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The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois
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courtesy SCVB
My hometown of Springfield, Illinois claims the Great Emancipator as its son. According to several sources (including an article in the New York Times), more words have been written about Abraham Lincoln than any historical personage except Jesus Christ. And in this bicentennial year of Lincoln’s birthday, all eyes are focused on Springfield as it prepares for a gala celebration.
Lincoln’s Home and Tomb had been tourist attractions in Springfield long before the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) officially opened in April 2005. As a child growing up in Springfield, I found that Lincoln lore was shoved down my throat on a regular basis. Every fifth grader made the obligatory trip to nearby New Salem, a reconstruction of the village (on the original site) where Abe spent about six years of his early adult life. In my case, at least, familiarity with the great man bred—if not contempt—then, at least, boredom. The bright lining was that I got out of school for the day.
Today the youngsters in “Lincoln’s Hometown” will never know that kind of apathy towards our 16th President, thanks to the new Museum. But the Museum was not created to appeal solely to kids. By June 2007, more than 1.2 million visitors, young and old, from all corners of the globe, had toured the 100,000 square feet of exhibits, and entire city block of state-of-the-art, full-immersion, interactive experiences and galleries that guide guests through the life and times of Lincoln.
At the ALPLM, Abe’s History is anything but boring. In fact, some detractors have complained that, with spectacles like the Holavision show, “Ghosts of the Library,” and the high-tech special effects in the theater presentation “Through Lincoln’s Eyes,” the multimedia exhibits at the Museum are more “Disneyfied” than scholarly. But all the smoke effects, strobe lighting, vibrating seats, and animatronic figures make learning about the history of our country not only palatable, but actually exciting. Instead of reading about the Presidential Campaign of 1860 in a dry textbook, you can watch a contemporary portrayal of 30-second television campaign commercials promoting each of that year’s four candidates. All your senses will be aroused as you walk through the Illusion Gallery, a gauntlet of yelling images arguing for and against slavery. And by the time you wind your way through “Journeys,” deeply humanizing depictions of Abraham’s life (warts and all) from his boyhood log cabin to his ornately draped casket, you may find yourself with tears in your eyes.
Have you ever been that moved by a history book?
Author’s Note: This is the second of a four-part series on Springfield, Illinois, Abraham Lincoln’s Hometown. You can read the first part here, the third part here, and the fourth part here.
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