Ford's Theatre

How to Get There

From central DC, take Metro’s Red Line to Gallery Place–Chinatown or take bus routes along 10th St NW, then walk to Ford’s Theatre at 10th Street and E Street NW.

Overview

Ford’s Theatre, built in 1863 in Washington, D.C., is both a working theatre and a museum dedicated to the memory of President Abraham Lincoln, who was assassinated here in 1865. The site includes the restored historic stage, a museum with artifacts related to the assassination and Civil War era, the Petersen House across the street where Lincoln died, and the Aftermath exhibits that explore the impact of this national tragedy. Visitors can walk through the rooms, view original furnishings, and experience occasional ranger-led interpretive presentations in the restored theatre.

After being repurposed multiple times over the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the building was restored and reopened as a museum and performance space in 1968, with further enhancements in subsequent years. Today it is maintained by the National Park Service in collaboration with the Ford’s Theatre Society, offering both free historical tours through timed-ticket entry and professional theatrical productions that bring new life to this profoundly significant American landmark.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article and official National Park Service and Ford’s Theatre Society pages for Ford’s Theatre, released under the Creative Commons Attribution‑ShareAlike License 3.0.