The Honor of Your Company is Requested: President Lincoln's Inaugural Ball October 21, 2008

The Smithsonian American Art Museum organized a small, focused exhibition celebrating Abraham Lincoln's inaugural ball, which was held March 6, 1965, in what is now the museum's historic home. The exhibition will relate the ball to the building and its history. The ball took place as Lincoln's second term began, with the Civil War in its final stages, and only six weeks before Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theater nearby. The exhibition will feature ephemera from the inaugural ball, including the invitation and menu as well as engravings illustrating the night's events and other artifacts. Charles Robertson, author of the recent book "Temple of Invention: History of a National Landmark" and a specialist in American decorative arts, is the guest curator of the exhibition. The exhibition is organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum with support from Ford Motor Company Fund.

Metrorail: Gallery Pl-Chinatown, Metrobus: 42, 70, 71

Official Website: http://AmericanArt.si.edu