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’s connections to Elizabeth Keckly, Frederick Douglass and more.
All programs are appropriate for students and life-long learners. Specific grade-level recommendations are included with each program.
Book a Virtual Field Trip
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.
Book a Virtual Workshop
These interactive sessions facilitated by a Ford’s Theatre Teaching Artist use history to build important skills for your students, including public speaking and leadership.
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 Young Leaders
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.
Upcoming Public Virtual Field Trips
Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln and the USCT
Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 1 p.m.
Grades: 5+ | Length: 45 Minutes | Free
Join the discussion on how these two great leaders worked together to help end slavery. While the Emancipation Proclamation promised freedom, it allowed Black men to join the U.S. Army and fight to fulfill that promise for themselves. Lincoln invited Douglass to the White House to help establish this unit of the Army that would grow to 185,000 men.
The Power of Oratory
Tuesday, March 4, 2025, 1 p.m.
Grades: 5-9 | Length: 45 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.
Ford’s Theatre and the Lincoln Assassination
Monday, April 14, 2025, 1 p.m.
Grades: 5+ | Length: 45 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 Investigation: Detective McDevitt
Thursday, April 24, 2025, 1 p.m.
Grades: 5+ | Length: 45 Minutes | Free
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What platform do you use?
A: We are flexible. We are happy to host your virtual field trip on Zoom, or you can invite us into your virtual classroom in whatever platform you use (Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, WebEx, etc.). Our public virtual field trips are hosted on Zoom.
Q: Is a virtual field trip interactive?
A: Yes! We use a combination of historical and contemporary images and live, human interaction. We encourage participants to ask questions and respond to what they see.
Q: How long is the virtual field trip?
A: Our virtual field trips tend to last 40 to 60 minutes and always include time for questions.
Q: For what ages is the virtual field trip appropriate?
A: We include a grade-level recommendation with each program description. Private sessions can be easily adapted and customized to suit different age groups. We are pleased to serve students in second grade all the way up through life-long learners in retirement communities.
Q: Is there a maximum number of participants in a virtual field trip?
A: Our maximum capacity is 100 active participants.
Q: Do you do virtual field trips for groups that are not students or teachers or other non-education groups?
A: Yes! We are happy to serve history-lovers and private groups. Individuals are welcome to register for any of our public virtual field trips. Groups may request a private session. We do encourage private groups to make a $100 donation to Ford’s Theatre Society to support these distance learning and education programs.
Q: What does a Virtual Field Trip Cost?
A: Virtual Investigation: Detective McDevitt is $100 per session. Our other virtual field trips are FREE for students, teachers, and seniors. Other groups that book a private session are encouraged to make a donation to Ford’s Theatre Society to support these distance learning and education programs.
Q: Is there a minimum number of participants for a virtual field trip?
A: Individuals and learning pods of fewer than eight people are encouraged to join us for one of our public virtual field trips. You can always email us with specific questions at education@fords.org
Q: Is a virtual field trip accessible?
A: Automatic closed captions are enabled for all virtual field trips hosted by Ford’s. Private sessions can be customized to accommodate a variety of needs. For specific requests, additional accommodations or questions, please contact us at access@fords.org or education@fords.org. We are committed to ensuring learners of all abilities can experience the programs Ford’s Education has to offer.