An update from Director Paul R. Tetreault on anti-racist work and the 2020-2021 season at Ford’s Theatre.
The site of Lincoln’s assassination, Ford’s Theatre offers museum exhibits, live theatre and immersive learning.
With our revised season and new play commissions, we will journey from the Civil War to today, illuminating figures in American history who have fought in the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equity.
Our site is closed, but you can still visit virtually to learn about Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.
Virtually explore some of the rare artifacts related to the assassination.
See a fly-through of the theatre where history happened.
View a virtual exhibit exploring the history of the Petersen House. Or download a virtual reality experience with first-person accounts from those who witnessed Lincoln’s final hours.
Virtually explore some of the artifacts related to Lincoln’s funeral train and the trial of the conspirators.
President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865. Learn how and why it happened, and see the event’s lasting impact on our nation.
As Lincoln lay dying in a back bedroom of a small Washington boarding house, the home became the hub of the U.S. government. What happened in the Petersen House the night of April 14, 1865?
After John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton and other investigators interviewed eyewitnesses. Find out what they learned and how deep the conspiracy went.
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Take a glimpse behind the curtain of Ford’s Theatre
What did Lincoln wear to Ford’s Theatre the night John Wilkes Booth murdered him? See his clothes, including the special message sewn inside his overcoat…
John Wilkes Booth killed Lincoln with this small, single-shot pistol. Why would Booth use a weapon with only one bullet?
Travel back in time to investigate the Lincoln assassination – via video-conference. Connect with our expert educators and scholars or a National Park Service Ranger to ask questions about Lincoln’s life and legacy. Live, interactive programs available by request.
