Almost a million people visit Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., each year. To manage the crowds, the National Park Service works with a private partner to ensure every visitor has a worthwhile experience. The theater and the house across the street where President Abraham Lincoln died are solemn spots to contemplate a contentious era of American history.
About Ford’s Theatre
- Ford’s Theatre made its way into the history books April 14, 1865, when John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln as the president watched a performance of “Our American Cousin.” Opened by John T. Ford in an abandoned church in 1861, the theater sat 1,700 people at the performance. The theater closed after Lincoln’s murder and wasn’t reopened as a theater until 1968; in the interim it served as office space. Ford’s underwent a complete renovation and expansion in 2009, and continues as a working theater. The performance venue has floor seating and a double balcony. In 2012, the Center for Education and Leadership opened across the street, providing an in-depth look at Lincoln.
What You’ll See
- Tours of the Ford’s Theatre “campus” include the theater, its museum, the Center for Education and Leadership and Petersen House, where Lincoln died. Theater visitors can take self-guided tours or rent "acoustiguides" for audio tours, listen to a ranger talk or take in a performance of “One Destiny,” a 30-minute living history presentation on the assassination. The museum has artifacts such as the derringer Booth used, the clothing Lincoln wore that night and life masks that illustrate how quickly Lincoln aged while he was in office. Across the street, Petersen House was a boarding house at the time of the assassination. Lincoln was taken to the house after the shooting and died there. A 34-foot tower of books on Lincoln is the focal point of the Center for Education and Leadership.
Tour Details
- Admission to Ford’s Theatre and the Petersen House is on a timed entry basis, and all visitors over the age of 2 must have tickets for their designated time slots. Free, same-day tickets are available at the box office with a limit of six tickets per person. Advance tickets, recommended during the busy summer tourist season, are available online or by phone for a nominal fee. The theater and Petersen House are open every day except Christmas and Thanksgiving. Tickets for performances, available from Ticketmaster, include access to the museum and the Center for Education and Leadership.
More Info
- From March through October, visitors can take the “History on Foot” walking tour that includes stops between Ford’s Theatre and the White House. The two-hour tour led by an actor portraying a police detective on duty at the time of the assassination covers about 1.6 miles. Traffic is heavy and street parking is extremely difficult to find in downtown Washington, particularly during the tourist season. Plan to take Metro to the Gallery Place, Metro Center or Archives stations and walk the few blocks to the theater. Ford’s Theatre closes to tours during performances.
