President Lincoln’s Cottage continues to garner recognition as a leader and innovator among cultural institutions in Washington, D.C. and around the country. We have received numerous awards and honors for our preservation, interpretation, events, and education efforts nearly every year since opening, including:
Overall Site
- International Explorer,” Cultural Heritage Institution of the Year” (2025)
- Washington City Paper’s Readers’ Poll, “Best Museum Off the Mall” (2024)
- Modern Luxury DC, “Best Educational Experience” (2024)
- Named a trusted and critical small nonprofit in the Greater Washington region by Spur Local (2023/2024)
- Healthy Framework’s Best Award as one of the Best Museums for First Dates in Washington DC (2023)
- Washington City Paper’s Readers’ Poll, Runner Up, “Best Museum Off the Mall” (2023)
- Washington City Paper’s Readers’ Poll, “Best Museum Off the Mall” (2022)
- Washington City Paper’s Readers’ Poll, “Best Museum off the Mall” (2020)
- Named “One of the Best” DC charities by Catalogue for Philanthropy (2019/2020)
- Washington City Paper’s Readers’ Poll, “Best Museum off the Mall” (2019)
- Washington City Paper’s Readers’ Poll, “Best Museum off the Mall” (2018)
- Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman Excellence in Chief Executive Leadership (EXCEL) Award to CEO and Executive Director, Erin Carlson Mast (2017)
- Washingtonian’s 50 “Great Places to Work” (2017)
- Washington City Paper’s Readers’ Poll, “Best Museum off the Mall” (2017)
Programming
- Top Abraham Lincoln Podcast and top 100 American History Podcast for Q&Abe, Million Podcasts (2025)
- Outstanding Public History Project Award, National Council on Public History (2022)
- Award of Excellence, American Association of State and Local History, for our exhibit Reflections on Grief and Child Loss (2022)
- History in Progress Award, American Association of State and Local History, for our exhibit, Reflections on Grief and Child Loss (2022)
- SEGD Global Design Award, Merit Award to Howard+Revis Design for our exhibit Reflections on Grief and Child Loss (2021)
- Award of Excellence, American Association of State and Local History, for our Q&Abe podcast (2020)
- Bronze MUSE Award (Media Tech), American Alliance of Museums, in the museum podcast field for our Q&Abe podcast (2020)
- Certificate of Excellence, TripAdvisor, for outstanding visitor reviews (2019)
- Certificate of Excellence, TripAdvisor, for outstanding visitor reviews (2018)
- Certificate of Excellence, TripAdvisor, for outstanding visitor reviews (2017)
- Certificate of Excellence, TripAdvisor, for outstanding visitor reviews (2016)
- Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons for Students Opposing Slavery (2016)
- Leadership in History Award, American Association of State and Local History, for Students Opposing Slavery (2016)
- American Alliance of Museum’s EdCom Award for Excellence in Programming for Students Opposing Slavery (2016)
- The American Institute of Graphic Arts’s AIGA 50 Award celebrating the best designs created in the DC area over the past two years, for our special exhibit, American by Belief (2016)
- Leadership in History Award, American Association of State and Local History, for our tour technology platform (2015)
- Certificate of Excellence, TripAdvisor, for outstanding visitor reviews (2015)
- Gold MUSE Award, American Alliance of Museums, for our tour technology platform (2014)
- Certificate of Excellence, TripAdvisor, for outstanding visitor reviews (2014)
- Best of Groupon designation for outstanding visitor reviews (2014)
- Global Design Merit Award, Society for Experiential Graphic Design, for our special exhibit, Can You Walk Away? (2013)
- Leadership in History Award, American Association of State and Local History, for our special exhibit, Can You Walk Away? (2013)
- Platinum Award, US Distance Learning Association, for Lincoln’s Toughest Decisions: Debating EmancipationOnline (2010)
- Volk Award, The Lincoln Forum, for excellence in advancing Lincoln history and preserving his memory (2009)
- Silver MUSE Award, American Alliance of Museums, for Lincoln’s Toughest Decisions(2008)
Stewardship
- Project of the Year, U.S. Green Building Council National Capitol Region (2009)
- Preservation Award, the Victorian Society in America, for the quality of the restoration of President Lincoln’s Cottage (2009)
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, for the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center (2009)
- Mid-Atlantic Construction magazine’s “Restoration Project of the Year,” for the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center (2008)
- 2008 Vision Award from the Committee of 100 of the Federal City, which gives the award to project of “particular merit that reflect our values and benefit the city as a whole.”
- Excellence in Design Award for Restoration and Renovation, Executive Office of the Mayor, for the exemplary restoration of President Lincoln’s Cottage and renovation of the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center (2008)
Events
- Washington City Paper‘s Readers’ Poll, “Best Music Festival for Bourbon & Bluegrass” (2024)
- Washington City Paper‘s Readers’ Poll, Runner Up, “Best Music Festival for Bourbon & Bluegrass” (2023)
- Washington City Paper‘s Readers’ Poll, Runner Up, “Best Music Festival” (2022)
- Unique Venues Best Outdoor Venue in North America (2022)
- Unique Venues Best Outdoor Venue in North America (2018)
- WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards (2016, 2017, 2018)
- WeddingWire Top Rated Business (2016, 2017, 2018)
- WeddingWire Editors Pick Award (2016)
- Wedding Spot Top Venue Award (2016, 2017)
- The Salonniere Top Venue in US (2017)
- CVent Top 50 Meeting Destinations (2015)
- Washingtonian Bride & Groom Best Wedding Vendor (2015)
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