Accessibility

Elevators 

• You can access the museum and the balcony of the theatre via an elevator in our main lobby. 
• In the elevator, the floors are labeled as follows: 
  • Floor 1: Museum  
  • Floor 2: Lobby/Orchestra (ground level) 
  • Floor 3: Balcony 
• You can access the Petersen House with the assistance of a staff member via an elevator in the lobby of the Center for Education and Leadership. The same elevator will provide access to the Aftermath Exhibits.  
• Please note that the Petersen House interior doorways have widths ranging from 28” – 35”. 

Accessible Seating

• Accessible seating is available in the rear orchestra (Row O) and rear balcony (Row H) sections of the theatre. Programming in the theatre during regular Historic Site Visitation is considered general admission so accessible seats are available first come, first served. Please note all seats in the theatre, with the exception of the accessible seating areas, require the use of stairs. 

American Sign Language Interpretation (Ranger Talks and One Destiny)

• A sign language interpreter for either a Ranger Talk or a One Destiny performance can be provided upon request. If you, or a member of your party, would like to request this accommodation, please email [email protected] with the date and time of your planned visit at least two weeks in advance.  

Audio-Described Tour

• An audio-described tour of Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site is available on the National Park Service Website. Patrons may access this tour via their own mobile device.

Closed-Captioning

• Closed-captioning is available for performances of One Destiny in the form of a pre-recorded video of the performance. If you, or a member of your party, would like to request this accommodation, please email [email protected] with the date and time of your planned visit at least one week in advance.  

Courtesy Wheelchairs

• Ford’s Theatre has a few in-house wheelchairs available for our visitors to use on site at no charge. These are available on a first come, first served basis. Staff can assist you with acquiring a chair upon request.  We offer small, medium and large sized wheelchairs. Below are the widths for each seat.  
  • Large: 24” 
  • Medium: 22” 
  • Small/Child: 15.75” 

Nursing

• Ford’s Theatre Society is committed to supporting the needs of nursing parents. While we do not have a designated nursing room on-site, we will make every effort to accommodate nursing requests. All nursing accommodation will be granted based on the availability of private and appropriate space within the site at the time of the request.  If you would like to request this accommodation, please email [email protected] in advance or speak to a staff member upon arrival. 

Presidential Box:

• There are 8 steps down to the Presidential Box in the balcony. Please note, the Box is not always open during visitation.

Restrooms

• Restrooms with accessible stalls are located throughout the historic campus.  
  • Restrooms equipped with automatic flush and fixtures are located in the main lobby. Restrooms with manual flush and fixtures are located in the museum, balcony, and Center for Education and Leadership.  
  • Infant changing tables are located in the main lobby and Center for Education and Leadership. 

Sensory Kits

• If you, or a member of your party, would like to borrow a sensory kit during your visit, please speak to a Box Office Associate when you arrive to acquire one. Sensory kits include sensory toys (fidget spinners, plush toys) and noise canceling headphones.  

Water Fountains

• There is one water fountain located on the balcony level of the theatre. Please speak to a staff member if you need assistance finding it at any point during your visit.  
• There are water fountains on the ground level and third floor of the Center for Education and Leadership.  

Elevators 

• You can access the museum and the balcony of the theatre via an elevator in our main lobby. 
• In the elevator, the floors are labeled as follows: 
  • Floor 1: Museum  
  • Floor 2: Lobby/Orchestra (ground level) 
  • Floor 3: Balcony 

Accessible Seating  

• Accessible seating is available in the rear orchestra (Row O) and rear balcony (Row H) sections of the theatre. Please note all seats in the theatre, with the exception of the accessible seating areas, require the use of stairs. 

American Sign Language Interpreted Performances  

• We offer scheduled sign interpreted performances for all our mainstage productions. Please use promocode ACCESS26 when purchasing your tickets. If you are unable to join us on a sign interpreted performance, please use the GalaPro mobile app, with real time closed-captions. To request a sign language interpreter for a different performance, please contact [email protected] at least two weeks prior to your visit.

Assisted Listening Devices

• We offer assisted listening devices for all mainstage performances on a first come, first served basis. Ask our friendly volunteer ushers for the device or a program when you enter the theatre.

Audio-Described Performances 

• We offer scheduled audio-described performances for all our mainstage productions.  Please use promocode DESCRIBE26 when purchasing your tickets. To request an audio describer for a different performance, please contact [email protected] at least two weeks prior to your visit. 

Braille

• Braille programs are available for our mainstage productions; please ask one of our friendly ushers when being seated.

Closed-Captioning

• With the free, GalaPro Closed-Captioning Mobile App, real-time closed captions are available for mainstage performances. 

Courtesy Wheelchairs

• Ford’s Theatre has a few in-house wheelchairs available for our visitors to use on site at no charge. These are available on a first come, first served basis. Staff can assist you with acquiring a chair upon request. We offer small, medium and large sized wheelchairs. Below are the widths for each seat.  
  • Large: 24” 
  • Medium: 22” 
  • Small/Child: 15.75” 

Large Print

• Large print programs are available for all mainstage performances. Please ask one of our friendly ushers when being seated.

Nursing

• Ford’s Theatre Society is committed to supporting the needs of nursing parents. While we do not have a designated nursing room on-site, we will make every effort to accommodate nursing requests. All nursing accommodation will be granted based on the availability of private and appropriate space within the site at the time of the request.  If you would like to request this accommodation, please email [email protected] in advance or speak to a staff member upon arrival. 

Restrooms

• Restrooms with accessible stalls are located throughout the historic campus.  
  • Restrooms equipped with automatic flush and fixtures are located in the main lobby. Restrooms with manual flush and fixtures are located in the museum, balcony, and Center for Education and Leadership.  
  • Infant changing tables are located in the main lobby and Center for Education and Leadership. 

Sensory-Friendly performances 

• We offer Sensory-Friendly performances for A Christmas Carol and our spring musical. For more information on these performances, please visit our sensory-friendly page. 

Sensory Kits 

• If you, or a member of your party, would like to borrow a sensory kit during your visit, please speak to a Box Office Associate when you arrive to acquire one. Sensory kits include sensory toys (fidget spinners, plush toys) and noise canceling headphones.  

Water Fountains

• There is one water fountain located on the balcony level of the theatre.  
• There are water fountains on the ground level and third floor of the Center for Education and Leadership. 

Museum and Historic Theatre – Seating:

• The standard orchestra and balcony seats have a width of 20” and between 6.5” – 9.5” of leg room. 
• The accessible seats have a width of 19.5”. The accessible seats can be moved to make room for a wheelchair.  

Museum and Historic Theatre – Theatre:

• There are 8 steps down the center aisles of the orchestra. There are 9 steps down the two side aisles of the orchestra. Each step is approximately 5” in height. There are no handrails. 
• There are 13 steps down the center aisles of the balcony. There are no handrails. There are 14 steps down the side aisles of the balcony.  
• There are 8 steps down to the Presidential Box in the balcony. 

Museum and Historic Theatre – Wayfinding:

• There are two elevators in the Atlantic Lobby. One leads from the parking garage to the lobby, and the other has access to the museum and balcony levels.  
• There are 25 steps on the spiral staircase from the orchestra level to the balcony level.  
• As you enter the museum, there are 29 steps from the orchestra level down to the museum.  
• As you exit the museum, there are 51 steps from the museum up to the balcony level. 
  • There are 26 steps to the orchestra level and an additional 25 to the balcony. 

Restrooms:  

• The entrance to the accessible stall in all restrooms has a width of 3’.  
• The sink height in all restrooms is 34”.   

Petersen House and Center for Education and Leadership:

• There are 10 steps from street level up to the Petersen House.  
• The elevator in the Center for Education and Leadership which gives access to the Petersen House for wheelchair users has an entrance width of 42”.  
• The entrance to the Petersen House has a width of 35”.  
• The interior doorways in the Petersen House have widths ranging 28” – 35”.  
• There are 64 steps down the spiral book tower staircase.  

Wheelchairs: We offer small, medium and large sized wheelchairs. Below are the widths for each seat.  

• Large: 24” 
• Medium: 22” 
• Small/Child: 15.75”