President Abraham Lincoln is Spider Monkey’s favorite US president. So visiting Ford’s Theatre was a top destination for our Washington, D.C. family adventure. Of course, this is not something you can just walk up and do! Follow along as I break down everything you need to know to visit Ford’s Theatre.
What Is Ford’s Theatre?
Ford’s Theatre is the location where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. On April 14, 1865, Lincoln and his wife were visiting the theater to see the comedy Our American Cousin. During the performance, John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln. The theater was closed for more than 100 years. Then it was reopened in 1968 as a historic site and live performance theater. Today, it is operated through a public-private relationship with the National Park Service.
Ticket Options for Visiting Ford’s Theatre
To visit Ford’s Theatre, you need a timed entry. Tickets are available every half hour from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Monday – Sunday. They are booked online through the theater. Not all exhibits are included in each ticket. When you click on a calendar date, a variety of different site visit options are displayed.
- Blue box that says “Museum” – This includes entry into the museum, but does not include the audio guide (this is added separately).
- Orange box that says “Theatre: Ranger Talk” – This includes a visit to the theater, where a Park Ranger provides a narrated journey through the events leading to Lincoln’s assassination.
- Orange box that says “Theatre Walkthrough” – This includes a visit to the theater, but no Ranger talk.
- Green box that says “Petersen House” – This includes a visit across the street to the location where Lincoln passed.
- Other options sometimes available include a short performance, after-hours tours, and the Aftermath Exhibits
Our tour includes the Museum, Ranger Talk, Petersen House, and Aftermath Exhibits. We enjoyed each part and highly recommend them!
Important Information When Visiting Ford’s Theatre
| Address | 511 Tenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20004 |
| Entrance Cost (at time of publication) | $3.50 “convenience fee” for each ticket and $5 for each audio guide. |
| Getting There | The closest metro stations are the Metro Center and Gallery Place/Chinatown metro stations. |
No food/drinks, weapons, oversized bags/luggage, pets, etc. (a complete list is available on the theater website).
Arrival Process When Visiting Ford’s Theatre
We arrived early for the tour and lined up on the street. While the rest of my party was lined up, I went into the box office. Here I exchanged our online tickets for paper tickets and checked out our audio guides.
Visiting Ford’s Theater: Museum Ticket Option
The first stop on our tour of Ford’s Theater was the museum. Here, you follow Abraham Lincoln’s life from the beginning of his presidency to his assassination. The girls had been working on the Junior Ranger materials, so they were eager to see the museum.
The museum is self-guided with an optional audio guide that you can purchase. Much to my surprise, they both loved listening to the kid version of the audio guide. This version details tales from the Civil War to the plot to assassinate Lincoln.
Lincoln’s Presidency Exhibits
One of the most prominent parts of the museum focuses on Lincoln’s leadership during the Civil War. The exhibits outline how Lincoln navigated the country through its most divisive period. Artifacts related to the war, including letters and documents about the Emancipation Proclamation and his military strategy. Ford’s Theatre also offers Junior Ranger materials, which helped the girls connect the historic site to Lincoln’s life, presidency, and assassination.
These exhibits provide context on the Civil War, the political landscape of the time, and the broader cultural and societal changes occurring during Lincoln’s presidency.
Lincoln’s Life Exhibits
This exhibit provides insight into Lincoln’s personal life and his role as a father and husband. Items related to his family, such as personal letters and portraits.
Artifacts Related to Lincoln
Sprinkled throughout the museum are several personal items related to Abraham Lincoln. These include furniture from the White House, as well as pieces tied to his presidency and legacy. One notable item is a replica of the actual chair Lincoln was sitting in when he was shot.
Lincoln’s Assassination Exhibits
The museum’s primary focus is on the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. There are displays that describe the events leading up to April 14, 1865. The exhibit includes detailed descriptions of the night of the assassination. There are along with artifacts from the assassination, such as pieces of the clothing Lincoln was wearing that night. They even saw the gun used to shoot the fatal bullet.
Throughout the museum, interactive displays engage the girls. Multimedia presentations, videos, and artifacts helped bring the story of Lincoln’s assassination to life in a compelling and engaging way. We could have probably spent another hour in the museum. But your time there is limited before you are ushered out to the next part of the tour.
Visiting Ford’s Theater: Theatre/Ranger Talk Ticket Option
After the museum, we were ushered upstairs into the theater for the Ranger Talk.
This was not Spider Monkey’s favorite part because it involved too much sitting and listening. But the Ranger’s storytelling was fantastic! He gave a play-by-play account of the plot and events that unfolded.
Visiting Ford’s Theater: Petersen House Ticket Option
After the Ranger Talk at Ford’s Theater, we moved across the street to Petersen House. This is the boarding house where Lincoln was taken after he was shot and where he eventually died.
The girls talked with the Ranger and earned the Junior Ranger badge before viewing the various rooms. The first room we saw was the room where Mary Lincoln waited and grieved.
There was a small bedroom where Secretary of War Edwin Stanton temporarily led the federal government.
The final room was where Abraham Lincoln passed away.
Visiting Ford’s Theater: The Aftermath Exhibits
The boarding house opens into another museum area that contains the Aftermath Exhibits. These exhibits detailed the aftermath of Lincoln’s assassination.
The Escape of John Wilkes Booth
This set of exhibits covers Booth’s escape after shooting Lincoln. They detail his flight from the theater and the manhunt that followed. It includes maps and timelines that illustrate Booth’s route and his attempt to evade capture. which ended with his death in a Virginia barn 12 days later.
The Aftermath of Lincoln’s Death
The museum also explores the national impact of Lincoln’s assassination. These include exhibits on the mourning period and the funeral train that carried Lincoln’s body back to Springfield, Illinois. The artifacts include mourning wreaths, black armbands, and other items from the time of the president’s death.
The Trial of the Conspirators
Another exhibit focuses on the trial of those involved in the assassination plot. Several people were arrested and charged in connection with the crime. The exhibit details the legal proceedings and the fate of those involved, including the execution of four conspirators.
The Family Verdict
The tour of Ford’s Theater was very well done and very informative. We spent a few hours there and learned a ton! The Ranger Talk was a highlight for me. But Spider Monkey was only 6 years old and had a hard time sitting still for it.
Make sure to check out our family adventures at the White House, the Library of Congress, the Washington Monument, and the National Mall. You can also follow our complete Washington, DC itinerary and our nearby family adventure to Niagara Falls.
Follow along on our other amazing family travel adventures at www.adventureisinoursouls.com.
