Virtual Field Trips

Bring the story of President Lincoln’s assassination and the world of Civil War Washington into your classrooms with your choice of four, award winning virtual programs.

Using live videoconferencing, students and history lovers of all ages engage with primary source images and Ford’s Theatre Education staff in our interactive Virtual Field Trips.

Book a Virtual Field Trip as a private session for your class or group. Connect your students directly with Ford’s Education staff to explore the many stories of Ford’s Theatre has to offer. These sessions allow for maximum flexibility around scheduling, classroom set-up and learning needs.

Join us this spring for a Public Virtual Field Trip. Connect and learn with students and classrooms from around the country to learn about Lincoln, Frederick Douglass and more. Public Virtual Field Trips are offered via Zoom Webinar and allow many classrooms and students to connect with Ford’s Theatre at the same time.

All programs are appropriate for students and life-long learners. Specific grade-level recommendations are included with each program.

Virtual Investigation: Detective McDevitt

Grades: 5+ | Length: 60 Minutes | $50 – $100

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. *Regular Price: $100 per session. Public School Teacher Price: $50 per session.*

Ford’s Theatre and the Lincoln Assassination

Grades: 5+ | Length: 60 Minutes | Free

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 consider 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. 

Virtual Visit: Ford’s Theatre

Grades: 5+ | Length: 40 Minutes | Free

During this interactive program, participants will embark on a guided journey through Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site, including the presidential box and the Petersen House where President Abraham Lincoln drew his last breaths. Using high quality, dynamic photographs, participants will also reflect on artifacts and historic images related to Lincoln and his assassination. This program is effective for students who have studied the Lincoln assassination in class.  

Exploring Lincoln in Washington

Grades: 3+ | Length: 60 Minutes | Free

Ford’s Theatre and The National Mall and Memorial Parks explore what Washington, D.C., was like for President Lincoln and how the city has grown and changed over the last 150+ years. Examine the U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Ford’s Theatre. In this interactive program, participants will look closely at historic and contemporary images of Washington D.C. including maps, photographs and illustrations.

The Power of Oratory

Grades: 5-9 | Length: 50 Minutes | Free

President Lincoln masterfully used oratory, the art of public speaking, to inspire his constituents and those words continue to guide our nation today. Students will actively participate in the examination of the calls to action in two of Lincoln’s speeches, The Gettysburg Address and the Address to the 166th Ohio Regiment, to discover what Lincoln wanted his listeners to do and why. With guidance from one of Ford’s Teaching Artists, students will then identify a cause important to them and write their own call to action during the session. Select volunteers will share their work with the class. 

Lincoln Leadership Workshop: Empowering The Next Generation

Grades: 6+ | Length: 45 Minutes | Free

Ford’s Theatre’s Lincoln Leadership Workshop is a 45-minute in-classroom program designed to ignite young minds and inspire future leaders. Through interactive group activities and discussions, students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, explore the meaning of leadership and its impact and learn valuable lessons from the life of Abraham Lincoln.

This workshop provides teachers and students with valuable resources, including The Top Hat student workbook and an online teacher companion guide for further engagement. By aligning with educational standards in writing, speaking and civic engagement, this program fosters well-rounded students who are prepared to make a positive impact on their communities.

Frequently Asked Questions