Ford’s Theatre: Where Lincoln’s Remarkable Legacy Lives On
Ford’s Theatre marks one of the most somber moments in American history—the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Today, this National Historic Site includes four key components: the Ford’s Theatre Museum, the historic theatre itself (where Lincoln was shot), the Petersen House (where he died), and the Aftermath Exhibits. Together, these sites tell a powerful story of Lincoln’s presidency, his tragic final night, and the lasting legacy he left behind.
Table of Contents
History of Ford's Theatre
Before it became a national landmark, Ford’s Theatre was originally the First Baptist Church of Washington. When the congregation moved to a new building, entrepreneur John T. Ford purchased the property and transformed it into a performance venue he named “Ford’s Athenaeum.”
Today, the site is most famously known as the location of President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in 1865. Following Lincoln’s death, the U.S. government paid Ford $88,000 for the building and took it over for military use. Over the years, the space served a variety of purposes: the first floor stored records for the War Department, the second floor housed the Library of the Surgeon General’s Office, and the third floor became home to the Army Medical Museum.
Tragedy struck again in 1893 when part of the building collapsed, killing 22 people and injuring 68 others. After repairs, it reopened as the Record and Pension Office.
On February 12, 1932—Lincoln’s 123rd birthday—the building was transferred to the National Park Service. Since then, the NPS has worked diligently to restore the theatre and preserve it as a memorial to the legacy of the nation’s 16th president.
Lincoln's Assassination
On the evening of April 14, 1865—just five days after General Robert E. Lee’s surrender effectively ended the Civil War—President Abraham Lincoln attended a performance of Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre.
Among the cast was the well-known actor John Wilkes Booth, a staunch Confederate sympathizer. Originally, Booth had planned to kidnap Lincoln and other high-ranking officials in a desperate attempt to revive the failing Confederacy. That plan soon escalated into a coordinated plot to assassinate President Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson, and Secretary of State William Seward.
As a familiar face at the theatre, Booth had unrestricted access to its interior—including the Presidential Box. During the play, Booth slipped inside, shot President Lincoln at point-blank range with a .44-caliber Deringer pistol, and leapt onto the stage, reportedly shouting, “Sic semper tyrannis!”—“Thus always to tyrants”—before fleeing the building.
The pistol used in the assassination, small but devastating, is now on display in the Ford’s Theatre Museum, a chilling reminder of one of the darkest nights in American history.
Ford's Theatre Today
This National Historic Site is composed of four parts: the Museum, Ford’s Theatre (where Lincoln was shot), the Petersen House (where Lincoln died), the museum, and the Aftermath Exhibits. Both the theatre and the Petersen House are National Historic sites. We suggest visiting all four of the locations below to get the full-experience. Together, these 4 locations chronicle the story of Lincoln from when he swore in as President to the days after his death.
The Museum
The museum features an impressive collection that follows Abraham Lincoln from the beginning of his presidency to his assassination. Through historical relics, visitors learn about his life in the White House, his role in the Civil War, and his meetings with the abolitionist, Frederick Douglass.
The museum also introduces visitors to John Wilkes Booth. The exhibit explores Booth’s relationship with Lincoln, the root of his hatred toward the 16th president, and the group of people who conspired to decimate the US government.
The museum tour is self-guided. A visit to the museum takes about 30 minutes.
The Historic Ford's Theatre
Ford’s Theatre is the site of one of the most tragic moments in American history: the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Remarkably, the historic theatre still closely resembles how it looked on that fateful night in 1865. The Presidential Box is draped with an American flag and features a portrait of George Washington—just as it did when Lincoln arrived for the evening’s performance.
While the interior of the Presidential Box is closed to the public to preserve its condition, visitors can view it from the main floor of the theatre.
The theatre tour is self-guided and typically takes about 30 minutes. National Park Service rangers are on-site to answer questions and provide historical insight during your visit.
The Petersen House
After President Lincoln was shot, he was carried out of Ford’s Theatre and brought to the Petersen House—a boarding house directly across the street. A crowd quickly gathered outside as a doctor worked tirelessly to save the president’s life.
Inside, Lincoln was surrounded by his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, along with several government officials. The attending doctor provided hourly updates throughout the night.
At 7:22 a.m. on April 15, 1865, the updates stopped. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, had passed away.
The Aftermath Exhibits
This was my favorite part of the museum complex. The Aftermath Exhibits transport you to a Washington street the morning after Lincoln’s assassination. The exhibits tell the story of the crowds that gather to mourn the president, the funeral train back to Springfield, Illinois, and the 12-day hunt for John Wilkes Booth. The exhibit also covers John Wilkes Booth’s capture in Virginia, his trial, and the fate of Booth and his conspirators.
Naturally, the exhibits also cover the impact of Lincoln’s life and death on the American people.
Pro-Tip: If you are visiting during the summer months, be sure to pack plenty of water. Summers in DC are extremely hot (and this is coming from a Florida girl) and you can easily get dehydrated. You may need to wait in line to access these sites and there is very little shade.
If you’re pressed for time, we suggest visiting the Historic Theatre and the Aftermath Museum.
If you have a little more time, we suggest taking the Metro to the Smithsonian Station and walking west down the National Mall to the Lincoln Memorial.
Visiting Ford's Theatre
Address:
511 10th St. NW
Washington, DC 20004
Metro Stops: Metro Center and Gallery Place/Chinatown
Parking: There is a parking garage located directly next to the theatre.
What is There to do Nearby?
- The White House
- White House Visitor Center
- National Children’s Museum
- National Archives Museum
- National Portrait Gallery
- National Museum of African American History
- Museum of Natural History
- National Museum of American History
- National Gallery of Art
- National Museum of the American Indian
- Library of Congress
- National Air and Space Museum
- US Holocaust Memorial Museum
- Washington Monument
- World War II Memorial
- Lincoln Memorial
- Korean War Veterans Memorial
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
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Post updated: 5/3/25
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