Yesterday the National Park Service quietly announced that Ford’s Theatre, the site of President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination and one of D.C.’s most popular tourist destinations, will close today for 18 months as it undergoes a massive renovation. The planned $8.5 million upgrade will include improvements to the heating, air conditioning, lighting and sound systems, the addition of an elevator and new restrooms, the Park Service said.

As the WaPo points out, in addition to being a historic site, Ford’s also is a working theater. The theater generally produces four family- and tourist-friendly productions every year, including some ambitious fare as of late, like the new musical Meet John Doe, which closed May 20. The last time the theater underwent a major renovation was from 1964 to 1968.

The immediate area around 10th and E streets NW must be close to being the third most highly tourist-trafficked location in D.C. behind the National Mall and the White House, with a Hard Rock Cafe, ESPN Sports Zone, and several souvenir shops nearby. It’s unclear how these businesses might be effected by the closure. The historical Petersen House, the home where Lincoln died across the street from the theater, will remain open during the renovation.

Photo by LaTur