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    The Petersen House

    4.5 (73 reviews)
    Closed 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

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    tower of books on Abraham Lincoln!
    Christine M.

    we enjoyed the walking tour of Abraham Lincoln, the Ford Theater and coming to see how small the Petersen house was but to walk through history pretty cool. Lots of field trips! Which i do think is great not sure they are really getting it at 13-15, think 10yr olds would appreciate it more. Unless they have a project they are working on to really get into it. It's not a long tour but worth seeing!

    Cody S.

    Pretty cool piece of history. Directly across the street from ford theater where the shot happened. Still preserved the way it was the night it happened. It's definitely worth seeing. Depending on what theater package to buy it comes with it as well! Worth doing along with the theater tour, but by itself it's a little dull. Just basically walking through a hallway and a bedroom, still worth it, just don't be too hipped!

    Nick P.

    Abraham Lincoln was shot at the theatre and brought here where he died. The ticket I bought online for Ford's Theatre also included the Peterson House. Be sure to check the details before buying. The ranger gives a little detail and lets small groups at a time. It's a very short tour. Be sure to check out the tower of books all based on Lincoln.

    Julie S.

    The actual home is small, you can view 2 rooms -- the waiting room and the replica of the bed where Lincoln dies. The actual bed is in Chicago... But the museum/exhibit next door has a lot of information about the hunt for John Wilkes Booth and the famous stack of Lincoln books.

    Outside
    Kevin B.

    This is a must-see if you're visiting Ford's Theater as it completes the story of what happened on the night that President Lincoln was assassinated. Lincoln was brought here after he was shot and he died in this home. You can tour the house, which is only a few rooms, and see the room and bed where Lincoln died. There is also a museum attached to it that goes into detail about the hunt for Booth and the aftermath of the assassination, which was fascinating to read. This is an essential place to visit for American history enthusiasts and I would highly recommend coming here.

    Parlor
    Steve A.

    Good place after a Ford's Theater experience. It's included in the admission price. The Petersen House is where Lincoln died the day after being shot. Lots more information throughout here. You need to make sure you have the ticket. If you're going to Ford's Theater to learn about Lincoln, you also need to come here. It's where Lincoln was taken so he could pass away peacefully. The bedroom he died on is open for the public. Also there's two other bedrooms. The actual bed he died on isn't here though. In the museum are exhibits about the aftermath. These describe the pursuit of John Wilkes Booth, his capture, and how the country mourned. Keep in mind the theater hours. If you want a tour of the theater you might have to go in the morning. The house and theater aren't always included together.

    Marlon T.

    Abraham Lincoln died in this home. You can see the room/bed where he died. It's kinda weird, interesting, and sad all at the same time. Admission is free, you just need to grab a ticket from Ford's museum across the street. Rest in peace to this American statesman!

    11.23.18  across the street from Ford's Theatre
    May A.

    Good visit... I wasn't disappointed After our visit inside the historic Ford's theatre where President Lincoln was assassinated, we headed outside to see the house where Lincoln died. The house is located just across the street from the theatre. This is a small home and tours inside can accommodate about 15 guests at a time. It was included with our purchase of the Historic Site ticket. Our self-guided tour took about 15 mins inside. We couldn't really roam around the house, basically moving in a line to see the interior of the home and where President Lincoln was brought after he was shot and eventually died here the next morning. The Petersen House is also maintained by the National Park Service. Collect your National Park Passport stamp inside the Ford's Theatre at the Box Office. The house is remarkably maintained considering how much foot traffic from visitors and tourists it gets. Actually, we were fortunate to be able to enter the house during our visit because it had just reopened in June this year from a 6-month closure and it will be closed again in January-February 2019 for continued preservation work. It was an eye-opening experience for me to see the room in which he died in and further deepened my understanding of President Lincoln's assassination. We then visited the connecting building which was the Center for Education and Leadership. The exhibits explored the assassination aftermath and President Lincoln's legacy. I had a great experience and is a must-see when in DC. This is included with our $3/person admission fee. Review #1198

    Pam D.

    Petersen House...the house where President Lincoln died, located right across from Ford's Theatre. (It's now a museum.) A tour explaining Lincoln's assassination isn't complete without seeing this place. Go to Ford's Theatre first though!

    The Petersen House - The House Where Lincoln Died sign.
    Marilu F.

    A ticket to Ford's Theatre will also grant you access to The Petersen House across the street. The Petersen House, simply put, is where Abraham Lincoln was taken after he was fatally shot on April 14, 1865, and died the morning after. A small abode, Lincoln was taken to a room, where he was attended as best as he could be. Many people came in and out, paying their last respects to the president and hoping for some sort of miracle, but Lincoln never awoke from his unconsciousness and instead went onto the next world. Today this house is well preserved. The rooms have been left as close to the original house as possible, and aside from lights and air conditioner, it is essentially the same as in the old times. Walking into this house, you are experiencing history. You will also be unaccustomed to the lack of space or at the very least I was. Times have certainly changed. At any rate, once you leave the area spent his last dying breath in, you can walk across and be connected to another section full of what happened after. Something to note that is impressing about this section: they have a tower of all the books written on Lincoln ever. That being said, there isn't much else to say; it is your typical museum, gift shop and all.

    Dani C.

    "He Now Belongs to the Ages" - Secretary of War Edwin Stanton On April 14, 1865, after Booth shot President Lincoln at Ford's Theatre, Lincoln was carried into the Petersen boarding house across the street. The doctor at Lincoln's bedside updated the crowd each hour on the president's condition. Physicians continually removed blood clots which formed over the wound and poured out the excess brain fluid and brain matter from where the bullet had entered Lincoln's head in order to relieve pressure on the brain. However, the external and internal hemorrhaging continued throughout the night. His final update came at 7:22 a.m. on April 15, 1865: the president had died (age 56). During the president's final hours, he was surrounded by his wife and son, and various U.S. government officials. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton turned one of the rooms into an interrogation area, interviewing witnesses about what happened inside the theatre. After the Presidents passing, his body was placed in a temporary coffin covered with an American flag, and returned by hearse to the White House, accompanied by a cavalry escort. Booth was located in Virginia 11 days later and was shot by Union forces, dying two hours later. The Petersen home was purchased by the U.S. government in 1896 for $30,000.

    Kathleen D.

    Keep your ticket in hand after Ford's Theatre and safely cross the street to the house where Abraham Lincoln passed away for free entry and more compelling history. The actual bed where Lincoln died is on display in Chicago, but there's a replica bed available to view if you're into that type of thing. There's also interactive exhibits to peak your interest and learn more about the events that led to the assassination. It won't take as long to walk through this home, but it's worth a visit for sure.

    Andy V.

    What a cool find! With your admission to Ford's Theater you're also able to walk across the street and enter the Peterson House, the home where Lincoln was transported to after being shot at Ford's Theater and later died. First, the ticket to Ford's theater which again includes this museum was $5. You cannot beat two museums which such historical value for that price. Anyway, when I walked in I was greeted by an elderly gentleman who told me about the home. He kind of talked my ear off which was fine because I wasn't in a rush and I could tell he enjoyed being a history nerd. He showed me where Mary Todd Lincoln would sit and weep, scream even, for hours and then try to see Lincoln to check on his condition. He also let me know that the house is pretty much is in the original condition as to when Lincoln was there- of course electricity was added so lighting was updated. You can see the bed where he died which was very surreal. After that you take an elevator up to four, why, I kept thinking and then I realize there is another entire museum dedicated to Lincoln! So much stuff, from the manhunt of John Wilkes Booth to Lincoln's legacy in popular culture- it was totally amazing. Between this and Ford's Theater, I could have stayed all day. The monument of books on Lincoln is cool too. It shows his impact on our country for sure. Do yourself a favor and check this out! You will love it, and honestly, if you don't- you spent $5.

    There are over 15,000 books currently in print about the 16th president with more being written everyday.

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    Quick little tour but goes a long well with the Ford Theatre tour. Definitely check it out to complete that story.

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    Ask the Community - The Petersen House

    Review Highlights - The Petersen House

    Right next to Ford's Theater stands the location where Abraham Lincoln was taken following his assassination.

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    1.3 miDupont Circle, Downtown
    $$$

    O Museum - O Street, Washington DC…read more I was a judicial fellow at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and arrived at the DOT office complex in L'Enfant Plaza, Washington, D.C., for my first day of orientation. It was early on Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, and while I had been in Washington many times in my work as an administrative law judge, this was my first time meeting my contacts at NHTSA. The world now recognizes the losses sustained on that day, in New York and at the Pentagon (and on United Airlines Flight 93), but at 8:30 in the morning at NHTSA's headquarters in D.C. our world was rapidly aging amidst the tragedy. My contact at NHTSA had family members he needed to get to, and he left me to my own devices. As transport systems turned into gridlock, I left the building intending to walk to my hotel in Georgetown. I had the day to explore. All the Smithsonian museums were locked down, as were most businesses. I had no agenda other than experiencing what D.C. was like during the turmoil of 9/11. I walked from L'Enfant Plaza to Dupont Circle, hoping to have lunch at my favorite restaurant, Johnny's Half Shell. In the process, in a long wandering exploration of the District, I happened upon O Street, not far from the Dupont Circle Metro station. During the walk I passed a string of brownstone residences on O Street between 20th and 21st Streets. While my memory has faded over time, I recall walking past curious bronze sculptures of the White Rabbit, Alice, the Mad Hatter, and the Cheshire Cat, ensconced in abundant greenery that seemed to fill the streetside frontages of four or five of the brownstones. Last week I found out that what I walked past that day 25 years ago was the O Museum in the Mansion, named after the mansion's street location. It's a venue that evokes a rich historical heritage that runs the spectrum from the lives of the rich and famous to the lives of courageous civil rights activists who created cultural change in our nation's capital. I learned the museum was opened in 1980 by its founder, H.H. Leonards Spero, and is housed in a mansion that now includes a boutique hotel with themed rooms. Their "Night at the Museum" tour offers an immersive overnight experience with extended access to the museum and its collection. Also known as The Secret Door Museum, there are over one hundred themed rooms, over eighty secret doors, and thousands of artifacts spanning art, music, sports, history, and American pop culture. I stopped by the display case that housed signed guitars from Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan and saw museum rooms packed with memorabilia from folk and jazz eras, and the early days of the Beatles. Nostalgia and history reign and the displays include important artifacts relating to the civil rights era in the United States, with prominent attention given to the inspired work of Rosa Parks and other civil rights mentors. The Museum features a bar, modern restrooms, an elevator, and secret doors throughout. Reservations are recommended, but I walked in without any wait (on a weekday in February 2026). Remarkably, most of the contents - probably counting in the thousands - are for sale. (So, we're on notice by the Museum's docents: if you break it, you buy it.) I found the Museum's staff to be friendly, well-informed, and exceptionally enthusiastic about their work. I learned there are limited-time themed events, such as the Secret Door Experience ($33), a Champagne Tour ($62.50), a Secret Portal Hunt & Tour ($45.95), a Secret Gardens of Asia celebrating cherry blossoms ($50), a Mother's Day Secret Door & Champagne Tour ($54.50), a Night at the Museum overnight package ($550.77) and a host of events celebrating the life and work of Rosa Parks and other civil rights leaders. This may well be one of the most curiosity-inspiring venues anywhere in the world. And good luck finding the secret doors!

    This is such a fun spot! Even though you have to pay for tickets, it's definitely worth it. You…read morewatch a short "orientation" video first. Then, you are free to roam the mansion for hours if you want, discovering secret doors as you wish. Everything displayed is available for purchase so you will have your pick of souvenirs. Accessible by metro, a quick walk from the Dupont Circle station. 10/10 would recommend!

    Photos
    The Mansion On O Street - Rosa Park Room

    Rosa Park Room

    The Mansion On O Street - From the secret Halloween room if you can find it! I dare you to in and make a noise...

    From the secret Halloween room if you can find it! I dare you to in and make a noise...

    The Mansion On O Street - Rosa Parks room.

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    Rosa Parks room.

    The Petersen House - museums - Updated May 2026

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