* Press release…
After a series of changes to protect visitor health, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is finalizing plans to reopen to the public on Wednesday, July 1.
Visitors will find the facility has been meticulously cleaned and disinfected, and protective barriers have been installed in key places to ensure guest and employee safety. Museum-goers will be also be encouraged to stay one “Lincoln” apart – 6 feet, 4 inches, the equivalent of President Lincoln’s height.
“We are thrilled to welcome everyone back to the museum and library,” said acting executive director Melissa Coultas. “In trying times, Abraham Lincoln’s example can be an inspiration and a comfort to all of us. People deserve to be able to come to this special place, learn about one of our greatest presidents and explore some new features we’re proud to offer.”
New measures to maximize public safety include:
• Requiring tickets be purchased in advance, either online or by telephone
• A brief visitor screening, including a temperature check before admission
• Requiring face masks at all times
• Installing signs with outlines of Lincoln’s feet to help visitors maintain proper physical distance
• Reducing the number of theater performances and maintaining safe guest distancing throughout the shows (theaters will be cleaned and disinfected after each performance)
• The temporary closure of the “Mrs. Lincoln’s Attic” play area and Union Station, home to an exhibit on railroad history
• Limiting library access to reservation-only research patrons
• Establishing a strict cleaning and sanitation regimen for the museum and library.
The museum will maintain its usual schedule of being open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week. Visitors can buy tickets up to two weeks in advance at www.PresidentLincoln.Illinois.gov.
The library will be open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, but admission will be by appointment only. Researchers who want to schedule a visit should email ALPLM.reference@illinois.gov or call the reference desk at 217-524-6358.
When it reopens, the museum will feature a new exhibit called “Spies, Traitors, Saboteurs: Fear and Freedom in America.” Created by the International Spy Museum, it examines nine major events in history when Americans were threatened by enemies within the United States borders. This temporary exhibit has traveled throughout the nation over the past few years.
The exhibit does include powerful imagery that may be unsettling to some patrons. Artifacts include fragments of the planes that hit the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001 and powerful imagery from domestic hate groups, including the Ku Klux Klan. The ALPLM respects the decisions of parents and guardians but recommends children under 12 may want to avoid the exhibit. Children 12 and over should visit this exhibit with an adult.
And it won’t be long before the museum welcomes its five millionth visitor. That special guest will receive an array of gifts and special access to celebrate this milestone in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum’s 15-year history.
Glad it’s coming back. Wish they’d get rid of that giant statue of the sweater-wearing white guy standing with Abe, though.
…Adding… I’m now told that the silly statue is leaving in September when its contract expires. The city of Springfield asked the ALPLM board to extend its stay for a year, but the board declined.
If you’ve never seen the statue, here it is at a previous location…
Ridiculous.
- efudd - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:50 am:
Love museums, that is an especially good one.
Good that it is opening. The kind of “normal” we really need.
- Scott Cross for President - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:03 am:
Great news.
And I LOVE the messaging of stand one “Lincoln” apart.
Should be woven into future All In Illinois communications, e.g. on Independence Day.
- Christopher - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:15 am:
Is that guy in the sweater Perry Como? It looks like him.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:15 am:
=== When it reopens, the museum will feature a new exhibit called “Spies, Traitors, Saboteurs: Fear and Freedom in America.” Created by the International Spy Museum, it examines nine major events in history when Americans were threatened by enemies within the United States borders. This temporary exhibit has traveled throughout the nation over the past few years.===
This is outstanding.
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same”
We forget the “and domestic”, then we get these years of blatant internal strife that isn’t a show of freedom, but a wanting of division to hurt America.
The Ku Klux Klan part of this new exhibit will be an important reminder that groups dedicated to racism and white superiority have, after the Civil War, made clear that their goal is to make America not the place of freedom for all… but pockets of hatred and fear… needing to spread by that racism and fear… with leaders working to build and reinforce institutional racism and trying to make it all acceptable.
This will be a great exhibit.
- Annoyed - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:20 am:
Per Tribune—The man is holding a copy of the Gettysburg Address, “as if (Lincoln is) explaining the tenets of the Gettysburg Address and what relevancy those words would have today,” said Paula Stoeke, curator at Seward Johnson Atelier in California.
- Christopher - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:25 am:
Annoyed - So you’re saying that it’s NOT Perry Como holding the printed lyrics sheet to “Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)”? /s
- efudd - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:26 am:
Maybe the ILGOP could buy advertising on the guy’s sweater?
Something like, “Remember the old normal”
or
“Masks are for sissys”
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:30 am:
===Wish they’d get rid of that giant statue of the sweater-wearing white guy standing with Abe, though. ===
I was so confused by the sweater-wearing white guy and who that was supposed to be and if he’d ask Abe Lincoln for golf advice or something similar.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:33 am:
How does a statue have a contract? Maybe it’s covered by the statue of limitations?
- fs - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:35 am:
== Annoyed - So you’re saying that it’s NOT Perry Como holding the printed lyrics sheet to “Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)”? /s==
I always assumed that paper was the receipt showing Abe what the State paid for a hat that wasn’t even his.
- Chatham Resident - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:40 am:
If the city of Springfield wants those statues, maybe they can find an alternate location on City property for them.
I have an idea: Get rid of that atrocious “Abstract Lincoln” (by Abbott Pattison) “statue” at the south entrance to the city’s Lincoln Library (the public library) and replace it with the statues of Lincoln and Sweater Guy. Those would be very appropriate to have in front of a Library.
This Illinois Times article from 2009 includes a picture of the infamous “Abstract Lincoln.”:
https://www.illinoistimes.com/springfield/lincoln-in-bronze/Content?oid=11435889
- Streator Curmudgeon - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:41 am:
And I thought those statues commemorated Madigan meeting Abe during his college years.
- Chatham Resident - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:49 am:
Not to change the subject, but does anyone know if other state agencies (other than SOS, which has been back since June 1, and now the ALPLM) will be reopening either next week or in the upcoming weeks?
- OneMan - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:55 am:
Perhaps the City of Springfield can contract the statue itself, perhaps put it next to the guy holding the tire, have it tour the city.
The Fairgrounds are not being used, put it there and let people pay to tell it why the current president is better than him.
We got to think outside the box here.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:19 am:
the Y-block cries out for white sweater guy
- Jibba - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 12:45 pm:
Lincoln: “Ward, the Beaver is stuck in yonder tree.”
I had to google “Lincoln and while sweater man”, and yes, there is an entry.
- Res Melius - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 12:46 pm:
Sweater guy and Abe stopped first in Chicago.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-abraham-lincoln-statue-pioneer-court-met-20161101-story.html
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 12:48 pm:
===yes, there is an entry===
I also found this https://www.buckle.com/jb-holt-the-lincoln-sweater/prd-51803JB528BK/sku-6018940400
- Ostomie Wedgie - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 1:30 pm:
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
- RNUG - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 1:59 pm:
== How does a statue have a contract? Maybe it’s covered by the statue of limitations? ==
They didn’t buy it, just leased it for a couple of years.
Mrs and I may be in the minority … but we like it there.
- Annoyed - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 2:03 pm:
Christopher, you are right, it is Perry Como…
https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/22169
- Bob - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 2:21 pm:
When I saw the sculpture (last summer) I thought Abe was throwing out the recently fired executive director.
- Can - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 2:24 pm:
Maybe Abe is telling the sweater-wearing guy what baby gift to give the acting executive director:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.illinoistimes.com/springfield/party-time-at-alplm/Content%3foid=12172544&media=AMP%2bHTML
- R A T - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 4:03 pm:
I thought Lincoln was telling him how to capture a large pink elephant carrying a martini.
- Chatham Resident - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 4:12 pm:
==I thought Lincoln was telling him how to capture a large pink elephant carrying a martini.==
I’ve seen that pink elephant down by County Market in Southern View (on 6th Street on your way out of Springfield).
And there’s also always been a pink elephant at that Antique Mall in Livingston, IL (I-55 Exit 37) en route to St. Louis. At the former Livingston High School building.
- Jibba - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 4:21 pm:
Does anyone know which of the pink elephants is the one that used to be in front of Finest Liquors?
- RNUG - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 5:30 pm:
== Does anyone know which of the pink elephants is the one that used to be in front of Finest Liquors? ==
The one that is usually by the 6th Street County Market strip mall is the one that used to be at the liquor store. It belongs to Doug Kent. He has owned it 20 or 30 years and it is usually at one of the family properties / businesses if not rented out for an event.
I’m not sure where the one in Livingston at the old school converted to an antique mall came from.
And don’t forget the green one that resides downtown at Dumb Records.