Ford's Theatre Reviews

This was the worst experience I’ve ever had. Multiple staff members were disrespectful and unhelpful, arbitrarily changing my seats without any explanation.

We bought our timed tickets the day they went on sale online (and they sold out fast). It slowly stopped raining so our wait outside on the street was tolerable. We then proceeded inside and down into the basement museum. You are supposed to walk in chronological order among the displays, movies, and signage, but it was difficult given the crowd in our group and social distancing. That being said it was interesting to learn about Lincoln and the times in which he lived. Then it was upstairs to see the actual box where it all happened. You lean in to see the box through a plastic panel and read a little drawing outlining where everyone was sitting. Then we spoke to a park ranger who showed us some photos and talked about how they closed the theatre for decades after the assassination. All in all a fascinating if not sobering visit back in time.

What a wonderful experience. I found the theater experience and the Park Ranger that did the narration facinating. The Gift Shop is a bit underwhelming but the tour which included the Museum,the Theater and the Peterson House across the street is top notch. Plan on spending 2-3 hours on this experience.

This was a highlight of our visit to DC. Incredible artefacts, interactive displays and very well laid out museum. The walkway to the theatre was eerie and to be in the actual theatre was surreal. The volunteer talk was fascinating too. The building across the road where Lincoln was taken was also fabulous to see. Highly recommend a visit to Fords Theatre, we spent such a long time here because it was so interesting.

I cannot say enough good about this place. Huge change from my last visit, I was amazed at the exhibit now completed. Very well put together and thought out. So amazing to have a preserved piece of American history that is not behind barricades and we can appreciate and view. An AMAZING experience and I highly recommend! Here in Michigan we have the chair President Lincoln was sitting on when he was shot, and getting to see the theater and presidential box up close is something to bring it full circle. Do yourself a favor and visit this place!

Hadn't planned on going here but was suggested by fellow passenger on plane. Glad we went. Very enlightening.

Informative and as in depth as you want it to be as a self guided tour. Gives great insight into Lincoln and his amazing mind. There is a park ranger on site if you have questions.

Worth every single penny to see A Christmas Carol in Ford's Theatre!!! Just amazing! We had seats in the Dress Cicle and had an excellent view inside the presidental box. During intermission my husband visited the museum and said it was very well done. The cast, crew, and set were phenomenal... Bravo!

Being interested in American History, my husband and I wanted to visit this landmark on our recent trip to Washington. We liked the tour package, but the best part was the ranger talk at the theater. The Peterson House was actually not much to see. It could definitely be furnished better and have more to see or read about. But for $3, it was hard to complain. The aftermath and theater museums were decent for the price, and there’s a nice gift shop.

But by far, one of the highlights of our trip was seeing a play in Ford’s Theater. It’s a small theater with great views from everywhere, but we paid the extra for the Orchestra B section. It was worth every penny, as we were 2nd row on the same side as the presidential box where Lincoln sat the night of his death. We could have easily tossed a pebble into the box from where we sat! It was very surreal and exciting for history buffs like us.

In addition, the play was excellent! Maybe not Broadway quality, but certainly professionally done and thoroughly entertaining. Even my husband, who is not much of an “arts” kind of guy was engrossed and loved it. We highly recommend doing this one evening after all the monuments and museums close for the day. I wish we were going to be there for the holidays, when they do ”A Christmas Carol.”

This is a great tour. You start in the basement level and there are lots of reading materials and objects to look at that explain what happened up to the assassination of President Lincoln. Then you go into the theater itself (it's still a working theater). I would sit in the upper level on the opposite side of Presidential booth so you can have a good view of it for photos. A national park guide will then come on stage and tell you the whole story of what happened that day as well. He was a great storyteller too.

We learned so much from visiting Ford's Theater and the Petersen House where Lincoln was taken after being shot. The museums tell the story of the events before, during and after, and has artifacts that make history come alive. The Park Ranger in the Petersen House was very knowledgeable and provided information about the night that Lincoln was shot. It is well-worth the small charge ($3.50 each). Check their website CALENDAR to insure that you will be going at a time when you will be able to see the theater since it is a working theater that may be closed if there is a play/event scheduled. Elevators make this handicapped accessible.

The Ford theater was fantastic. It had a great museum. It showed the gun that killed Lincoln and one of the pillows he died on. The theater part of the tour is great. Although you can really get close to where he got shot. The rooming house was good. But they don't have the original bed he died in. Overall, it's pretty good.

Ford’s Theater must be on your To Do list while visiting DC. There is so much to see and a lot of cool, interesting information. We were crunched on time and managed to fit it in to our schedule. I could have spent more time in there, which I plan to do next time. Nevertheless, even an abbreviated visit is worth the experience. Excellent job by the folks who curate this exhibit.

Beautifully restored and maintained. The theatre is breathtaking and the folks who work here do so out of a sense of passion.

Great tour. It was interesting and the museum is very well done too. Well worth the 3 dollars per person that we paid.

Amazing. I learnt so much. I would highly recommend. The people were friendly and attentive. Information clear and very helpful.

The visit to the museum, the theater with the talk by a ranger, and the visit to the house across the street were very interesting. You should know that the tour is free the day of the visit and $3.50 each on line with a timed admission. We were there on a frigid January day, and there were free admission still available, but in high season, you would definitely be taking your chances not to have a reservation.

Very historically relevant and interesting, but beware of current events:
1. Access to the actual theatre was not available, without prior warning, due to rehearsals.
2. Construction where Lincoln passed away was very disruptive - noisy with vibration.
3. Due to construction (shaking) many items on display have been removed.

An experience not to be missed. There are four chronological parts to the ticket. You first enter the museum at your designated time at the Ford's Theatre visitor center - we got our tickets on-line. The downstairs museum is wonderful, taking you through Lincoln's life up until his assassination. The only downside to the great exhibits is that some of the glass encasements were too dark to see - protecting their sensitivity to light. We paid for the personal audio tour but it's not necessary. The downstairs gift shop is run by the National Parks service, while the upstairs is Ford Theatre's shop. Once you complete the downstairs, you go upstairs to the theatre and witness the box where Booth shot Lincoln. There were several rangers available to answer questions and tell impromptu stories, and you can sit in the balcony seats to absorb the moment. The third stop is across the street. You walk through the Peterson house where Lincoln was moved from the theater and see the bedroom where he passed; all furniture are facsimiles of the time. Finally you once again enter the museum from the Peterson house building continuing Lincoln's epitaph, achievements, and affects on us today. This last part was exceptional, as it traversed down several floors. If you visit the Lincoln Memorial, visit Ford's theatre!

There are several different access tours and depending on the day, there's different things that may or may not be available. So, be careful when you book your timed tickets on the website. Most of the time, the fee is only $3.50 per ticket. And with the craziness of summer and school trips, there is always a chance that you can simply walk in for free during the confusion.

Once in Ford's Theater, enjoy the museum that is down stairs. There is a lot of good and unusual information presented. For instance, Henry Rathbone's mental stability eroded after Lincoln's assassination. He obsessed over the notion that he couldn't stop the president's assassination, even having nightmares (PTSD??). Rathbone couldn't keep a job and eventually he attacked his children, shot and stabbed his wife, then tried to commit suicide directly afterwards, and eventually died in a mental asylum.--Never knew any of that.

After the museum, then you journey up to the theater. There was someone who gave a small mini-lecture there about the historic night. However, you cannot enter the actual balcony that the Lincoln's were in.

Then, you head across the street to the Peterson House, which gives you further insight on the last few hours of Lincoln's life and Boothe's intentions and getaway plans.

Great visit! A must while visiting D.C.!

I have always wanted to visit Ford's Theater so this time while in DC, I made it my top priority. What a historic site to visit and it is free to visit. It is eerie how close you can get to history. I could almost envision the night that Lincoln was assassinated. Check out the museum and follow the footsteps of John Wilkes Booth and the tour guides do an excellent job of telling the story of that night.

First part of the visit was the museum. The gun that killed Lincoln is here. The hat he was wearing that night is in the National Museum of American History.

Second part of the visit is the theatre. You can’t go in the box, but you can go in the balcony. A presenter describes the events of the evening which really hit home when you are actually there.

Third part of the visit is the Petersen house across the street where you can walk through the rooms where Mrs. Lincoln waited and President Lincoln died.

Only knowing that Lincoln had been assassinated in the Ford Theatre by someone called John Wilkes Booth. We booked the museum tour with the one act play One Destiny and we were glad we did

The tour starts with a time in the museum which was ok but did not seem to flow. Then after climbing several stairs we entered the theatre. The play One Destiny was well acted and gave different viewpoints of the assassination from people in and around the theatre. It raised some interesting questions like where did the bodyguard go? The play put the assassination in context and it would have been useful to return to the museum

It was good to see the Junior Ranger Program in action and the Ranger ensuring the candidate had understood the information

Ford's Theatre is one place I am so glad I decided to go to! As a historian, this is one place that has always been on my bucket list and out of the many times I've been to DC, only once have I been able to go, but I would love to go again! It has an incredible history and our tour guide was awesome!

Ford’s Theatre offers an interesting historical depiction of Lincoln’s life, the Civil War and his death. Sitting in the theatre, watching the place where he was shot, is surreal.

I found the routing inside the museum to be a bit confusing. That’s the reason I rate the experience 4/5 stars.

Nicely laid out and well done. Kept our interest, as well as our kids. This is a quick hit museum, really an hour is all you need and the price was reasonable. Clean facilities and friendly employees.

We stayed near Ford's theatre and went over one morning. We got the audio tour, which I recommend for the Lincoln museum. The entire experience was fantastic. One of the tour guides was incredible at telling the story of the night Lincoln was shot, and the museum really helped place that story in the context of history. Across the street is the actual home where he died. We took our kids after three days of seeing so many sights, including some really fun stuff like the Spy museum, and they were riveted. A real highlight of our trip.

Poor communication…. we were unaware we would not actually be able to see the theater at the 11:00 am time slot. Apparently only has limited times in the morning which should be better disclosed. Some interesting artifacts in the museum and the Peterson house where Lincoln died was mystical. Had I known the theater itself was out of commission for a dress rehearsal we probably would have skipped or rescheduled it. Do yourself a favor and double check the theater is open before going.

Immerse yourself in history for a few moments and feel a small bit of what happened feels like you were there. Very detailed tour guide and it moves quite quickly.

We've seen it in movies and pictures but you can be there, walk over to where President Lincoln was sitting, and see where he was sitting. It's too bad the actual blood stained chair was replaced, it's over at a museum in Dearborn Michigan. You can get a guided tour or rent an audio machine or just walk around without the audio machine. You might get lucky like we did and get there between large groups. Remember if you rent the audio machine, then you have to wait in the line again to give it back to them. That's the only way you'll get your driver's license back. So for that reason I would not rent those machines on busy days.

This was a great experience and well worth the money. I would have liked more time in the museum, we were told the talk would start so rushed through to be told it started in 15 mins. By that time I decided not to go back as my time had been disrupted. Talk from guide was good. Definitely would recommend. Again buying tickets from the uk was easy.

This is a must see for anyone interested in history. There is a free, self-guided tour and an interesting exhibit in the basement. The day we visited, we were able to walk up to the Presidential box. It's a moving experience. The whole tragedy of this remarkable life, cut short by Confederate fanatics, becomes apparent.

Anyone who visits Washington has to visit Ford's Theatre! It is one of the most interesting and historic places in the United States!

I love history and so I loved this. To think that I was in the same room that President Lincoln was in so long ago matters to me. I added on the audio tour and was able to follow along just fine (not always the case with me and audio tours). It isn’t a fancy museum but it was meaningful to me.

Excellent tour! The ranger talk was done very well and had so much interesting information about the history of the theater and Lincoln. Though a little stressful with DC traffic to make a timed entrance, I actually really appreciated it once the tour started. The other buildings were very busy and had some great things to see that expanded on the theater experience.

We saw Into the Woods here, and it was terrific. The theater itself is fantastic. Lincoln was shot here, so it's a little weird to be there. But I love old theaters, and this one is intimate and lovely.

My wife and I visited the Ford Theatre the first week of May. Overall it was a good visit. Very interesting museum and the stage and the house where Lincoln died was a memorable experience. The only con was that there were a couple of very large school field trip groups that made for over crowding, especially in the museum. Some tired students were sitting/laying on the floor blocking other visitors from seeing some exhibits. Also felt rushed going through the house that Lincoln died due to the hundreds of students and other people behind us. I'm all for fields trips for students but in small museum and house the proper amount of visitors makes it a better experience for all.

We are subscribers and most always love their offerings. I love seeing that many in the audience are tourists there because of the venue and their interest in Lincoln but end up enthusiastic about the shows.

Nice to see something really old in Washington. Recently refurbished but you can see the architecture is unchanged. Abraham Lincoln’s box has been kept original. It was certainly worth a visit

A must do, when visiting Washington DC.
It is free, and accepts donations.
There was a couple of people around to help answer any questions you may have.
Very interesting place. It gives you a lot more of an insight to Abraham Lincolns life, and the unfortunate assassination.
As part of the visit you can go into the apartment across the road, and visit the room where he eventually passed.
There is also a mountain of different books, written about Abraham Lincoln. I couldn't believe the amount there was.
2 small shops, and toilets.

The Ford Theatre Museum was excellent. There was a lot of good information to read. We didn't have enough time there before we were ushered to the performance in the theatre itself. We needed more time in the museum. The theatre performance was excellent.

I'm pretty old so when I took American history the accomplishments of Lincoln were well covered. It saddened me to see the place where he was shot and the place where he died. However, I'm pleased that these things have been preserved and we can still visit. There are still performances in the theatre - they were setting up for one while we passed through.

WOW - never, ever thought I'd be at this place. Fascinating place in history. Worth the cost and the gift shop had some great gift ideas for relatively decent prices. This is what I'd consider a DO NOT MISS visit but then again, I'm a history buff.

Perhaps surprisingly, this is one of the best "museums" in the area. Well run, amazing displays with a sense of its true history. It's kind of cool that they still use it as theater despite diminishing the historical authenticity a bit. Compact enough so you can see plenty in 2-3 hours. Don't forget the Peterson home across the way where Pres. Lincoln died.

It was a little difficult to find, but once we found it, then the place was brilliant, well set out, knowledgeable staff, and a great presentation by one of the rangers. You literally are walking in the steps of history. Check what your visit allows you to see, as many of the tours are different.

Our visit to Ford’s Theatre during our Washington DC trip took some advance planning, since tickets go quickly and the different options can be a little confusing. Some include access to specific exhibits or talks, and not everything is included with every ticket.

We started in the museum with audio guides, and to my surprise, both of our girls really enjoyed the kid-friendly version. They stayed engaged and actually learned quite a bit. We could have used more time there because it was more interesting than we expected.

Next was the Ranger talk in the theater itself. Our youngest struggled a bit with the sitting and listening, but the Ranger was an incredible storyteller. He walked us through the events of Lincoln’s assassination in a way that felt dramatic and meaningful, even for the adults.

Afterward, we crossed the street to visit Petersen House and the Aftermath exhibits. It was a heavy but important way to end the visit.

We stumbled upon Ford's Theater after trying to go to the American Art Museum, only to find that it doesn't open until 11:30am; with a couple of hours to burn, we walked to Ford's Theater and were lucky to walk right in. I was surprised there was no admission cost. The museum downstairs was excellent, filled with informative content and well-organized. Then upstairs to a view of the actual theater (including the spot where Lincoln was shot). We left at that point (1.5 hours), but apparently there is another museum across the street (and maybe even something else) included as well. I would highly recommend a visit.

This is a FREE museum, a great place to learn about our country's history. There is a self-guided tour, film and then onto the theatre. It was so cool to actually be there. A moment in History

The venue is nicely arranged to help you understand more about what happened in the assassination of Lincoln, but we especially enjoyed the talk given by a ranger in the theatre, which really helped bring things to life.

I’ve always wanted to see this production and it’s a rare thing in life when the actual experience is so much more than I could have imagined! The music ( beautiful, traditional carols) and acting were superb! The costumes and theatrical effects could not have been better! I will be back next year for sure!
The theater itself is an amazing museum. I came earlier in the day and went across the street to the Peterson House where President Lincoln died and also toured the adjacent museum . It is an excellent museum , filled with a wealth of information.
Before seeing the theatrical production at Ford’s Theater you walk through a museum filled with poignant information about President Lincoln and that sad, fateful night. The derringer pistol that John Wilkes Booth used that night is on display. The theater staff are very friendly and welcoming. You will see Lincoln’s theater box draped with the flag. I highly recommend attending a theatrical production or just visiting the museums between shows.

A MUST SEE TOUR!! All staff is there to answer any questions while you're viewing exhibits to enter Ford's Theatre. A staff person enters the stage accounting all the events leading up to that night of the fatal shooting of President Lincoln and all the events afterward. You may go across the street into the residence where Lincoln died.

Perhaps I would have enjoyed this more we’re it not for the large gaggle of teenagers and younger children running around. Also, I thought it was a guided tour for some reason, but it wasn’t. They met you into the basement for 25 minutes where there is a very thorough museum. Then you can go upstairs to see the theatre itself. At your own pace, you can queue up for the Petersen House across the street.

It can be hard to get tickets so plan ahead. You can order tickets on line for a fee or get same day tickets for free. The day I toured, the theatre was only open between 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM.

It is a working theatre so you can also see a play there. I saw “Fences” and it was an excellent production.

As one of my granddaughters stated, It does something to you to be able to stand right where history happened. The theatre and the Peterson house across the street are so full of history. We were there for quite awhile. I had been there before many years ago and in comparison, the museum before was better than now, but it still has a lot of wonderful archives and artifacts. The only real negative I would say is that the people at the beginning of the tour weren't as friendly and inviting as what we encountered at other places, but inside the theatre and across the street everyone was very nice and helpful.

Good experience for the kids . Recommend the $5 each audio phone. It gets crowded even in the non busy months. But still a good place to learn. The employees try their hardest to be helpful and i appreciate that !

I enjoyed my time there. If you do a self-guided tour, admission into the museum is free and it is also free to walk around the actual theatre where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. The musuem is below the entrance of the building. The stage is on the same floor as the entrance, but, the booth where Lincoln sat is just above you as you come into the building. There is a gift shop right across the entrance. The theatre is still active and they still use it for performances. I was happy to visit this historical place.

This would have gotten 5 stars based solely on our visit itself. But the deduction is from the ordering/website. It's difficult, if not impossible, to know what you get when you order. Each time slot has different aspects (ranger talk, museum, etc.) but it doesn't explain what those are. We went at 10:00 on a Sunday and got everything, but that was after looking online. The museum itself is good, if not interactive. The Ranger talk was outstanding. The Peterson House across the street was neat and has it's own museum. Taken together, you can get a great perspective on the whole event - there's so much more than just the assassination on the night of the play.

One minor quibble was the lack of direction on what order and timing to do things. We were let into the basement museum, but were not told how long we had or when to leave for the Ranger talk.

The Ford Theater was very interesting. It was amazing to be so close to our history.
Get seat 161 in the front for the theater presentation. You’ll find out why during the performance.
Tour consists of museum in the basement, theater with a one man show and a visit across the street to the house where Lincoln died.
Worth the time! They just request donations for preservation of the site.

We went only because we wanted to see the Presidential Box. The play, A Trip to Bountiful, was an unexpected joy. All three of us enjoyed the experience. Since I live in the area I have decided to come back during the holidays to see A Christmas Carol. Such a good experience.

We did the Ford’s Theatre review, had a 9 o’clock museum, theater in Pedersen House tour schedule. We bought advanced tickets piced them up early and then spent 45 minutes in the museum, had a volunteer ranger presentation in the theater and then walked over to the Petersen house. The museum theater and house tour were very informative and the theater gave you goosebumps thinking about the events that happened that night. We also did the education center at the Petersen house along with the souvenir shop that was filled with books and artifacts. Definitely a must stop On any visit to Washington DC. Definitely get advance tickets because it does get crowded and the tours fill up.

I went into Ford’s Theater hoping to get a tour of the museum and theater, it happened to be too late and there was a show that night. So, we booked the show. We ate dinner and came back later that night. Before the show, we were able to walk around the museum which explained the assassination of Abraham Lincoln so well. It included artifacts such as the bloody pillow that he laid on, the Gettysburg address, and his signature on a quilt. The theater itself was very nice, and I was able to see a direct view of Abraham Lincoln’s seats. I highly recommend stopping by. By the way, the show I saw was Little Shop of Horrors. It was mid, I did it for the experience.

Unfortunately, the basement museum was closed the day of our visit due to flooding, but we thoroughly enjoyed visiting the historic theater. The gentleman who gave the ranger talk was very engaging, and I learned a lot about the events and people surrounding Lincoln's assassination. We did not visit the Petersen House due to big crowds, but listening to the talk in the theater was well worth the visit.

Just being in the last place that Abraham Lincoln visited is a tremendous honor. What made our visit extra special was the "usher" sitting quietly in Ford's Theatre who, when asked, went into his very convincing act as a police detective on duty the night Lincoln was assassinated. Very personable and friendly fellow. His costume and appearance made him almost believable as the person he was playing.

Historic place and a must see for history buffs and for the young minds. The place is well restored and maintained.

Surreal to see where Lincoln was assassinated. The interior is not the original, but has been restored to look like exactly when Lincoln was there. Very informative docent. It is confusing on the pricing online. I thought it costs, however it was free. I believe it only costs when you get the audioguide . We asked for audioguides, but they were sold out & we were there right when they opened. I didn’t think it would be that busy, but I was wrong, so I would suggest getting tickets ahead of time. Although we got to see everything, just had to go at our own pace & read the info instead of audio. No biggie.
Also, I thought tickets to the Petersen house across the street cost extra, but it doesn’t. They give you a ticket to that as well. All for free.

Very interesting. The speaker was engaging and informative. I would thoroughly recommend. A great museum as well. Worth a visit.

We were not able to get tickets ahead of time (sold out) so we arrived when the box office opened (on a Saturday at 8:30am) and easily got two tickets- no fee, just a donation. Self guided tour started at 9am and I couldn’t believe how much had changed from when I was here 15 years ago! The museum under the theater was much improved, containing many artifacts, although some of the lighting was almost too dim to read the placards. A super knowledgeable ranger was on hand in the theater itself to answer questions as well. You can climb the stairs in which Lincoln walked up and was carried down that fateful night and you can even go in to Baptist alley where Wilkes Booth exited the back of the stage when he ran away. Be sure to check out the Peterson boarding house across the street too!

What an interesting stop. Glad we did it. It's very well set up. Museum, the actual theatre, the house across the road where they took President Lincoln. The guides were enthusiastic and knowledgable. And I can't believe it was all free. Washington is incredible.

It’s hard to believe that I had never visited this piece of American history in all of my visits to DC. The museum does an incredible job telling the story of what the US was like leading up to and during Lincoln’s presidency. I have a whole new appreciation for the challenges he faced and the decisions he made that prevented this country from self destruction. It’s also impactful to see the theater where he was assassinated and to realize that it looks very similar to what it probably looked like that night.

Decided to visit Ford's Theatre as we had walked the monuments. Great timeline and very interesting as we were from the UK - recommend if you are in the area. Lots to read and look at (we were there more than 1 hour and it is free). After museum you go to the theatre and see box where Lincoln was shot. When done visit house across road where Lincoln died from his wounds - should take about an hour to see both.

A fantastic example of historical preservation. The museum does a good job of explaining events, people that were involved in the assasination with interpretation and some original artifacts . Needed more lighting in some areas. Then a ranger speech inside the theater . They still have live theatrical events here . The Peterson house is right across the street . BONUS: just a short few blocks away , walk to Mary Surratt (a co -conspirator) house. It’s now a Chinese restaurant. Overall a good one to add to Civil War trails or general American history .

This is a very historic theater where President Lincoln was killed. We had our tickets and we entered to the downstairs museum first where we saw lots of artifacts including the gun that killed President Lincoln as well as his bloody pillow. There was many things to see in the museum. From there, we went to the main theater where we heard the ranger talk, where he described the events of the night Lincoln was shot. It was very informative and we learned a lot. From Ford's Theater, we went across the street to the Peterson House which is where he died. The admission is included with your Ford's Theater pass. There you saw the house and bed where Lincoln died. This is a very old house and is interesting to see. Don't skip the Peterson House if you go to Ford's Theater!

We bought tickets in advance and also purchased an audio guide. To be honest, I don’t think we needed the audio guide as there was so much information to read and more to read than what was on the audio guide. The museum teaches you who Lincoln was and then talks you through what happened on the day he was assassinated as well as document the key players in his assassination. It was very informative and some of their artefacts were just incredible - like the gun that shot him and a pillow he had when he was dying which is blood stained.
After the museum it takes you into the theatre which has been redesigned since Lincoln’s time but the box where he was shot has been done up like it would have been. You can’t go into it but can see it.
Really informative and fascinating.
You could go across the road to the building where he died when we were there - hopefully that will open up soon.

The whole tour is put on by the National Park Service and was done very well. The tour begins self guided in the museum in the basement for about 30 minutes. Then proceeds to the theater where a NPS ranger gives a 15 minute presentation on the history of the theater and events leading to the assassination. The tour concludes by proceeding across the street to the Peterson house which is where Lincoln actually died. A must do tour. There is no cost.

The Ford Theater is not just a site of historical significance, but provides a museum where one can learn about Lincoln and all aspects of his assassination. There are many artifacts from the time on display also. I found the information on the co-conspirators to be very interesting.

We found it easy to park in a garage just around the corner from the theater although the hop on/hop off buses have a stop across the street from it.

After going through the museum on a self-guided tour, you then walk up steps to where you view the theater and balcony where Lincoln was shot.

I'm not sure that the theater is handicap accessible, but I may have missed an elevator. The tour took us about ½ hour. Unfortunately the Peterson House (where Lincoln was taken after being shot) was not open to go in while we were there. They have the Junior Ranger program here also if you have your children with you.

If you want to learn about the Lincoln assassination, this is the place to visit.

The NPS runs Ford’s Theatre and does an excellent job. The museum is very thorough. The recitation of the Gettysburg Address by past presidents is very nice. Access is time controlled so it is not too crowded. Be sure and go across the street to the Peterson house where Lincoln died. It is small but moving. Well worth the trip.

The Ford's Theater Museum and tour is well worth it. Its free unless you opt for the audio guide $5 but I didn't use it, opting instead to focus on all the information in the museum and listening to the ranger talk in the theater. Even the actual gun used in the assassination is on display. If you get the full tour (depends on which hour you choose to go), you can see the theater box the Lincoln's occupied and the room where he died across the street from the theater. You will learn a lot about that fateful night.

Do not miss. The theater where Lincoln was shot. Its so beautiful. I believe they still have plays in this theater. The home they took Lincoln to is across the treet

When deciding to do a tour of Washington, Ford's Theatre was not on my radar but it was a perfect place to begin the tour. I even go to see into the balcony where Lincoln was sitting when he was shot. Apparently this door is not always open and our timing was perfect. Great history and then go across the street to the boarding house where Lincoln was taken

It's actually quite amazing that this is still an operational theater. It is well preserved and it's beyond humbling to stand there and imagine the event that took place there. It can be tight, so it's nice they limit group size, but that means you have to plan ahead to get tickets. It's worth it.

This lovely little theatre gets overlooked. It's fascinating history deserves your attention. The Rangers on duty were so full of interesting information and very willing to share and help. I learned a lot!!

This was a fun little museum in the basement of the Ford Theatre where Lincoln was shot. It did a really good job of talking through his inauguration, his involvement in the Civil War, his family, entertainments, and people who planned to assassinate him. The movies were particularly insightful. A wand explaining everything is available, but there’s a lot of information already written up so they weren’t really necessary. The last thing to go through is the theatre where Lincoln was fatally shot. It’s still used for shows today. Unfortunately we didn’t have a chance to go through some exhibits: they announced that we only had 30 minutes left at a certain point, so we went through the theatre before the building closed. They have a really great gift shop – we bought quite a bit there.

Visited Ford's Theater last year in late September, and it did not disappoint. I'm already into learning about US Presidential history, but the whole Ford's Theater experience offered even more than I expected. Reserve your tickets online, and be sure to try to pick a date where the Park Ranger gives a presentation in the theater (sometimes the theater itself may not be open on certain days, so just check the calendar and make sure your tour includes the theater).

You first start off in the museum/exhibit section in the downstairs area. Depending on the scheduled time for the theater talk, you may only get 20-30 minutes down here before you head to the theater section, but don't worry! After the park ranger gives the talk in theater, you can go back to the exhibits and browse without the pressure of trying to hurry up. There's so much to see and read there about the events leading up to the assassination that it is totally worth going back to and taking your time.

The ranger talk is very informative, and of course, it includes seeing the President's box where Lincoln was sitting when he was shot. You can ask the ranger questions after the talk as well.

After the ranger talk, you go across the street to the Peterson House where Lincoln died after he was shot, and there are more exhibits about the hunt for John Wilkes Booth and Lincoln's legacy. Here's another pro tip; going back to the previous museum after the ranger talk is good also because by the time you get to the Peterson House, it won't have the rush of crowds that go right after the ranger talk, so it will be easier to browse these exhibits.

Very informative, highly recommended to pay a visit to this historic site.

Eerie because the balcony is where one of our beloved Presidents was assassinated. Beautifully kept and restored to really capture the essence of Lincoln's purpose for attending; to be entertained. The balcony is a beautiful memorial and gave me chills to finally visit.

A wealth of information throughout the museum. Ok, the theatre has been rebuilt, but it's been rebuilt to the 1860s blueprints. As close as we could get to the original from the time. The Peterson house across the road was included in the admission (free if you simply turn up). This was also worthwhile, showing the room where Lincoln died and a further museum regarding the aftermath of the assassination.

Spent the morning at Fords Theater and saw the box where Abraham Lincoln was shot and the stage onto which John Wilkes Booth jumped afterward. Also went to the house across the street and saw the room in which he died. A little disappointed that the interior was a recreation rather than original, but it was done extremely well.

A sobering part of American history, not to be missed. The museum downstairs had a wealth of information about Lincoln’s life, Presidency and of course the assassination.
Seeing the theater upstairs and the Lincoln’s box was impactful.

We visited during the government shut down, so the National Park Service’s Ford Theatre and Museum site, itself, was closed, but there were still several areas that were open that made our visit worthwhile.
The lobby area displays and gift shop were open.
Across the street, the Peterson House (the house where Lincoln died) and Aftermath Exhibits, gift shop, and café were all open. The guide/docent posted at the first-floor elevator entrance was very helpful and courteous, and provided us with a brief orientation before we took the elevator up to the third floor. The Aftermath Exhibits were well organized, educational, informative and interesting. The 34-foot-tall Tower of Books sculpture, representing 6800 of the 15,000 books written about Lincoln, was especially impressive!

First, the theater seems most concerned about you wearing your mask as they still have a mask requirement and are constantly telling everyone to make sure they are properly wearing their mask. Secondly, didn't get to access the main theater floor or the Lincoln seating area as in the past. Lastly, many artifacts were not on display as they were years ago. It's a must see but disappointed compared to our first visit years ago.

We did the historical site visit which included the museum, theatre ranger talk and walkthrough and Petersen house. The ranger talk was really good, even my kids were entertained while learning even more about the history and events leading up to the assassination and after.

Make sure you buy your tickets ahead of time as they sell out. Online they were $3.50 each but at the box office they are free.

You first enter and go to the museum which is in the basement of the theatre. You then go into the actual theatre and can look around until the ranger talk begins. Afterwards you go across the street to the Petersen House, this is a quick stop as all you see is the room where Lincoln died.

There is a passport stamp by the box office. A bookstore in the main building and another bookstore in the museum.

I was disappointed with this tour for a couple of reasons. We started the tour in the basement museum. We had purchased the audio aide but the tour group was too large for the museum so it was crowded and we were unable to stop at all of the featured exhibits before being escorted up to the theatre itself. The gentleman who spoke to us was knowledgeable about the events of the assassination but made some jokes that seemed inappropriate and out of place given what took place there. I guess I thought it would be a more reverent experience as we didn't expect a stand up comedy routine. We were fortunate to see the house where Lincoln was taken after he was shot before the tour started so we didn't have to wait in line for that.

We really enjoyed our time at Ford’s Theatre - really informative for someone from the UK.
The guide in the theatre was both interesting and engaging. The downstairs area was very good with the run up to the tragic events.
We did the Peterson house which was good too with an additional museum.
Lastly we went on the Detective McDevitt tour which was so good, we had trouble with a bad thunder storm the night we should have done it but the guys were fantastic about making sure we saw it.
The tour takes you round the city and most of the buildings that are part of history are still there - the story of what happened where is so good for both teens and adults.
The detective was played by a local actor called Chris - he was such a star, informative about not just Abraham Lincoln but on DC itself as he’s a local.

We booked the Ford Theater as part of our trip to DC. We opted for a show ‘A Christmas Carol’ with the museum entry. Arrived promptly and enjoyed the museum which has remarkably little about the clinging assassination. Performance started 15 minutes late, theater was very cold - we were moved for second half. Performance not the best we have seen held together by an outstanding Scrooge. All in a lot of money for a couple of hours of ‘AmDram’. On balance would have just paid to do the museum trip.

We had the pleasure to visit Ford’s theatre in early September. We did the historical sites which consisted of 4 parts: the museum, the presidential box, Petersen’s house and the aftermath exhibit. The visit is free but you can make a donation. The self-guided tour starts in the museum at the basement of the theatre, then the stairs lead to the theatre upstairs where you can view the presidential box, a ranger is here to answer any questions you have. After which, you would go across the street to Petersen’s house and follow along the route to see the aftermath exhibit. We found that the whole tour was so well-laid out and flows smoothly from one part to the next. The exhibitions were very well done with lots of detailed information. The ranger (Jake) was very friendly and knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. We learned a lot and gained much more insights into this important historical event. This was a great visit and we strongly recommend it as a must-see in Washington DC. 10/10!

This is such an amazing museum to visit.This is one of the best museums I've ever been in.The museum gives you so information.They have the actual gun that killed Lincoln.You get to visit the room across the street where Lincoln died.Its a must to see if in DC.

I wish I had the name of the ranger who delivered the talk in the theatre the morning I visited. His presentation included so much information and was presented in an engaging way, with dramatization included in his storytelling. What a pleasure it was to have been part of his audience to learn about this piece of American history.

We spent 1½ hours in the museum, which was very informative, exciting and we could have easily spent more time in there.
And then it was even free, so if you are nearby, then it is definitely worth a visit.

The play A Christmas Carol was an outstanding production both in acting and sound effects. The stage was also beautifully done. Highly recommend!

Ford's Theater museum has been totally remodeled in recent years. The exhibits build personal, political, and social context leading up to the Lincoln assassination, which occurred just upstairs in the theater. After learning about the conspirators and seeing the actual murder weapon, proceed up to the theater to see where Booth committed his crime, and stay for a ranger talk. Afterward, cross the street and visit Petersen House, part of the theater complex, where Lincoln received medical treatment as he lay dying. From there check out the Aftermath Exhibits, which tell of the desperate pursuit of Booth and his violent death. This is one of the most important historical sites in the United States and the National Park Service does an excellent job of telling its story. Good for older kids -- I took mine when they were 11/12 and they were fascinated. Best to reserve your ticket online in advance, and also consider renting the very useful audio guide.

We were in Washington DC touring the city and wanted to see where President Lincoln was assassinated. The theater was closed for tours, but we did go through the museum and also the Peterson House where President Lincoln died. It was a very interesting tour.

The museum aspect focused on the assassin and the civil war. The theater itself still runs regular plays and I would recommend attending a show at the theater for full effect.

Trouble getting tickets online, so I queued at 8:00am for 8:30 thinking will this be worth the effort. It was so worth it…! Totally enthralling little museum with engaging staff. Well worth the 5 stars.

It was an incredible experience to be in the same room and to see the balcony where President Lincoln was shot. The ranger talk was informative and interesting, explaining what happened that night. A must visit for every American, especially those that love history.

This was such a great place to visit and also you get the added bonus of going to visit the boarding house over the road where Lincoln sadly passed away.

The museum itself was really well presented and informative. Upon arriving the front of house staff including box office are lovely and there is also an audio guide available for $5 which you need to swap for a photo ID, so make sure you take your's with you if you want to rent a guide. Personally for me it was worth it as it gave additional information to the presentation boards and this one also bleeps at you to display photos on the screen so you know what it relates too which I thought was a great additional. The museum itself is full of exciting items and history with plenty to see plus things I actually didn't know about! Also when entering the theatre itself you can view the presidential box and capture some great photos! When I was there, there was also a Park Ranger giving a history download on the theatre and the night of the event and he was great! gave lots of information and made the story come alive, he was also at the boarding house by luck when I went across the road and again gave us additional information about the house and its history!

And the final thing, all this was only $3.50! money well spent and came away very knowledgeable and pleased I had visited :)

This is a review of a early December 2025 attendence of A Christmas Carol at Ford's Theater. This production of A Christmas Carol is not even close to a quality representation of this work, very loosely follows the Dickens tale (it's not a comedy), and is NOT authentic to the time period of the story. Just a few examples: How can Scrooge say seeing Marley's ghost is a result of underdone potato when Scrooge does not eat anything? Upon returning from work Scrooge removes his coat and jacket and places a robe over his work clothes, keeping on this outfit and his leather shoes when going to bed, then magically he is wearing bedclothes and the robe at the beginning of Act 2. What imbecile came up the idea of the Ghost of Christmas Past being a ditzy, flying fairy? Pedestrian acting for the entire cast, with some being downright awful. If you are going to have snow falling (an excellent idea) on the exterior scenes, then you need to be sure no snow falls during the indoor scenes, which happened very frequently. In the final scenes Scrooge is running around in the streets in his bedclothes (no scene changes or clothing changes), and at one time shakes his fists in a threatening manner at the chest of one of the Cratchit children. Tiny Tim was wearing a 21st century leg brace. Very few and very minimal set changes. The final insult is Scrooge soliciting donations to his (or the theater's ) favorite charity at the end of the play. If the production and acting is high quality, all I should need is a notice in the program describing the charity, and see someone holding a basket for donations upon exit. A quality production would refresh my joy of Christmas and all this grand event involves. Instead after this production, all you want to do is throw up during, and after, you realize what you have just been exposed to. I should have left after the first 15 minutes, but kept hoping it would get better. It did not, things just got worse.

We were sort of disappointed. No tours of the theatre were available the week we were in DC. I am not sure if they are allowing theatre tours right now. But the house across the street where Lincoln died is available for tours ($3 each) and it includes a 3-story museum which has lots of info and is pretty well done. It is run by the National Parks Service. I didn't like the fact they required masks (the only place in DC that was required, no other museum or restaurant or even the U.S. Capitol required a mask). You walk through the house and there is some info about where Mary Lincoln waited and where Lincoln's secretary of state made decisions and where Lincoln died but I don't think any of the furnishings are authentic. I'm still glad we went. If we get a chance to visit again perhaps we will be able to tour the theatre. Thankfully it was just a short walk from our hotel.

For a small fee you can go inside. It’s been refurbished to look like it did in 1865. The box where Lincoln was shot, very prominent. Nice talk by the guide about the night of the shooting , very informative.

We booked a morning tour and were pleasantly surprised at how much we all loved Ford’s Theater. Everyone in our group (ages 12-40+) gave it 5-stars! We spent time exploring the basement and looking at the artifacts. I would encourage you to spend the extra money and get the audio tour. We all felt it enhanced our time here. Definitely plan to sit in on the Ranger talk (about 25 minutes). You will sit in the theater during the presentation and we all learned interesting facts we didn’t know previously. When this tour is over, you can walk across the street to the Peterson House where Lincoln died. Definitely add this to your list of things to do in D.C.

Walking though a profound moment in history. It was an amazing experience to see where Lincoln sat, and to step across the street and see the where he finally passed. The silo of books written about him is not only impressive but signifies his place in US history...

The civil war and the assassination of President Lincoln is an integral part of our nations history. The Ford Theatre is an important part of this time period. There are 4 parts to the Fords Theatre. The museum below the theatre, the actual theatre, the Peterson house across the street where Lincoln was taken and the post assassination events.
I strongly suggest that you rent the audio for $5 per person. If your planing in advance there is an option of a US National Park ranger giving you a tour of the theatre which I strongly recommend. Although we missed this private tour this time, we did take the private tour in the past and the ranger vividly helped recreate the night of Lincoln's assassination.
If you are visiting with children, I think they will especially appreciate the Ford Theatre in conjunction with what they have learned in history class.

What a lovely historic theatre, visited from a recommendation of a local bar tender, where we stumbled onto a free “tour”. The museum here is extensive and included everything you need to know, and see about Lincoln’s assassination. You are able to see the gun and box where the murder occurred, as well as experiencing an insight into what is an active fringe shows traditional theatre. The history and ownership included. Our ranger was not engaging or helpful, especially compared to other rangers but this did not distract from the visit opportunity. Well worth a short visit. A purchase from the expansive gift shop like we did will no doubt keep these tours free for everyone. Thank you Fords.

The online bookings were full, so I turned up early in the morning and joined the queue for same day tickets. I was fortunate to obtain a theatre tour for later the same afternoon.
Queues for the tour started early, but once the queue was moving we moved swiftly down to the museum where we were left to view the items on display. At this point it got very warm in the unventilated area with scores of visitors waiting to proceed. Eventually the door was opened and we were able to go up to the theatre.
It is well maintained - a typically laid out theatre - and of course the highlight for all was to see the box where Lincoln was assassinated.

We booked our tickets online the night before and even though there was a big line to get in, everyone was seated quickly and there was plenty of room. We sat upstairs opposite Lincoln's box for the talk which was excellent. The man that gave the talk had lots of great anecdotes and was very informative. We really enjoyed this tour, much more than I expected.

The performance in the theater by an actor who voiced the true story of the man who killed Booth, the artifacts and displays

I recommend getting tickets online in advance. We got Saturday tickets for the museum only. We could not see the theater itself as they were having rehearsals that day (it’s still a working theater) and the Penn House was either sold out or closed. Spend the $5 on the additional audio tour. It has so much more information than you get just from walking through on your own.

On a school trip in 8th grade, I remember visiting Lincoln's Theater and enjoying it. Now, 40 years later, with my twin daughters in 8th grade, it was time to return. The NPS still does a great job of explaining what happened while you are in the theater. The museum, while crowded, does an excellent overview of Lincoln's life. Easy parking next door for only $20 for the day. This may sound pricey but in Manhattan, it could be $80 in places so it was quite reasonable for me. A must-see in DC and thankfully, my daughters enjoyed it too.

This is a great tour, unfortunately we weren’t able to get the tickets that included the museum but the theater itself is fantastic.. hubby and I had the pleasure of actually sitting in the front row where all the presidents and First Ladies have sat. The guy doing the tour of the theater was fantastic, very detailed. Then walked over to the Petersen house and went through that small tour, you kind of felt “herded” but we were able to read all the material and look at all the artifacts, it’s also small but really well done. Definitely a must see

The museum is good. The play, “meditation on Maynard” or whatever it was called…omg…we had to walk out. I can’t believe anyone could sit through that. It’s too bad too. I gave 3 stars only because the museum is good…and hopefully there are more plays other than that one. Ugh

We absolutely loved the the performance by the 2 gentlemen in the theater. We felt there was way way to much reading and repeated subject matter.

Highly recommend a visit to Ford’s Theater while in DC. If you are looking to do a tour, book ahead and be mindful of what is offered during each time slot. Not every time slot allows you do everything offered. The museum and the theatre/ranger talk are the highlights. Unfortunately, our trip was tarnished by very poorly behaved children screaming during the ranger presentation.

Never thought we'd actually be able to be in the Theatre where Lincoln was shot! If you are in DC this is a must see!

Everything! The National Park Service people gave so much information it helped us understand what actually transpired. Because of Covid you have to get timed tickets ahead of time and have to go to Recreation.gov but it is easy. Right across the street is the boarding house where President Lincoln was taken and died. The Hard Rock Cafe is just down the street. The metro was a short walk.

The National Park Service does a very nice job presenting Ford's Theater. A guide provides some background information and answers questions while you are waiting in line. You will go through a couple different museums, the theater, and the Peterson House where Lincoln died.

The venue is awesome and so full of history.

The play, Silent Shy, was outstanding. It was full of humor and the actors were great in their parts. The message of the play was heartwarming and brought a tear at the end. So very good.

We saw a wonderful play "Silent Sky" which was excellent! Great actors; great story line.

The weird part: while enjoying the play, we could see the actualy balcony suite where President Lincoln was assassinated in 1865. Of course, it was roped off with no access to it.

To be a part of the history while enjoying a marvellous play was surreal. And yet, we truly enjoyed it!

Recommended!

Preserved historical theatre . It is as if president Lincoln is about to arrive and sit in his box to watch a play. Park ranger tells us all about the tragedy that happened on that fateful night.
Don’t forget the Peterson house across the street where Lincoln eventually succumbed to his injuries.

Part museum about the assassination of President Lincoln, part working theatre that has live plays, the Ford Theatre is a must see spot if you are visiting Washington. I came on a weekend and was able to see an excellent production of a Christmas Carol, while also visiting the museum in the theatre's basement. Both experiences were great.

Note: To save money on the play I purchased a ticket with an obstructed view (see photo). While I was fine with the view--I was able to see about 95% of the stage--some people may find this form of obstruction too much.

We decided to do a morning tour as it's a short hour and half tour before visiting the museum. There's a waiting area but not much to do while you wait. The tour itself is well organized . We opted for the audio tour so that we could hear the commentary on many of the images in the first stop. They then take you in to the auditorium where you get a play by play of what happened with the assassination. You can also opt to pay to view the house across the street. We decided to do this but personally i would skip that. While interesting, it's not worth the extra 30 min to hour.

I went on a walking tour prior to the museum - definitely a five star for the amazing local actor that took on the persona of a local deputy and guided us through the evening that Lincoln was shot. I also enjoyed the museum.

Sadly, the theater itself was closed. Luckily the tickets are very inexpensive or I would have requested a refund. My entry time was 12:00 p.m. I finished at the museum at about 12:20 and went to view the theater and it was blocked off. Myself, and a group of other individuals with tickets, had not been notified of this. Really poor customer service to permit ticket sales and then close the theater to the public.

I cannot believe I never bothered until now.
It is free and tells much about Abraham Lincoln, leading up to and after hisassassination.

I wouldn’t think kids under 10 would get much out of it.
It is on 10 th St between E and F Streets.

Close by, is the main branch of the public library with terrific exhibits

I ordered my ticket online ahead of time, and I arrived 1.5 hrs. early on a Sunday afternoon. I approached the friendly staff member behind the counter and asked if I could use my ticket early. On this specific occasion, I was allowed, but I guess sometimes it won’t be possible, so don’t count too much on running with the same luck I did.

I did the self-guided tour, and my favorite part was the hallway leading to the theater with a timeframe of events on that fateful day. A locked door leads to Lincoln’s balcony with a glass so you can take a close look at the historic site. There are friendly staff members all over the museum for assistance.

I do not know if I am the only one, but I felt history coming alive in this building and the trauma of a nation living within these walls.

In the lobby, you will find a nice little souvenir store.

Ranger talk was very interesting filled with facts I did not know. Museum is very dimly light - I assume to preserve artifacts but made it difficult for me to read descriptions.

It would be cool if you could see the theater. It's only open certain days and not the one we were there. It was interesting, nonetheless.

We did the historic site visit in the theatre. This was about 45 minutes, you sit in the theater and listen to the Ranger tell the story of Abraham Lincoln assassination and other interesting facts. We did not do the museum and did not feel like we missed out on anything. Make sure site visits are running when you go, the theater is active and you can also see an actual play here.

Attended an evening performance at the theater, which was an amazing experience. The show was ‘Shout, Sister, Shout’ and was one of the best musicals we’ve ever seen.

I love anything history and my visit was amazing. Easy to navigate and see all that I wanted to see.

Like other people this is a low point for us. Theater is closed and the basement display is nothing special to plan your day around timed tickets.

Despite the need for timed entry tickets, we found ourselves surrounded by a group of middle school students visiting from out of town. The entire facility was extremely crowded; there was no way to keep social distancing. And above all, over half of the kids and their chaperons wore their masks on their chins. If you fall in the high risk category, please be aware of what you will likely encounter.

We did the tour that included the museum, theater and Peterson house.
You go to the museum first for about 25 minutes, then they let you up to the theater, we were allowed to walk around and take pictures. There was a ranger talk.
Then proceeded across the street to the Peterson house to see where Lincoln died.

This theatre is a great introduction to the Civil War. some other “life in the day” exhibits.

the best part was sitting in the theatre and listening to the Ranger talk. he did a great job engaging the young’ins with current popular references

There is a great museum in the basement of the museum. It covers all aspects of Lincoln's life and is very detailed, but the presidents box is a tad anticlimactic. I'd recommend touring with a guide instead of by yourself, they are very knowledgeable.

It is worth the visit to see this part of American history. The staff is very informative and answers any question visitors have.

The museum was very interesting and even had the gun that killed Lincoln. We were able to go into the theater and hear an informative presentation from the Park Ranger about the assassination. We also toured the house where Lincoln died. It was all interesting and well worth the $5 per ticket.

One of the top things to do in DC. Don’t miss the ranger talk in the theater, it will make all the difference. Our 12 year old was pretty indifferent to all the displays, but when the ranger started giving her talks she was hanging on every work. Really well done.

fantastic historical hidden gen/beautifully restored/run by the natural parks service/the young gentleman that was our tour guide was very knownledge about the everything there/ he was funny personable gentle and very kind/he went out of his way to accommodate our wheelchair and be sure he explained everything/the museum was really good as well/ highly recommend visiting this great historic treasure

Fords Theatre was a far better place to visit than I had anticipated. This is so well preserved and presented. Plus, it’s a great Lincoln museum.

we thought it was a well done tour and would recommend. They seemed to pace groups of people fairly well to keep the size manageable. Well maintained and organized. Don't miss the Peterson House across the street and included in your admission.

My son is a big fan of Lincoln. Just seeing the gun Booth used was a facanating experience. I recommend this to anyone who loves history.

It was so interesting to get to see the theater and hear the ranger tell us the story about the event and immediate aftermath. The ranger mentioned something that I took for granted (What if Lincoln got to finish his 2nd term?) until I was in the national portrait gallery and read about the president who succeeded Lincoln. What would have happened during Reconstruction if Lincoln was our leader?

The museum was okay - lots of artifacts were missing.

Very historic and intimate venue to watch a theater production. Loved having the museum below to visit before the play. .

They locked us in the basement museum for 1/2 an hour and then gave us 5 minutes to go through theater if we wanted to get to Peterson House. No ranger talk in theater even though it was on ticket. This is by far the worst experience we had on DC trip. We do not recommend..

The Theater and the Peterson House ( where they brought Lincoln after he was shot), across the street are very easy to get to in central DC using the Metro. I was there in late February and there were no lines and no crowds. Both places have great displays explaining a lot of Lincoln's life , the assassination and the aftermath. There are park rangers in both places to provide insights and answer questions. Admission is free. Go to Ford's Theater first to get a ticket that gets you into both places.

I spent about an hour and a half and saw everything. So you can fit this into a busy sightseeing schedule.

This historic and iconic theatre was completely renovated and re-opened in February 2009 to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. Whether you visit to tour the Landmark and listen to the presentation by a National Park Service Ranger, experience the Museum in the lower level or watch a performance, Ford’s is an amazing facility.

The renovation significantly enhanced the patron’s experience by provided the best technology for live-performance theatre.

Let me know any specific questions you may have - I was the Architect and Principal-in-Charge of the Theatre Renovation Project. We had an talented team of over 20 Consultants who worked for 6-1/2 years on the design and construction.

We watched the production of “A Christmas Carol” at the Ford Theatre and were very impressed by the show. They add did an excellent job and was Broadway quality. It was also neat to see a show at the same theatre Lincoln was in

Took my 11yo history freak son and we both really got alot out of the tour!! We really enjoyed the downstairs museum and displays. The theater was beautiful and the man that did the talk as the police chief was so great!! it was amazing walking up/down the stairs that Lincoln did. The house across the street was really interesting. I can't imagine the chaos that house was in that night! But wait there's more! The aftermath alley/train and exhibits were all very well done and moving.
thank you

Tour of the theater was good but the presentation by the US ranger in the theater who explained the evening of the assassination of President Lincoln was outstanding.

Museum downstairs was very informative. They have a lot of artifacts. The Peterson house across the street is a really interesting place to go. So if you go to Ford’s Theater go across the street. It’s so worth it.

The museum does a great job with the Lincoln presidency and the assassination plot. Be sure to go when visiting the theatre is available.

For some reason, they (National Park Service?) have made the reservation process different and irritating relative to other spots in Washington that require timed tickets. They say that entry is "technically free," but you have to pay a reservation fee unless you're lucky enough to get one of the limited number of same-day tickets in-person at the site.

Aside from the annoyance of the ticketing, the theater is well worth a visit. History speaks from the walls and the hallways of this landmark structure. A ticket to the theater also gives access to the Peterson House, across the street, where Lincoln died. Sobering and sad to view and imagine what America might have been had Lincoln not been struck down early in his second term.

As a non-American, I thought this would bore me out, but it was actually pretty mind-blowing on how small was the gun used by John Wilkes Booth to assassinate Abraham Lincoln! The lineup was pretty massive too which included a school group but we didn't mind at all. The ranger inside the main theatre who explained the events that unfolded that evening was delivered clearly.

It was pretty spine chilling to see the actual pillows that were used by Abraham Lincoln when he died, and the exact VIP location where he was assassinated.

On our last day, before leaving for the airport, we fit in a visit to the Ford theater and museum and were glad we did! It was an interesting for the whole family. We had a short wait in line before being admitted. Once in, the museum is easy to follow (it does take reading, so perhaps choose guides options for smaller children) to learn the history and politics of the period, and about Abraham Lincoln, his assassinator and assassination. The presentation and Q&A were good too!

Great self tour with informative displays. Seeing the place where Lincoln was sitting when shot and the timeline of his and his killer’s day was stepping back in time. Worth your time to go.

Not much to see from the outside, but still nice to visit if you are walking to The National Mall and try see an iconic piece of history

We went and watched a Christmas Carol at the Ford's theater with the booth 8n which Lincoln was shot remained draped with the flag and seal. It felt like we traveled back in time to that day. Kind of eerie but what a great experience. It was the highlight of my 12 year old grandson trip.

Really transported back in to this time and era,Excellent array of artefacts and the history behind them,Make sure theatre is open as part of your ticket.
Really interesting and then across the street to Pearson house where Lincoln passed away is a haunting experience Imo.
Excellent value that you walk around yourself at your leisure.

If you have any appreciation for President Lincoln and the history of the Civil War do not miss this massive hunk of US history. The tour features a guided walk through Lincoln’s life (an audio guide for $5) followed by a walk through the theater. The tour is not rushed. I must admit that I found the tour of Lincoln’s life a bit underwhelming. If you want an amazing museum experience do not miss Churchill's war rooms in London. The overview of Churchil's life is one of the best museum experiences I’ve ever had. This did not hold a candle to the War Rooms. The tour areas is at times crowded and dark. But those nits aside this is still a must-see experience. If you have only a day or two in DC you can miss this. But don't miss it on deeper explorations of Washington.

Sense of History very immediate couldn't help but being caught up in the historical part of the event of Lincoln's assassination theaters a lot smaller than originally thought

A beautiful place that has been restored pretty much as it was in Lincoln's day. The balcony where he was shot is set up like it was that fateful night.

Really fun experience. Stay for the "performance" put in by the National Park employees. An engaging lecture! Highly recommended

My husband, kids (ages 14, 12, 10) all thought this was one of the highlights of our DC trip. You learn a lot about the United States in that period, and of course, Abraham Lincoln and his assassination. The Park Ranger who did the interpretive presentation in the theater itself was great and really brought the story of that evening to life. Highly recommend!

Not my first time to DC, and how I've managed to miss this jewel surprised me. Run by the National Parks, admittance is free and the museum about President Lincoln is comprehensive and very well done.

Interesting attraction considering its incredible history. Well-made museum and all the history of Abraham Lincoln and his passing.

You can get your tickets in advance on the website, you have to pay a $3.50 processing fee, or take your chances and get them free when you arrive, we recommend getting them in advance and paying the fee that way you can see what you want at the time you want. Make sure you read carefully some tickets don't include the theater just the museum and the Petersen house. Entry starts every 30 min, line up outside main door (arrive at least 10-15 min early if you don't want to be at the end of the long line), it's all self-guided, spend as much time as you want in the museum, theater and Petersen house. There is bathrooms and a gift shop inside the main entrance that you can access at any time prior to the tour, and a parking garage directly next-door. Also remember this is still an active theater, so some dates will have performances and you will not be able to access the theater at certain times.

We spent most of the day in this building. We saw a play, which was very good. The tour was very educational. What we didn't realize was that this theater is not the actual theater in which Lincoln was assasinated. The insides had been gutted shortly after Lincoln died. Although this is the building--- they have reconstructed the insides of the building from pictures and descriptions from Lincoln's time .

We couldn't get tickets to the tour, so my family decided to see a show. It was a very cool experience in itself, but a bit surreal seeing such a lively musical while trying to grasp the historical significance! Wish they'd had snacks available or intermission. The only place in DC we had to show immunization cards or negative PCRs.

not my first time to this place, but never tire visiting it. very historic site for such a tragic event. great museum in the basement. A must see while visiting Washington DC

We loved the museum and we loved the theater tour itself. The individual who gave “the talk” as he repeatedly called it, was awful. His historical facts were largely inaccurate. I felt like I was listening to a bad middle school history teacher. I felt bad for those who left there thinking what he told them was factual. It would have been more beneficial to allow everyone to
explore without his diatribe.

Dont miss a chance to learn about this Theatre and its history. We took in a play as well and was not disappointed.

Fords theatre has done an amazing job keeping the place as original as possible. The staff also does great in telling the story of April 1865 and truly putting into perspective the events of that night

The Ford’s Theatre is dedicated to sharing the story of Abraham Lincoln the 16th President of the United States.  I decided to take my son to the Ford’s Theatre because he seemed to have limited knowledge regarding Lincoln and his contributions to the United States.  
The visit to the Ford’s Theatre cost $3.00 per person and the audio recording for the tour was $5.00.  The staff is really courteous and helpful. Your journey will begin on the lower level and once the museum visit is complete you will make your way to the theatre where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865.  It is surreal to see the box where the former President sat prior to being assassinated.  The moment definitely allows one to travel back in time and contemplate what that fateful night was like for Lincoln and all who were at his side.
Lincoln was a lover of theatre and it was interesting to discover that performances still take place at the Ford’s Theatre.  If you are interested in the Life of Lincoln and in tracing his steps prior to his death the Ford’s Theatre is an excellent stop to expand your knowledge. I definitely believe it is money well spent for a great history lesson.

2 adults and 2 children under 12 traveling. The kids LOVED all the facts and the story about how the whole plot unfolded ultimately ending across the street. The Theater itself gives you a strange feeling that takes you back in time while the ranger explains the sequence of events and facts. This is a great place to visit and was SO worth the time. Just be sure to get your timed tickets online before you go!

This was a favorite among my family that has 2 teens. You can get through the museum and theater in about 2 hours. The Petersen house is not open at this time. I highly recommend the acousticguide. We got one for every 2 people. This gives you extra information as you go along the exhibits that is not displayed.

This piece of our Nations Capital is so important. The displays are so informative and the layout is perfect. I would have given 5 stars however the lighting in the museum is almost non existent. Although the museum is wonderful the lack of lights makes some of the exhibits unreadable... if they are better lit it would be 5 stars!

This place should be on everyone's list when visiting DC, but especially if there are kids (7 and up) in the group. There is so much here to take in about the assassination of Lincoln. To go back in time by standing in the location where all of this went down gives a person goosebumps. I'd love to go back when there is an active production being held.

For this visit we decided to go by foot, using the Air & Space Museum as a marker, you can get to the Ford's Theatre in around 20-25 mins, you can also use the "Trolley" from outside the museum, which then drops you off right outside the theatre.

This Is the site of where President Lincoln was shot, as being from the UK we wanted to know more about this and the story leading up to and afterwards, on gaining entry to the theatre you self-navigate around the building eventually walking into the theatre itself whereby you can take a seat and listen to the guide telling the story of how Lincoln was shot, his body removed from the theatre and transported over to "Petersen House" (Where you visit after going through the rest of the theatre) where he later died.

From here, if you wish you can climb a few stairs and go around the balcony where you get a better view / feel of the stage.

This theatre is well worth a visit, the guides were enthusiastic and very knowledgeable, and once again its free.

Thank you "Ford's Theatre" / Washington for an absolute fantastic day.

Visiting the Ford's Theatre was always something I wanted to do but just never made the time in all my visits to D.C. I finally made a visit there and I'm glad I did! First, buy your tickets online at least a day ahead of your visit. Opt for the earliest time slot because there are many tour groups/bus tours later in the morning. Second, make good use of your time as you snake your way through the museum exhibits. This can be difficult if there is a crowd for your time slot, as we discovered. At a certain time, all visitors are ushered into the theatre itself for a lecture by a park ranger. Our ranger was very good and knowledgeable. You are NOT allowed access back to the exhibits once you have entered the theatre unless you ask permission from the entrance staff (I found this out during our visit). Then you walk across the street (could be a line) to view the Peterson House where President Lincoln died. Make sure to view the Tower of Books on Abraham Lincoln! All in all, it is a very good, informative and historical tour. I highly recommend it! The gift shop in the main Ford Theatre is stocked with a nice assortment of souvenirs, books, t-shirts, etc.

My wife and I love history and try to visit as many historical sites as we can when we travel. We were lucky to be able to visit Ford's Theatre this past May and it was extra special that we got to bring along several of her students as we were in town for a conference. We opted for the self-guided tour and we spent a while exploring the museum as it had excellent information on the Civil War and really helped you prepare for what happened inside the theater. We got to explore the theater as well and it's humbling to be inside a building that was so pivotal in American history. It's a must-see when you come to D.C. and it's a great way to spend an afternoon. Make sure you also go across the street and visit the Petersen House (where Lincoln died) as well.

I ordered tickets minutes before the next tour was starting at 10am; it was nice that there was an available slot last minute. But, do be aware that I came in late November, so this can vary if you visit at a more popular time like June-August. The first part of the tour wasn't too fun, with having to maneuver around a lot of people to read information on the walls. Half of the time, I skipped reading because I felt like I was standing in someone's way. However, for what I did learn, it was valuable and opened my mind beyond the act of the attack on Lincoln and saw how that moment came to be.

For instance, do you really know who John Wilkes Booth is? How was he able to get so close to the President? What was his motivation? All this and more, you can learn from this exhibit.

I was much happier when it was time to sit inside the real theatre the infamous event took place in, and guests were treated to a detailed story about the build-up to the assassination, including what Lincoln did that day- humanizing the former President in a way than most outlets tend to forget. The story is 20-minutes long with no video accompaniment, so without paying attention, you could get bored. Fortunately, you would not be shamed for skipping this portion of the tour or stepping out for any reason. But, I highly suggest to sit through all of it because by the end, I truly felt like I had a better perspective on history.

Afterwards, you're guided across the street to visit the home that Lincoln died in- which was itself a surprise. Did you know he didn't technically die in the theatre? Find out how when you visit this home that illustrates the aftermath of the assassination and how the United States was forever impacted by their loss.

You can choose to skip this part too, but I feel like you'd miss out. There's some great thought-provoking questions that you can carry in your minds afterwards, with my favorite being: Who is your Lincoln? Which president since him has most closely resembled his character & ideals? The options sure were interesting...

Overall, both buildings were clean and respectful to the President, and you get a full view of where he sat on that dreadful day. The crowds were very high for the tour having spare tickets, so a face mask would suffice (and fast reading is helpful). But I learned so much that now when I hear about this historical incident, I can observe it from a new angle, and see what can lead a man to take another one's life, and how we can try to prevent this from happening again.

It’s pretty chilling to think how one of the most important American figure and our 16th president met his ill fated demise while watching our American cousins back in April 14th, 1865.

Would this small theater have become as renowned if it wasn’t for the fateful decision of the stage actor, John Wilkes Booth. All to avenge for the confederate states.

It gave me slight chills to stand in the very theater where one of our great leaders was killed.

We bought tickets to Ford’s Theatre online. When we arrived we were told our tickets did not include a tour of the theatre. We couldn’t even poke our heads inside!
Then what did I buy?
Apparently I bought tickets to a basement museum. Neither Ford’s Theatre nor the Peterson House across the street (where Lincoln died) were open.
This was NOT clear on the web site.
As I sat rearranging our day, one group after another arrived to learn they had bought tickets to the basement. They were pissed!

This is a significant historic site, and they need to do a better job communicating on their web site. They post a HUGE banner announcement about road work being performed on their block, but they hide the fact that tickets to Ford’s Theatre don’t include a visit inside Ford’s Theatre. Not nice.

You can get access to the theatre where Lincoln was shot, plus on the bottom level, there is a “museum” all about Lincoln. I found this very informative and fascinating. Then you get to go across the street to the house where Lincoln died. A lot of history here!!

Two years when I came to the US I included a visit to Springfield Illinois to visit Lincolns presidential library and tomb. So when I knew I was coming to DC I got online and booked tickets to visit the Ford theatre - first thing I would advise anyone to do is get the tour. The visit was excellent and very interesting, you could really feel and see how it all happened on that fateful night as you get really good views of the theatre and Lincoln’s box. The visit is $3 which is super cheap especially as it includes not only the museum and theatre but the Peterson House across the road where he died. I also got the audio tour which was another $5 again cheap and the second thing I would advise people to do - get the audio tour. The museum under the theatre is great but I learned so much more with the audio in addition to reading the exhibits.
The ranger talk is good but it does repeat some of what you will hear on the audio.

Stepping back into time to see one of my favorite Presidents was magical. Loved it all! I love the tower of books all on Abe Lincoln, and seeing it was like I was there.

This was the low point of our trip. The exhibits are tired and should be updated. They look the same as they have for many years. We did not set to see the theatre itself, and the house where Lincoln was brought to die is closed as well bizarrely. It was a HUGE disappointment all the way around.

Wonderful stories. Excellent exhibits to show both the personal and historical past. I would highly recommend.

This was definitely one of the highlights from our trip. I couldn't imagine not stopping at Fords theater while in D.C. The story that was told was very interesting and informative. I wish the tour went into a little more detail but it seems that there are other walking tours that may tell more of the story. Don't skip out on the museum across the street its very informative as well.

It's amazing to get this close to history. Even with current restrictions, being able to visit this place is a great experience. The museum contains some stunning artifacts that I wasn't aware were there. Visit Ford's Theatre--you won't be disappointed!

The Play was wonderful. The Ford's Theater had a great ambiance and the attendants there was so gracious and helpful. It is worth a visit to the Ford's Theater!

I'm giving 5 stars b/c it was my husband's favorite site on our recent trip, though not his first time in DC and he's very interested in Lincoln. I got the narrated tour for all of us which was a good call going with 12 yr olds who could not have read all the information. That being said, I would have dropped to 4 stars b/c it said the tour was 30 min which I suppose is the length of the recorded info but does not including reading any of the material in the museum, checking out the theater for any amount of time, going across the street (which we didnt do b/c it was closed that day), etc. My husband could have probably spent 2 hrs in there which we couldn't do because we had another timed entry set up across town based on the '30 minute' claim. I think we spent almost an hour and could have been there a bit longer to get more of the information. Also it isn't very big and was very packed so you had to shuffle along past each exhibit area.
One kind of disappointing thing I wasn't aware of was that it is not the original theater, it was gutted years ago to be offices or something and then rebuilt as a replica. It's super interesting regardless and worth it if interested in Lincoln.

Came by just to see the outside. Found out tickets were free and you could tour the exhibits below, then see the theater with a presentation by a ranger and then a tour of the house across the street where Lincoln died. Amazing history, great exhibits, full of information.

The ranger’s talk at the Ford Theater is a great part of the Museum. The displays downstairs were informative, and there are guest visitors from that time period to listen to, and talk to. You could easily spend a few hours there, and it is a nice place to go and rest your tired feet. So sad to think of the event that happened there. Plan ahead and get your tickets early.

Rude staff on entry and then an unexpected announcement made giving 5 mins to leave the theatre because the staff wanted it for a rehearsal. Would have been better if they'd told us before we entered so we could factor our time in the museum first before going up to the theatre to have that element cut short. Had we known we'd have gone to the theatre first and then back to the museum. Petersen House was interesting, but could have done with more time there to read things.

Although free to visit, one must get a ticket to visit. The main theatre is not original, but a recreation. They have you sit and listen to a very entertaining presentation of the history of the assassination before going across the street to the building where President Lincoln died. There are several narrow stair cases and steps. The building where Lincoln died has a really good little museum of the assassination, man hunt, and aftermath.

We loved Washington and saw so many interesting things, but for both of us, this was the highlight. There are good reviews below explaining what’s involved so I’ll focus on why we liked it.

This self guided tour provides a lot of background on Lincoln the man and Lincoln the politician. It gives a lot of detail about what was happening in the Civil War and the politics around the emancipation of slaves. And it makes fascinating comments about how these two major issues were entwined. This all provides background for the plot against Lincoln. The tour then talks about the plot and what happened on that fateful night. It then explores the aftermath.

All this is told in a logical progression with illustrated information presented in a no nonsense, accessible way. The audio guide enhances this but is not really necessary so comprehensive is the visual stuff. Seeing the gun used to assassinate Lincoln and, of course, the Presidential box where the deed took place give it all a real poignancy.

The homely down to earth nature of this tour is a far cry from the imposing grandeur of the Lincoln memorial, however, both are wonderful tributes to a remarkable man.

We've been to DC many times and Ford's Theater was always on our list but we never made it. This time I planned ahead, and got our online passes (for a small fee). We reserved our passes for the 11am tour that included the museum, theater, and Peterson House. Not all times include everything, so select carefully the things you want to see. We waited outside for a short time until the Ranger announced we could go in to the museum where everything you want to know about President Lincoln can be found. Around 45 minutes later we heard the announcement it was time to enter the theater. The ranger did a fantastic job recreating the events leading up and after the assassination. The talk lasted around 30 minutes. We also learned we could attend performances at Ford's Theater scheduled throughout the year. We didn’t go across the street to the Peterson House where President Lincoln died since the line was very long. Overall It was an memorable experience.

The visit can be done properly in two hours. Besides the theater the photo history is engaging. Really fascinating to learn of the end of the Lincoln line. I won’t spoil it. And, across the street is the boarding house where Lincoln took his last breath.

Free museum but we paid the extra $5 for headphones to enhance the experience. Very interesting and well designed museum.

This theatre opened in August 1863. Ford's Theatre is best known as the site of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865 by John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer. John Wilkes Booth, the assassin, was a famous actor who acted in the theatre, so he was not stopped from entering the theatre towards the end of the performance of ‘Our American Cousin’ which was being watched by President Abraham Lincoln, his wife Mary Todd Lincoln and their friends. Booth walked into the Presidential box and shot the President at the back of his head at point blank range. He then jumped down onto the stage and escaped through a rear door at which he had kept his horse ready to make his escape to Maryland. He was on the run till April 26 when he was gunned down by a Union soldier. The US military took over the theatre and used it as a warehouse and office for several years. It is now a theatre again staging regular shows which are popular. The theatre is now administered by the US National Park Service.
Beneath the theatre is a museum which covers the assassination, Lincoln’s arrival in Washington, his cabinet, his family life at the White house, Civil War milestones, about the generals in the war with photographs and illustrations. Across the street one can visit the Petersen house (on the same ticket) where Lincoln spent the night after he was shot. He died there the next morning. A related Center for Education and Leadership houses a museum opened in 2012, next to Petersen House. One can see approximately 15,000 books that have been written about the 16th President stacked up into a column almost three stories high as one leaves the building.

Sitting in the seats at historic Ford's Theater, able to look into the box where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, while watching a live play on the stage upon which Booth jumped and broke his leg was an awesome and surreal experience. It is truly a very moving experience and will have you thinking, "If the walls could speak."
The play, "Silent Sky", about a little known American scientist who was instrumental in giving light to 20th century astronomy when women were thought to be too fragile to look into a observatory telescope, was excellent and well acted but it was secondary to the theater visit. Make reservations and attend a US Park Ranger tour. Our Ranger, Steve, was mesmerizing when describing the theater, Lincoln and the events leading up to and following his assassination. We thought we knew the story but, of course, there's more and Ranger Steve told it well. We were able to visualize the events of that evening and it's really amazing how the theater has been restored and survived. Included in the tour is a visit to an additional building across the street which houses some materials related to the assassination, Lincoln's funeral train and reconstruction and a bookshop. The Peterson House, the rooming house across the street where Lincoln died, was closed for the day we were there. Anyone interested in American history will enjoy this visit and the great work of the Rangers.

My husband and I were lucky enough to be in DC for a quick getaway and bought tickets to “A Christmas Carol”. Wonderful performance in a historic setting. Highly recommend seeing a production at the theatre which entitles you to the musuem an hour before the performance.

What an incredibly interesting experience to visit this theater, where former President Lincoln was shot. The entrance is free, you just have to get a ticket. There are tour guides or people who can tell you everything about the theater and the incident and you can also see the murder weapon. The final stop of the tour is the theatre itself with the famous balcony.

My family and I attended "A Christmas Carol" nearly every year, with the exception of 2020, and this year's performance (December 23, 2021) was beyond awful.

There were many issues related to the performance. In previous years, the performance would go into great depth detailing the story. They tried to condense the entire play into one sitting, forcing every scene. They raised the prices for tickets for a shorter play and didn't even collect donations for the local food banks they usually supported.

They cut short on the songs which were directly used in Charles Dickens's story. This was a bare-bones skeleton of "A Christmas Carol".

There were very few props/stage effects included, with the fairy of Christmas Past walking downstairs, Scrooge's "bed" was in a victorian chair, and the only stage decoration was a vinyl green chair.

They had people take their COVID tests outside, but they didn't actually check the results from the test, just waiving them in without checking.

Don't even get me started on how understaffed the cast was. They went from over 30 devoted to <10 actors. Every child in the play was 'substituted' by a high-pitched adult. The most blatant example is how Tiny Tim, a very important character to Scrooge's story, is a tall gentleman with a beard larger than the actor who played his father.

Suffice to say, my family and I didn't enjoy the play, and we won't be attending another performance at Ford's Theater anytime soon.

Tons of stuff has already been written about Ford's Theatre. It is definitely a required tour when you are doing DC monuments and museums. I just want to add one small tip: they send you in waves for the tour, so go around all the first displays and head for the conspirators display and the items by the stairs into the theater. Then you can work your way back as people move toward you and the stairs. Nobody is going into the theater for 20 - 25 minutes and you don't need to be first in there anyway. When you go into the theater there is time to wander around and see it from many perspectives anyway and any seat is good for the Ranger presentation. Extra: if you are doing lunch or dinner before or after the tour there is a great Pizza place we enjoyed around the corner to the Northeast called Pizza Pi.

There is not much here. Smaller children may not spend much time but my nine year old liked it. The guy from the penny and the 5$. For adults you just have to place yourself in history and it’s amazing. To be where he was killed is just something to experience. Great gift shop and lots of stairs but elevators are available.

First of all it’s free. I really enjoyed this experience. I learned new things about the conspiracy to kill the president with great exhibits. It won’t take up a whole lot of your time. Make it a point to see it.

We reserved the first tour time of the morning (9 AM) and arrived about 10 minutes early. After a short wait outside we were sent downstairs to the small museum. It was neat but wasn’t very big so it didn’t take long to see what was there. There were a lot of middle school students so we felt like we were on a field trip. The ranger talk inside the theater started around 9:45. We sat up in the balcony with a good view of the presidential box. The talk lasted around 30 minutes and was basic but good. We didn’t go across the street to the Peterson House. It was a neat experience and was well organized.

It was Awesome! The "museum" was informative and well done, the theater has been kept up well. There was production set up going on while we were there so the back stage doors were open and lots of commotion going on which was a bit distracting but other than that it was really great to see.

We were fortunate to get tickets about an hour before the 11:30 entry. Grandson and daughter went to the Illusion Museum. They had time to meet us at Ford's Theatre after a little over a half hour there. My wife and I had time to go into the house across the street where Lincoln was taken after being shot. BTW Ford's Theatre is free.
You enter the theatre and sit in the auditorium seats. We didn't know to go up the stairs to the balcony, the same route Lincoln went to his box. There is seating there as well.
It is a working theatre, so the props are for the current show.
The speaker allowed time for pictures and then began his narrative of events. He said he would speak 1/2 hour, and I thought that seemed long.
It was the most informative, well-spoken, thought-provoking talk I may have heard.
I learned so much. Thank you.
Picture is from the house across the street where Lincoln was taken.

Enjoyed the museum...learned a lot and they had some great artifacts. The theater is renovated to look like it did at the time of Lincoln’s death. Go across the street to the Peterson House too. See the room Lincoln died in and walk a tour of the house.

When visiting Washington, Ford’s Theatre offers a great tour to learn about the history of the theatre and museum. If in town during the holidays, a must see show at the theatre is seeing “A Christmas Carol”. Highly recommend

The play is the best part. You are sitting in the theatre looking at the box where Lincoln was shot while actors give a rendition of the events. Then you cross the street to see the boarding house where Lincoln died.

Arrive, get your tickets scanned, and explore the museum. Wheelchairs available upon request. There is a gift shop located in the lobby. Museum is laid out so you follow history in a linear fashion. Decent amount to read, with a few videos here and there. Small number of artifacts on display, including the gun that killed Lincoln. Following the museum, enter into the theater itself, where a Park Ranger or docent can answer questions. See the booth where Lincoln was shot. Then, head across the street for more of the museum, a second gift shop, and of course the house where Lincoln died.

Parking can be a challenge. There is street parking in the surrounding streets, though can be hard to find and not free. There are also parking garages (also not free).

Recommended!

It was a fascinating experience to see Ford’s Theatre. The museum was interesting with its artifacts. The theater is beautiful. The preservation of the theater in pristine condition similar to its condition at the time of Lincoln’s assignation adds to the eeriness of the building. The course of American history took a profound change of direction as a result of the events of that night in April, 1865.

When talking about "Ford's Theatre", travelers to D.C. are aware of the significant of the place. So visiting D.C. this iconic historic place should be on the list. Good for adults and school children to learn about the Civil War, the slavery, and how President Licoln was assesinated here. The museum are hosted into 3 area, the bottom of the old Ford's Theater, the Petersen House (where President Lincoln died) and the Ford's Theartre Center for Education and Leadership (new building next to the Petersen House). It is free but everyone needs to get a ticket at the box office. Ontop of the museum, the Theatre also has performance for public (check their time table and schedule).

Very informative about the assassination of President Lincoln. The balcony in the Theater is still as it was when it happened. The house he was taken to afterwards and where is passed is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see.

We visited the museum, which included a visit
to the theater. The Peterson House and aftermath museum are still closed post-COVID. The museum explored from the beginning of Lincoln’s election as President through the war and his assassination. Lots of information in a small space; prepare accordingly. You can optionally pay extra for the audio tour; but you can get a lot of information just from reading the exhibit displays.
Going into the theater was interesting; although not original, it has been recreated/restored to what it was the night President Lincoln was assassinated. There were multiple rangers providing talks about the events, but it was such a small space, they competed with each other and it made it difficult to hear any one person. We eventually gave up and left. You can go to the back of the Presidents box and view the area. Well worth the ticket price; recommend 60-90 min depending on your interest and how much you read of each display.

We went for the opening of A Christmas Carol and it was worth every penny. Be sure to get there early and spend time exploring the museum located in the basement. A very detailed story of the lead-up and follow-up of what happened there. You definitely feel like you've gone back in time when you watch a show there. I'm so glad they left so much unchanged. You can really feel what it would have been like to be there back in the 1800s. Sitting across from where Lincoln was shot was humbling.
Be aware that this is restored to the way it was originally. This means tight seats and isles, lots of stairs, and some obstructed views. The seats were not comfortable and I would recommend sitting on the front row of the balcony so you don't have to look over people's heads. We sat on the front row and I felt bad about the people sitting behind us having to keep adjusting to see around us.
The intermission is short and the line to get snacks is very long. We pre-ordered our hot chocolate and even with that, there was barely enough time to drink it by the time we had to go back in.
The show itself was amazing. Great actors and very well done!
This is a must-do when in DC.

So disappointed that we couldn’t see the theatre. Although the basement museum is very nice it was not the reason we visited. I understand it is a working theatre and there were dress rehearsals but that should have been advertised on the website. We didn’t know we couldn’t see the theatre until we finished in the museum - very disappointed.

After the splendor of the Smithsonian's this attraction pales in comparison. Long lines, confusing admission protocols, and boring content. The saving grace is the ranger presentation. Don't do this venue if you are tired, not worth it.

I visited the museum at Ford’s Theater in July 2024. I have visited here many times and never get bored. The museum covers the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War and the assassination. I saw the actual pistol that John Wilkes Booth used to shoot President Lincoln. After the museum which is located in the basement, I went into the theater to look at the Presidential Box where Lincoln sat that tragic evening. This time I skipped the Peterson House (the house where Lincoln died) and the Aftermath Museum across the street but saw them on previous visits. If you are a history buff then all of this is very worthwhile.

I felt this the Griswalds visiting Wally World. We get there and the theater is closed due to some technical something. Very disappointing. Rest of your was ok.

Our tour guide was the best! We had a 1st time tour guide (who happened to be a multi champ on Jeopardy!-Ryan Bilger). He did fantastic!!! It was like we experienced the night that Lincoln got shot. The theater visit with park ranger is a definite must! Plus, the museum actually showed the weapon and more info regarding the players. It was truly worth the visit.

I went here for the historical aspect of it being the place President Lincoln was assassinated. I specify because this still serves as a theatre for productions today. I appreciate that this theatre both memorializes the president and still serves its original purpose.

The employees showing us around and presenting to us were amazing. I learned things I did not know before about the assassination and J.W.B., which surprised me, because I’d researched this historical event a good bit, and was taught a lot about it in school, being from Illinois.

I loved how the person presenting the story to us emphasized that JWB was, in a direct quote, "a white supremacist and a racist." I think this is a very important thing to point out, as we are still dealing with people like this today, and unfortunately experiencing what they are capable of.

The story is ultimately one about a man who was, indeed, a white supremacist and a racist, and how he spiraled out of control and felt entitled to take the life of another human being he disagreed with.
It is important to reflect on that as we interact with each other in present times, too.

Cool little museum. Many of the DC museums are overwhelmingly large but this one had a small focus, in a smaller venue underneath the theater. The lighting in the museum is dim and sometimes the information is hard to see/read: I had to get up-close to the exhibits and displays, which is difficult when there's a crowd. Seeing the theater box where Lincoln was shot was fascinating too -- it's well preserved for viewing. AND it's still a working theater. Great stop on our DC trip.

A really cool place to visit! It is truly a moment that changed the direction of history, and they have a great set up for you to experience it.

The Good:
They are very informative people.
Good freedom to move around the museum
Great coverage of Lincoln's history
A great collection of items related to the assassination (they actually have John Wilkes Booth's pistol in the museum.)
A beautiful revamping of the theater.

Not So Good:
They really complicate the ticket process. You can buy tickets online in advance, but not the day of. It really led to some confusion.
There are a ton of tour options making it confusing as to what you are actually getting.

We were surprised that the self guided tour was free. There is a lot of info to be obsorbed here. I would have given it 5 stars but the theater it's self was closed and being used so we couldn't see actually spot that President Lincoln was shot. Great presentation. Thank you.

Some visits include only the theater, and others include the museum. I highly recommend taking the one that includes the museum and that you add the audio tour. The museum is not big, but it has a lot of displays with great information, a curiosities. The theater itself, is where you will hear a talk about the events that occured on the day president Lincoln was shot.

Once you finish your visit at the theater, your ticket includes the boarding house across the street where they took Lincoln after he was shot.

Very nice visit.

We booked a tour in advance (if available you can get tickets day of for free) for Saturday at 10:30 but showed up early and were able to get our tickets switched. The theater itself is only open for morning tours so keep this in mind when planning a trip! My partner is a huge history buff and really enjoyed the museum and informational aspects of the tour.

I was disappointed to know that the theatre was rebuilt after a collapse in the 19th century, after having been gutted for Army use before that...so you're not really looking at where it all happened, but a recreation inside the shell of the building. Also, the museum in the basement is a bit difficult to navegate but the main issue is that it's so dim much of the material is almost impossible to read. The reason I give the whole shebang four stars instead of fewer is that the Petersen House across the street is indeed worth the visit. It's original (even if the furnishings are reproductions) and the attached museum is clear, easy to follow and well-lit, and the Lincoln book tower alone is something to see. I also learned things I didn't know in the Petersen House, whereas most of what was presented (that was well-lit enough to read) in the theater museum is pretty well known, especially if you've visited Gettysburg, Antietam or other Civil War or Lincoln-related sites. If you go make sure you don't neglect visiting the Petersen House.

A great and inspirational visit. There are lots of exhibits and artifacts relating to the death of President Lincoln. Glad to have the honor to visit with our group of friends.

I guess it had been open that morning, but when we got there in the afternoon, they had shut down the Theatre for remodel and rehearsing (I think that's what they said). We were really disappointed to not be able to see it, but the house where Lincoln passed was right across the street, and that was amazing. I do have to say the people at the Theatre were very nice though.

We weren't able to go into the actual theatre on this day, but visited the exhibition which held the actual gun used by John Wilkes Booth to murder Lincoln, plus other artefacts and pieces of information about the conspirators. The house opposite where Lincoln died is a real treasure trove of information too. One of our favourite museum visits. Highly recommend.

I bought tickets to see the auditorium where Lincoln was shot. However, although I was sold tickets for this. However a play was going on and they wouldn’t let me peek in. Very disappointing. The Forest Rangers don’t give a tour. It’s self tour and tight so if the people in front of you were slow, it took long.

I loved seeing the theater and being able to stand so close to the Presidential box. However, the way the tour is done is NOT explained clearly when you reserve your tickets. We were directed downstairs to the museum first and didn't realize the theater portion wouldn't be available for 30 minutes (we were on an extremely tight schedule). I did enjoy the presentation given by the NPS employee from the theater stage and would loved to have more time in the theater before being sent across the street to the Peterson House. All in all I'm glad we got to experience Ford's Theater and hope to return in the future

The Museum was super. The presentation in the theater by the park ranger was so memorable. A different point of view presentation will never be forgotten.

The Ford Theatre museum depicted the killing of President Lincoln and even had the gun that John Wilkes Booth used to shoot him. The tour included a visit to the boarding house across the street from the Theatre where Lincoln died. The one disappointment was that visitors were NOT allowed into the balcony to get a full picture of how the killing happened. Instead, we were only allowed to view the balcony from the seated area. It looks the same as you see in pictures, but I feel we were lead to believe we would see the actual area up close.

I visited Ford's Theater in August 2021. I bought my timed-entry ticket online and they let me go in a little earlier. The museum in the basement was crowded. There were many interesting things in the museum. In 1861 there was an assassination plot against Lincoln as he traveled to Washington DC to the inauguration called the "Baltimore Plot". Lincoln gave his first inaugural address first then he was sworn in and given the oath of office (the opposite sequence compared to today). The museum covered Civil War history, the Gettysburg address, the 1864 Overland Campaign, the 1864/1865 Battle of Petersburg, the fall of Richmond and the surrender at Appomattox. The timeline on April 14, 1865 for President Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth, the assassination and the aftermath were covered in detail. The details of each conspirator were covered. The actual murder weapon / pistol is on display which I have never seen before. Upstairs, I visited the theater and viewed the Presidential Box through a plexiglass window. The Presidential Box had not been open in the past so this was the first time I saw it. The park ranger was helpful and answered my questions. The museum had a nice gift and book shop. The only criticism I have is that it was a bit too crowded sometimes. I had a fantastic visit and learned some new things about Abraham Lincoln and the assassination.

Beware!! We purchased advance tickets for our family of 4 via the Ford's Theater web site. Paid $3/each or $12 for a reserved time to tour the theater and the Peterson house across the street. Big mistake.

We arrived 20 minutes early, only to be told by the US Park Service officer the theater was unavailable due to a matinee show. WTF?? Asked to see the box office and was denied access. Waited on the phone to talk to the box office for an extended period and no one answered. The park service attendant said no refunds.

We went across the street to the Peterson House and were ushered inside and the Park Service person didn't ask for a ticket. He handed us one with an earlier time without asking us anything.

This is a ripoff. No indication on the ticket or web site that we would be charged $12 for a free tour and not get the benefit. Avoid.

we were delighted with the cast and staging of the Christmas Carol. One of our family reluctantly went along because she had seen it so many times... and they came out saying it was the best she had ever seen!

My wife and I visited on a Friday morning…9:00 opening.the place was very informational. It had artifacts as well.the self guided tour was easy, just follow the displays. We really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

Great history and story telling of the tragic event that took place here. Worthwhile to go across the street and see where they took Lincoln afterwards. I've gone to Ford Theater in the past and recall that you could actually walk into the box where Lincoln was shot. However this is no longer an option. Still worth the visit.

Overall we enjoyed the theatre and home across the street, particularly the two man play you watch at the theatre which goes through events of the day Lincoln was shot as expiernced by people working in the theater. Before you enter the actual theater for the play there is a small museum area with artifacts - interesting but very crowded, difficult to get to see all of the items/areas.

Ford’s Theatre wasn’t on our planned list for Washington sights, but an Uber driver recommended (Incidentally Uber in Washington was really good - engaging drivers, all very reliable)

The basement museum was full of interesting information about the Civil War and Lincoln, well presented.

After about 30 mins we were ushered up into the Circle seats of the Theatre, where we watched a really first class presentation about the Theatre and the Assassination (40mins or so). This was brilliant, almost a professional solo acting performance.

Then we crossed the street to visit the house where Lincoln was taken and where he passed away. This was an excellent, well presented, museum.

It’s important to book ahead, and to include the tour and the presentation

Overall thoroughly recommended !

What a great museum. SO many artifacts. My son could have spent all day. The staff is knowledgeable. My son loved talking to him. His favorite story was learning that John Wilkes Booth was Lincolns favorite actor. We learned that Lincoln actually requested to speak and meet Booth, but Booth refused. We will return.

We thoroughly enjoyed looking at the exhibits. Seeing the exact booth where our beloved President. The only problem was that they only have 30 audios. If you arrive & they are all gone— too bad! Come back later or wing it. We did not get a audio & the light is so very dim on the exhibits they were unreadable for me. I was so very disappointed. Audios should be available for anyone who wants to pay. It would help make a historical experience so much better.

Out of everything we did on our trip, this was the low point. They have staggered entry times on the half hour but that means all of those people enter the museum at the same time. I believe it's 75 people per 30 min entry. That's way too many to have in the tiny basement museum. We couldn't read everything we wanted due because there were so many people.

We were able to enter the theatre which was kind of cool but if you have to pick and choose your activities while in DC, skip this one.

The rangers and employees were very nice and informative.

After learning about the Lincoln Assassination many years ago I finally got to see the inside of Ford's Theatre. Advance reservations are recommended but we were lucky that we could just line up and get a ticket to enter. After an interesting historical exhibit you are brought into the theater by a park ranger and given a tour of it. Definitely worth a visit.

Incredibly well-made museum with well-made films (something that was in every museum in Washington). Got caught up on all the history surrounding Abraham Lincoln and his time as president and before. Very well done. Then to see both the theater where he was shot and the bed where he died, that's real history.

This is a great site of history , with a free tour that places you in the theater the night it all happened, as well as the rush across the street to where Lincoln ultimately died. It is still active with ongoing plays every week so if you like that sort of thing it could be good.

This intimate theatre has a small museum downstairs for viewing prior to a show. It’s rich in history and fascinating. There’s also a neat little gift shop.
The theatre itself is elegant and beautiful, hosting some smaller plays, musicals, etc.

Great historical attraction. Make sure to purchase timed entry tickets beforehand as they sell out quick each day. Museum exhibit is great before you enter the theatre. Well worth the trip to DC.

Took a walking tour through the theatre. Very historical and well preserved area. Lots of information to read and reflect on. Attendants were very nice and helpful.

There are 4 parts to this experience (take care when ordering, not all time slots include all 4 parts). All super interesting.

We started with the ranger presentation - interesting facts but he seemed awkward with public speaking, pacing 6 steps one way and then 6 back. Quite fascinating, however, to be in the same place where Lincoln was shot all those years ago. Love that they have preserved the box, exactly the way it was, in memory of him.

Next, Peterson House, where Lincoln died. Again, quite fascinating and we thoroughly enjoyed this "walk through the past".

The museum was full of information, following the timeline from the start of his presidency to the assassination, as well as artifacts - the most interesting, to us, being the murder weapon and how small it is!

Then the aftermath - how the nation mourned and the hunt for the killer.

Shout out to the lady at the box office who enabled us to move our tickets to an earlier time when we arrived early. So very helpful and so very appreciated.

Great historical site with free same day tour tickets giveaway at the theatre box office starting in the morning. The exhibits were great. The host at the Ford's theatre was outstanding and very knowledgeable. He answered all questions very well. The two hosts at the Peterson's house were great. They were funny and gave good tips to tourists. They have great knowledge to our questions. We greatly enjoyed this tour and we highly recommend it.

Didn't get there early enough to take a behind the scenes tour, but we did visit the museum and got tickets for the play "Silent Sky" which was excellent. It was difficult to sit in the audience of this theatre without looking up at President Lincoln's box and imagining that tragic night when he was shot. I will forever wonder "what if that had never happened" how would that have affected our history. Well worth your time to visit.

learned a lot about Lincoln just by being there, to see the theatre where he was actually shot in, the Booth escape route, the bed Lincoln was put in across the street, all such interesting stuff that you historians cannot miss

This was so much more than I expected and even included admission to the Peterson house across the street. Visiting here felt like a great way to honor Lincoln.

We purchased the audio tour. It gave a lot of information, but I think I would have enjoyed it just as much without the audio. The best part of the tour is the live presentation inside of the theater. The lady presenting to our group was very knowledgeable and so engaging. My high school students and I were hanging on her every word. Don’t miss this site!

Like almost every other American I've grown up (and old) hearing the story of Lincoln's assassination. I did not realize until planing our Washington trip that Ford's Theater even still existed. Going inside and seeing not only the theater, but the gun that was used in the assassination and seeing the 'box' still there and decorated made history come alive. Hearing the ranger tell the details of that night that you just don't hear about in school was all the more interesting. There was quite a conspiracy around Lincoln's death that I was not fully aware of. This was one of the highlights of my trip to the city.

My husband, niece and I took the tour. The first part in the theater with the park ranger telling the story was great. Our guy was very entertaining. I use a wheelchair and accessibility was good and staff was very helpful. The Peterson House across the street felt like more of a tourist trap.

It was a perfectly delightful evening. The actors were awesome. The sound, lighting and scenery were great. A thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining evening.

As a history buff, I was looking forward to seeing the theater where President Lincoln was shot. When I got to Ford's theater, I found the theater was closed as they have a live rehearsal. All I could see was the museum, which, frankly, is a hodge-podge of stuff you can get out of history books.

People come from all over the world to see this historic site. To close it so a play can be performed is a terrible decision by theater management. There are thousands of places where one can see a play, but only one location where President Lincoln was shot.

We rented the audio tour as part of the museum tour. Really enjoyed the added commentary but you don’t have to rent it- could read it all on the walls.

Very well done museum.

Stayed for A Christmas Carol. Excellent play. Was in balcony. Had some challenges seeing due to column in the way. Still fantastic time and tickets upstairs are lower priced than downstairs.

There is so much more to this site than just seeing where Lincoln was shot. There is an entire museum dedicated to Lincoln's life and presidency. You can also see the gun that Booth used.

Fords Theatre is a must visit on any Washington DC visit. Great staff and national park rangers to answer any questions you might have. You can now visit the Theatre, museum, The Peterson House and the education center. Don’t miss out by forgetting to visit the gift shop. Depending on your schedule you could be here 4-5 hours. If you can time it just right you might get lucky as performances are given at Fords Theatre again. You will just need special tickets for that event.

We took our kids here to get some history while I was attending a conference. We were not expecting the Ranger talk to be a performance. Definitely a must see.

We arrived at 2 pm for our tour of Ford's theater. My husband and I got the audio tour, which made it definitely more interesting, as there was no 'tour' guide. We went in as a group, but they let us loose on a floor underneath the theater, which is basically a museum, with lots of information about Lincoln, and what was happening up to the time of his assassination. There are some interesting actual photographs of Lincoln and his family there. After a certain length of time, they called all of us up to the theater to watch a one man show, talking about his 'experience' with the day Lincoln was shot. The performer did a good job, and afterwards, we went back downstairs to finish our tour of the museum, although many went across the street to the house where Lincoln was taken. This was part of the tour as well. It took a good two hours to do. I found the Ford Theater to be a very enjoyable and informative experience, even though seeing the box where the president was assassinated had an eerie feeling.

More than a memorial to a late president, the theater gives a susbstantial glimpse into the person as well as the events that shaped his presidency. Learned a lot never knew about Lincoln. Self-guided tour ends with a walk into the balcony seating where one can see (but not visit) the Presidential box. Recommended

My wife and I did both a tour of Ford's Theatre and came to a show here - Into the Woods. The theatre tour is great and you get to sit and see everything soaking up the atmosphere. Into the Woods is an excellent show that was very well done but the performers. I have to be honest, the best thing about the tour and show was the sign at the door saying no weapons allowed inside with a red line through a gun. I thought that would have been obvious here.

Too soon??

Excellent museum. Catch the short play if you can… truly moving experience. Affordable and worthwhile. Went with family, suitable for kids.

Marvelous performance this week.. however the person I attended with falsified her vac. Card and they accepted it on her phone and not hard copy. I was wishing they had turned her away . Tu deception reigns for some. However, the performance and staff were excellent. Marvelous visit to DC in spite of this incident.

Started tour in lobby and there was Park Ranger there which made us feel like we would get an awesome experience like we have with other NPS events. We were shuffled to the basement where we were confined with no one to answer questions me or my son had about the historic relics and posters and other artifacts that were presented quite well. Anyway after some time folks were allowed to make their way upstairs to the theater. We were in the last part with about 15 folks behind us. When we got to the top of the stairs there was a locked gate across our path next to an exit door with no one from our group in site. We called out a few times but couldn't find anyone and had to just exit to the outside. We went back to the lobby and tried to rejoin our group or find out what happened and they said the actual theater was closed for rehearsal and that was it. We came to see Fords Theater where perhaps our most beloved president was killed but instead saw nothing and felt ripped off. Not a good experience

This was a great experience! Lots of interesting exhibits and artifacts. Really enjoyed sitting in the theater seats and listening to the ranger talk. Being able to also tour the house where Lincoln lived his last hours added to the unique experience.

This was a remarkable museum. Lots if information, history and artefacts about the life of Lincoln and the tragedy of his assassination. The staff were all very helpful. It was very moving to see the theatre itself.

With so many school groups, combo history and drama venue, and convoluted website....entry has become complicated.

Denied entry previous day, I came before 8:30 for "day of" entry. Was told I'd have to come back at 11am for free entry, so I opted for $7 ticket for a one act play that I didn't stay for. Of course, no ranger talk at that time.

Enjoyed it very much. Biggest problem - spent more time there than expected. Well worth it. Theatre is still being used as a theatre. Good for a visual, but the museum under the theatre and the two additional buildings across the street are the real tour.

If you love history, it is a must the park rangers are extremely knowledgeable and willing to share their knowledge. To think you walked the same bath as Lincon and Booth ...

A must see if you love history!!! I mean to get to sit in the theatre where Lincoln was is super cool!!

This is a must see when taking a trip to Washington. It has two parts to it. Ford's Theatre (which still has shows) has a museum in the basement giving information on the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln and the plot to assassinate him. Upstairs you can visit the theatre which looks a lot like it did the night Lincoln was shot. The second half of the tour is the Peterson House across the street where Lincoln died. The lower level is decorated as it was in 1865; the upper levels have exhibits on the assassination plot, Lincoln's funeral and other things. The only down side to this is it can get a bit crowded and difficult to see the exhibits. Plan to be here for at least an hour or so.

Bummer to find out the place is not the real theater, but was rebuilt (our fault we didn't know this or research it beforehand)... had we known, we would have skipped it. Lecture started 15 minutes late with no apology or explanation. Afterwards, we apparently were supposed to just know to go across the street to the home where Lincoln passed away, but the lecturer didn't mention that at all. We went around to the ticket booth and waited in line to ask if we needed to buy another ticket to see inside the house, only to find out we were supposed to go over there as a group after the lecture inside the theater ended. The line to get in the home was long and it was raining. Staff weren't particularly inviting or friendly (and in some cases rude). Overall, it was mediocre.

This tour of Lincoln history is amazing. There is so much history represented in this room. Across the street, the 2nd half of the tour was great. if you can't get inside the mail building, don't miss this one. Many, details that of what happened after his death which was great to see.

Loved this piece of history preserved. The audio tour was the best and worth the time and money. So was the ranger talk. Very informative. I like that you have to reserve a time so the museum isn't overt crowded. Lots of places to sit and relax while you listen to the audio tour. Loved it.

Was on a weekend trip to DC, and was hitting as many historical places as we could. Being from Illinois, it was interesting to see a different exhibit on Lincoln, and in such a historic place as his assassination. It was a humbling and educational experience. And the fact they had the actual murder weapon on display was a top moment of the visit.

We paid $3 each to prebook online so we could secure the time we wanted to visit.

The visit was good including a museum, a ranger talk which was really interesting and then visiting the boarding house across the road.

Its a shame that the interior of the theatre is not original but a tremendous job has been done to restore the historic building.

Stage was close, very good cast, eerie feeling knowing a President was assassinated here, some obstructed views.

I recommend this for anyone visiting Washington. The park service has done such a good job and preserving this piece of history. Go on line and pay the three dollars to make sure you can get in. Make sure to get the ticket with museum, theatre and Peterson house. So worth it.

Very interesting and worthwhile experience. One tip: I don’t recommend the extra audio handset. The exhibits are well documented and self explanatory. Their main value would be for the theater itself, but the ranger gave an outstanding lecture on the events of the assassination, making the audio tour unnecessary. If the ranger doesn’t speak, then they might be useful.

The atmosphere and information that the guide gives you is spectacular. You are sitting in the middle of all that took place so long ago and the structure still looks so well.

From Illinois, so Lincoln is my guy.
Of course this site is the place of one of the most tragic occurrences in world history, and it rightfully has a quiet dignity.
Make sure to go on the website to see if you will be able to tour all the sections of this experience at your particular entry time. Every half hour displays what will be a part of that slot.

What I got to see (missed the Ranger Talk):

Museum - I started here. It starts by going over his 1860 election and later his time in the White House. However, it goes quite so in depth about the Civil War. Although I had heard of many of the famous battles (Shiloh, Antietam, etc.) it was good to understand why they were vital in the ups and downs of the war and what strategies were used to turn the tide.
There's several statues and dioramas (like what the Capitol looked like, as it was still under construction) which were neat, and short biographies on politicians, war heroes, and assassination conspirators. They do not pull any punches.
Other artifacts on display include: signatures, the door Booth crept into, and the gun that was used.

Theater - What most visitors are coming to see. You enter in the upper deck and can sit anywhere as you wait your turn to enter the Lincoln box. It is a working theater so you may see some props on stage which kind of cuts into the vibe, but I get it. There were 1-2 rangers sitting there answering every question you could throw. From meathead ones like, "does the theater re-enact the assassination?" to more mundane ones like, "is the furniture real?"
You can enter the same (narrow) hallway as Booth, which leads to the box and take a peek through a plastic bubble in the top half of the door.

Petersen House - Right across the street from the Theater. There was a bit of a line to get inside since it can get cramped. Notably, an actress/curator was present, dressed in a gown for that time period, answering questions. I appreciated that as it helped me "step back to that time period," if that makes sense.
I am no expert on what creative liberties were taken but the bed that is on display is not the same one Lincoln rested on.
This part can take like 10 mins max.

Aftermath Exhibits - You take an elevator from the Petersen House to the Exhibits where you see how Lincoln helped shaped the world we live in today, how he became a folk hero, a corner stone of pop culture, etc.
The best part of this exhibit though is the chase to hunt down Booth -- how he tried to escape, the route, what went wrong, etc.

A self-guided tour of museum, theater, Peterson House, etc. More interesting than I thought it would be. You must take a morning tour if you want to see the actual Theater, which is the best part. Lincoln book tower is recreated, but indicative of all the books written about him. I think this tower of “books” is 3-4 stories tall. Amazing that so much has been written about Lincoln.

I had a pre-booked tour of the Ford’s Theater at 10:00am and started with exploring the museum dedicated to Lincoln’s life, the Civil War, his antislavery struggle, and his assassination. I wasn’t too thrilled about this small museum: too crowded and noisy. I think there should be separate time slots for groups of school kids and for general public. It is great that children are learning about the American history, but they are just kids, so they behave accordingly…
Having said that, I would like to give credit to the ranger, whose presentation about Lincoln’s assassination was excellent. I also visited the Petersen House across the street from the Ford’s Theater: this is the place where Lincoln died
after being shot by John Wilkes Booth the previous evening at the theater. There is a replica of the bed where Lincoln died, the hour by hour trace of his and his assassin’s actions on that fatal night, and the tower of books about our glorious president. That’s truly the place where America history comes alive.