Today (Friday, October 23rd)
8:30am We will begin our day at the White House for our 9:00am Tour. Secret Service Officers are stationed along the tour route and are available to answer questions about each room’s history, art, furnishings, current uses, and beyond. You will see iconic public rooms on the State Floor and East Wing, such as the Red Room, Green Room, Blue Room, and the State Dining Room. You will need a valid government-issued photo ID (or passport). Make sure it is REAL ID compliant. You can bring your cell phone and a compact camera. Bags of any kind (including backpacks and purses), food, and video cameras are not allowed inside. There are no restrooms on the tour route, so plan to use the facilities beforehand at the White House Visitor Center.
From the People's House, we mosey on over to the National Portrait Gallery. Housed in the same building as the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery tells the history of America through the portraits of its people. One of the more popular galleries is the presidential portrait gallery. They feature exhibits from colonial times to modern times.
Here is a highly efficient, walkable itinerary that perfectly flows from our morning White House tour to our afternoon Ford's Theatre experience.
Morning: The Executive Mansion & The People's House
08:15 AM – Arrive for Security Line: Arrive early at the White House Tour checkpoint. Even with a scheduled time, security lines can take 30 to 45 minutes.
09:45 AM – White House Inside Tour: Explore the historic public rooms on the State Floor including the Blue, Green, and Red Rooms. Duration: ~1 hour
11:00 AM – Walk to "The People's House": Walk roughly 2 blocks to The People's House: A White House Experience, located at 1700 Pennsylvania Ave NW.
11:15 AM – Interactive Tech Exploration: Tour this cutting-edge, free museum featuring a full-scale replica of the Oval Office. Duration: ~1.5 hours.
12:30 Head over to the National Portrait Gallery. See the iconic Presidential portraits. There is a beautiful atrium which is a perfect place to relax and enjoy lunch.
02:15 PM – Walk 5 minutes to Ford's Theatre.
02:30 PM – Ford's Theatre Museum: Enter the Ford's Theatre Museum down in the lower level. View incredible artifacts like John Wilkes Booth’s Deringer pistol and Lincoln’s overcoat.
03:15 PM – The Historic Theater Presentation: Step into the main theater to see the preserved Presidential Box. Listen to an emotional and detailed presentation by a National Park Service Ranger.
04:00 PM – Petersen House & Aftermath Exhibit: Cross the street to the Petersen House (the boarding house where Lincoln passed away) and walk through the modern leadership galleries tracking the conspiracy's aftermath.
02:30 PM – Ford's Theatre Museum: Enter the Ford's Theatre Museum down in the lower level. View incredible artifacts like John Wilkes Booth’s Deringer pistol and Lincoln’s overcoat.
03:15 PM – The Historic Theater Presentation: Step into the main theater to see the preserved Presidential Box. Listen to an emotional and detailed presentation by a National Park Service Ranger.
04:00 PM – Petersen House & Aftermath Exhibit: Cross the street to the Petersen House (the boarding house where Lincoln passed away) and walk through the modern leadership galleries tracking the conspiracy's aftermath.
There are plenty of exhibits to continue viewing at the National Portrait Gallery, if you're wanting more. The museum is open until 7PM.