Ford's Theatre

Ford's Theatre

NPS / Claire Hassler

Quick Facts

Amenities

3 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Public Transit, Restroom

Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site in Washington, D.C. is both a working theater and a solemn memorial, forever linked to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865. Visitors today encounter a place where history and performance meet, offering a chance to reflect on one of the nation’s most pivotal moments.

A Historic Stage
Ford’s Theatre began as a Baptist church in the 1830s before being converted into a theater by John T. Ford in 1863. By the spring of 1865, the Civil War was drawing to a close, and Washington was alive with celebration. On the evening of April 14, 1865, President Lincoln attended a performance of the comedy Our American Cousin. During the play, actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth slipped into the Presidential Box and shot Lincoln with a single-shot pistol. The wounded president was carried across the street to the boarding house operated by William Petersen, where he died the following morning.

The assassination shocked the nation and transformed Ford’s Theatre into a site of mourning. The building was closed, later used as offices and storage, and eventually fell into disrepair. In 1968, after extensive restoration, the National Park Service reopened Ford’s Theatre as a National Historic Site, preserving it as both a memorial and a functioning theater. Today, it operates in partnership with the Ford’s Theatre Society, hosting plays and educational programs while interpreting the events of that fateful night.

What You’ll See
A visit to Ford’s Theatre includes several interconnected sites:

• The theatre itself, restored to its 1865 appearance, where visitors can view the presidential box and learn about the assassination.
   
• The Ford’s Theatre Museum, located beneath the theater, which houses artifacts from Lincoln’s presidency and Booth’s plot.
   
• The Petersen House, across the street, where Lincoln spent his final hours.
   
• The Center for Education and Leadership, adjacent to the Petersen House, which explores Lincoln’s legacy and the aftermath of his death.

Planning Your Visit
Ford’s Theatre welcomes more than 650,000 visitors annually, making timed-entry tickets essential. Tickets are available online in advance, with entry scheduled every half hour. Depending on the ticket type, visitors may see the theater, museum, Petersen House, or all three. The site is open daily, and a full visit typically takes two to three hours. Guided audio tours are available for an additional fee, and performances continue to be staged in the theater, blending its historic role with its ongoing cultural mission.

In essence, Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site is more than the place where Lincoln was assassinated—it is a living memorial that preserves the past while engaging audiences in the present. To walk through its doors is to step into history, to witness the echoes of a national tragedy, and to reflect on the enduring legacy of Abraham Lincoln.