Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum

Category: Destinations

Trace the path of Abraham Lincoln’s life—from his boyhood reading by firelight to his tumultuous time as the 16th President of the United States—at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum in Springfield.

The museum presents a unique opportunity to experience the scenes of Abraham Lincoln’s life up-close, rather than playing the role of passive spectator viewing displays set behind glass. Life-size, three-dimensional representations of Honest Abe are present nearly every step of the way—in lifelike detail, from the translucent skin on his hands to the hair on his furrowed brow.

The journey begins at The Plaza, where the first family stands ready to greet visitors. (Go ahead and snap a photo with them; cameras are only allowed in The Plaza area.) To the left, you’ll see a replica of the Indiana cabin where Lincoln spent his early years. To the right stands a replica of the White House South Portico, representing the place Lincoln lived from the time of his inauguration until his death.

The voyage through Lincoln’s life starts with that cabin on the left, so that’s where we’ll venture first.

The Pre-Presidential Years
Stepping onto the grounds of Lincoln’s boyhood home, visitors are greeted by a youthful Abe perched on the fence with a book. Continue inside to witness what growing up was like in the Lincoln house—you’ll find Abe straining to read by the light of the campfire, absentmindedly petting his dog, while the rest of his family sleeps nearby.

From here, visitors are taken through rooms replicating key points in Lincoln’s young life: when he earned his first dollar working on the Ohio River, when he first witnessed the horror of watching slave families being sold, and when he met his first true love, Ann Rutledge, in New Salem. (Whether he actually saw a slave sale or had a romance with Rutledge, who died of typhoid in her early 20s, is still debated by historians, but it makes for great viewing nonetheless.)

Replicas and real-life artifacts help illustrate Lincoln’s rise from avid reader to Springfield lawyer and politician, but few things are as striking as the lifelike characters that occupy each scene, including a shrieking slave with eyes red-rimmed from crying as her family is torn apart and a still-youthful Lincoln courting his future bride, Mary.

Near the end of the pre-presidential years, be warned that one scene may catch you by surprise. The campaign of 1860 comes alive for visitors, not with life-size re-creations like those used throughout the rest of the museum, but through what appears to be a behind-the-scenes look at television news coverage of the 1860 presidential campaign. Granted, there weren’t any television cameras around at that time, but the display provides a contemporary, easy-to-follow look at what the issues were in 1860, narrated by admired news anchor Tim Russert.

The White House Years
After Lincoln wins the election, it’s time to head to the White House for the second portion of the journey. The displays begin just outside, where a number of key players in Lincoln’s life—including his future assassin John Wilkes Booth, Generals McClellan and Grant, and Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth—all wait outside.

Inside, visitors are greeted by Mary Lincoln, poised in a striking gown in the middle of the room as her dressmaker Elizabeth Keckley works her magic on the back of the dress. All around Mrs. Lincoln, reproductions of the ball gowns worn by her social rivals—most of whom had some rather nasty things to say about the new First Lady—are also on display.

From here, visitors move through the chaotic years of Lincoln’s presidency. Brace yourself for the Whispering Gallery—a dark, distorted hallway filled with mean-spirited cartoons, caricatures, and whispers from Lincoln’s naysayers. Other scenes paint a clear picture of what the White House Kitchen looked like, usher you into Lincoln’s White House office, and take you through a corridor filled with the faces and voices of people who responded bitterly and angrily to Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. It’s a serious time for the president and for the nation as a whole, as is aptly illustrated by a series of displays dedicated to the Civil War, complete with pictures, letters, uniforms, and a count of the lives lost.

Finally, the journey reaches its climax with the drama most Americans know all too well: visitors look up to see the Lincolns enjoying an evening at Ford’s Theater, just as John Wilkes Booth sneaks into the presidential box. Gunshots sound, shouts ring out, and it’s a moment of panic, followed by the somber realization that the President has been killed.

But the tour of Lincoln’s life doesn’t end quite yet. First, he has to reach his final resting place. View advertisements and a map of the funeral train route before you come to the somber conclusion of the tour: a full-scale re-creation of Representatives Hall in the Old State Capitol, the way it looked in May 1865 when Lincoln laid in state.

Rather than offering the cold, impersonal displays some museums are known for, this presidential museum succeeds in capturing the emotion of Lincoln’s life. There are the playful moments—particularly in the scene where Lincoln reclines, reading a newspaper while his sons Willie and Tad wreak havoc on his Lincoln-Herndon law office. There are the tender moments, like the night when visitors see the Lincolns sorrowfully tending to their son Willie, who will die two weeks later, even as a raucous party is underway downstairs. And there are plenty of serious moments as well, including the moment when Lincoln unveils his plan to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, to the dismay of the cabinet members seated in his office with him.

Plenty More to See
As you exit the end of journey two, stop in the Treasures Gallery to view the real-life Lincoln artifacts on display, including family photos, Mary’s music box, original documents written by Lincoln, and even one of his few surviving top hats.

Two theaters and a number of other displays offer the opportunity to learn even more about the 16th president and his life. In Union Theater, Lincoln’s Eyes presents a three-dimensional look past the Lincoln so many Americans see memorialized all over the country to the real Lincoln who, the presentation argues, has not been seen clearly since his death. It’s a dramatic, eerie, enlightening tale that beautifully illustrates the determination, laughter, grief, and even death visible in Lincoln’s eyes.
 
In the second theater, Ghosts of the Library tells the story of the artifacts at the Lincoln Presidential Library through a Holavision® presentation full of smoke, vapors, and surprising twists. (And yes, in case you’re wondering, that is a real on-stage actor you see behind the glass.)

Across the Street
Serious researchers and curious visitors alike will find plenty to see across the street at the presidential library as well. Take time perusing the Lincolniana—including nearly 1,500 original documents written or signed by Lincoln, 250 historical artifacts, plus more than 1,000 items of Lincoln ephemera, artworks, and crafts. In addition, you’ll find information on all aspects of Illinois’ history, including published resources, manuscripts, newspapers, and audio recordings.

Don’t forget a stop at Union Square Park either, where you’ll find more statues commemorating one of the nation’s greatest presidents.

Get There
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum 
212 North Sixth Street
Springfield, IL 62701
217.558.8844

Admission: $10 adults; $7 for seniors, military, students; $4 for children 5 to 15; free for children 4 and under
Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day

Tags: Abraham Lincoln | Lincoln Presidential Museum | Springfield | Destinations | Museums |

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