April 14, 2015 marks 150 years since John Wilkes Booth's bullet struck President Abraham Lincoln during a performance of "Our American Cousin." Ford's Theatre, the site of it all, will honor Lincoln this spring with the exhibition "Silent Witnesses: Artifacts of the Lincoln Assassination."
Priceless items on display at the museum's Center for Education and Leadership include Lincoln's top hat, the contents of his pockets, a bloody sleeve cuff, a playbill for the performance, and John Wilkes Booth's derringer pistol -- to name a few.
"Silent Witnesses" will allow visitors to step into Lincoln's shoes and to examine the historical objects that survived from that evening 150 years ago.
The exhibition runs through May 25. Advanced tickets are available with the purchase of an Acoustiguide ($5). Day-of tickets are limited, and will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.
The carriage that fatefully brought Lincoln, First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, Major Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris to Ford's Theatre will also be on display at the National Museum of American History through May 25.
In addition, the Smithsonian Channel will air a one-hour special in April called "Lincoln's Last Day." This special will delve into the history behind the displayed artifacts, piecing together those infamous 24 hours.
