President Lincoln's Cottage
Museums, Historical Sites, and ZoosDistrict of Columbia, United States11-50 Employees
President Lincoln’s Cottage is a historic site and museum in the Petworth area of northwest Washington, D.C. It is the only public place where visitors can explore Abraham Lincoln’s public and private life during a substantial portion of his presidency. The site opened to the public in February 2008 after an eight-year capital restoration led by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and it became an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2016. Through its tours and programs, the cottage presents Lincoln’s pivotal decisions on the Union, freedom, and emancipation, while linking those moments to present-day leadership and dialogue. As a small nonprofit in the museums and historical sites sector, it pursues a mission to reveal the true Lincoln and continue the fight for freedom, with a vision to spread his ideas worldwide so that all people can be free. In 2025 it received recognition with awards for Best Museum (non-Smithsonian) and Best Music Festival for Bourbon & Bluegrass.