Assassination of President Lincoln, Commemoration Activities, 2025
On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary, attended a performance of Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre. During the performance he was shot and mortally wounded by noted actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth. The president was carried across Tenth Street to the boarding house of William Petersen, where he died at 7:22 a.m. the following morning.
A wide range of commemoration activities for the week of President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination and throughout April will be presented by Ford’s Theatre Society and the National Park Service. This year’s public programming includes expanded activities and opportunities for engagement in the museum and online.
Virtual Field Trip: Ford’s Theatre and the Lincoln Assassination
Monday, April 14, 1 p.m. ET
A public offering for Students in grades 5 and up.
Learn the story of Lincoln’s assassination from the place where it happened. Explore the world of Civil War Washington, D.C., the events leading up to the night of the assassination and its lasting legacies. During this program, participants will look closely at historical and contemporary images including maps, photographs and illustrations. This program is effective for students looking for an introduction to the Lincoln assassination story. Register here.
National Park Service Ranger-Guided Walking Tours
Monday, April 14, 2 p.m.
Tuesday, April 15, 2 p.m.
Join a National Park Service ranger for a 35-minute walking tour of the Ford’s Theatre neighborhood exploring sites that both Lincoln and his assassin would have recognized in 1865. See how much has changed and why we continue to remember Lincoln’s Legacy. Meet the ranger by the large lamp post outside the main theatre entrance doors.
Petersen House Evening Open House
Monday, April 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
(free, no registration required, tours every 30 minutes)
Commemorate the 160th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination by joining a National Park Service ranger for an immersive evening tour of the Petersen House, where the mortally wounded Lincoln was taken from Ford’s Theatre and where he died the following morning. This 30-minute guided tour will go beyond the familiar elements of the assassination to uncover intimate stories of Petersen House and the people who were there on the night of Lincoln’s death. Group size is limited to 10 people per tour.
PBS and Ford’s Social Media Collaborations
April 14: Lincoln’s Assassination - FB, IG, Threads, TikTok
April 22 : Artifacts - FB, IG, Threads, TikTok
April 29: Ask A Ranger - FB, IG, Threads, TikTok
Find us on social media to view PBS and Ford’s Theatre collabs centered around President Lincoln’s assassination. Instagram: @fordstheatre Facebook: @fordstheatre TikTok: @fordstheatredc
One Destiny
April 14-15, at 10:45 and 11:45 a.m.
Learn about Lincoln’s assassination from two men who were there. Actor Harry Hawk and Ford’s Theatre co-owner Harry Ford revisit the events of April 14, 1865. As they reconstruct the sequence of events, they grapple with the question: Could John Wilkes Booth have been stopped? This 40-minute one-act play explores the key facts of the assassination while capturing the emotions of that fateful night. The 2025 cast features Michael Bunce and Stephen F. Schmidt and shows run through May 17. Purchase tickets here. One Destiny is also available on demand. Purchase on demand access here.
Wreath Laying at Petersen House
Tuesday, April 15, 7:22 a.m.
The mortally wounded Lincoln was brought directly across the street to the Petersen House and died there the next morning. Join a National Park Service ranger outside the Petersen House at 7:22 a.m. to place a memorial wreath marking the moment of the president’s death 160 years ago.
Congressional Cemetery Speaker Series
In collaboration with Congressional Cemetery
Saturday, April 19, 1-2:30 p.m.
The story of our 16th president’s assassination is a well-known one. Thousands of books, articles and special exhibits are just some of the ways this story has been told. But have you ever seen the story told using the graves of those involved with the assassination? Part-speaking engagement and part-docent-led tour, the Cemetery Speaker Series features keynote remarks on the Lincoln assassination from Ford’s Theatre’s Associate Director of Education and Public Programs Alex Wood, followed by a complementary docent-led tour of the gravesites of individuals related to the assassination, including David Herold, Charles Forbes and others. Tickets are $10. Space is limited. Register here.
History on Foot – Investigation: Detective McDevitt
Throughout April and May
(dates include April 14-15)
On the night of April 14, 1865, Detective James McDevitt was on duty at the Washington Metropolitan Police headquarters, one half-block from Ford’s Theatre. Just before 10:30 p.m., frantic witnesses rushed in with horrifying news: President Lincoln had been shot at the theatre. Join Detective McDevitt as he revisits the sites and reexamines the clues from the investigation into the Lincoln Assassination Conspiracy. This walking tour of downtown Washington, D.C. makes eight stops across 1.6 miles from Ford’s Theatre to the White House. Wear comfortable shoes. Tickets are $20. Purchase tickets here.
Virtual Investigation: Detective McDevitt
Thursday, April 24, 1 p.m. ET
For grades 5 and up.
Assist Detective James McDevitt as he investigates the assassination of President Lincoln. Revisit sites and reexamine clues from April 14, 1865. In this interactive, theatrical program, participants will interact with historical characters portrayed by an actor, examine primary sources images and hear witness statements to determine who is guilty of this heinous crime. Register here.