One of the most known events in American history is the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and no visit to Washington DC is complete without a trip to Ford’s Theatre. A visit to Ford’s Theatre is an opportunity to see and learn about this infamous night that impacted our country. If you are planning a visit to Washington DC and looking for things to do and see, don’t miss this historic landmark.

Hobbies on a Budget received discounts or tickets for the purpose of this post. All opinions are my own. No monetary compensation was received.

Things to Know About Fords Theatre

A tour of Ford’s Theatre begins with a walk downstairs through the museum where you can see authentic memorabilia from the history of John Wilkes Booth and President Abraham Lincoln.

You can see the derringer that Booth used to shoot President Lincoln….

as well as the pillow where President Lincoln laid his head when he died.

Ford’s Theatre

You then take the tour upstairs to the Theatre where a Park Ranger shares a brief history of the Theatre and walks you through the night of President Lincoln’s assassination.

On the night of April 14, 1865, actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth sneaked into the Presidential Box and shot President Abraham Lincoln. Today, the theatre looks very much the way it did that fateful night. The President’s Box is decorated with an American flag and a portrait of President George Washington, just as it was in 1865.

Though this is not the original building, it has been recreated to look the same as it did on the night that President Lincoln was assassinated and is still used today for live productions.

• Ford’s Theatre offers timed-entry from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Ford’s Theatre is a popular place to visit. We recommend you reserve your tickets in advance.
• Advance Tickets: We charge a $3 convenience fee ($2.50 for groups of 10 or more) to reserve tickets in advance. All patrons regardless of age must have a ticket.
• A limited number of free same-day tickets are available at the Ford’s Theatre Box Office beginning at 8:30 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Individuals are limited to six tickets per person for same-day tickets. During the busy tourist season (March-June), we often run out of same-day tickets by 9:00 a.m.

Arrival: If you have advance tickets, you can arrive at 10 minutes before your entry time.

The last part of the tour takes you across to the Peterson House where President Lincoln was taken after he was shot. This part of the tour was very crowded so we didn’t take the time to tour this house. My tip is to take time to photograph the outside of the Peterson House before you take the tour of Ford’s Theatre. This will allow you to get a picture before the crowd’s start to gather.

Connect with Ford’s Theatre

511 10TH ST,
NW WASHINGTON, DC 20004

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Looking for other things to see and do in the area? Check out this list of 20 Things to Experience near Washington DC!