyError("The `figure_or_data` positional "
+                                     "argument must be either "
+                                     "`dict`-like or `list`-like.")
+    if validate_figure:
+        try:
+            validate(figure, obj_type='Figure')
+        except exceptions.PlotlyError as err:
+            raise exceptions.PlotlyError("Invalid 'figure_or_data' argument. "
+                                         "Plotly will not be able to properly "
+                                         "parse the resulting JSON. If you "
+                                         "want to send this 'figure_or_data' "
+                                         "to Plotly anyway (not recommended), "
+                                         "you can set 'validate=False' as a "
+                                         "plot option.\nHere's why you're "
+                                         "seeing this error:\n\n{0}"
+                                         "".format(err))
+        if not figure['data']:
+            raise exceptions.PlotlyEmptyDataError(
+                "Empty data list found. Make sure that you populated the "
+                "list of data objects you're sending and try again.\n"
+                "Questions? support@plot.ly"
+            )
+
+    return figure
diff --git a/plotly/version.py b/plotly/version.py
index 008e8016fb1..12ccbec34c4 100644
--- a/plotly/version.py
+++ b/plotly/version.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-__version__ = '1.6.6'
+__version__ = '1.6.7'
diff --git a/plotly/widgets/graph_widget.py b/plotly/widgets/graph_widget.py
index 1f7666138ac..22c5c28434f 100644
--- a/plotly/widgets/graph_widget.py
+++ b/plotly/widgets/graph_widget.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 from collections import deque
 import json
-import os
 import uuid
 
 # TODO: protected imports?
@@ -8,7 +7,8 @@
 from IPython.utils.traitlets import Unicode
 from IPython.display import Javascript, display
 
-from plotly import utils
+from plotly import utils, tools
+from plotly.graph_objs import Figure
 from pkg_resources import resource_string
 
 # Load JS widget code
@@ -247,6 +247,61 @@ def message_handler(widget, ranges):
         """
         self._handle_registration('zoom', callback, remove)
 
+    def plot(self, figure_or_data, validate=True):
+        """Plot figure_or_data in the Plotly graph widget.
+
+        Args:
+            figure_or_data (dict, list, or plotly.graph_obj object):
+                The standard Plotly graph object that describes Plotly
+                graphs as used in `plotly.plotly.plot`. See examples
+                of the figure_or_data in https://plot.ly/python/
+
+        Returns: None
+
+        Example 1 - Graph a scatter plot:
+        ```
+        from plotly.graph_objs import Scatter
+        g = GraphWidget()
+        g.plot([Scatter(x=[1, 2, 3], y=[10, 15, 13])])
+        ```
+
+        Example 2 - Graph a scatter plot with a title:
+        ```
+        from plotly.graph_objs import Scatter, Figure, Data
+        fig = Figure(
+            data = Data([
+                Scatter(x=[1, 2, 3], y=[20, 15, 13])
+            ]),
+            layout = Layout(title='Experimental Data')
+        )
+
+        g = GraphWidget()
+        g.plot(fig)
+        ```
+
+        Example 3 - Clear a graph widget
+        ```
+        from plotly.graph_objs import Scatter, Figure
+        g = GraphWidget()
+        g.plot([Scatter(x=[1, 2, 3], y=[10, 15, 13])])
+
+        # Now clear it
+        g.plot({}) # alternatively, g.plot(Figure())
+        ```
+        """
+        if figure_or_data == {} or figure_or_data == Figure():
+            validate = False
+
+        figure = tools.return_figure_from_figure_or_data(figure_or_data,
+                                                         validate)
+        message = {
+            'task': 'newPlot',
+            'data': figure.get('data', []),
+            'layout': figure.get('layout', {}),
+            'graphId': self._graphId
+        }
+        self._handle_outgoing_message(message)
+
     def restyle(self, data, indices=None):
         """Update the style of existing traces in the Plotly graph.