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"Beginning today the Lincoln story will
be told as never before, in a museum that puts visitors inside
Lincoln's house -- and inside Lincoln's head," Gov. Blagojevich
said. "Here you will meet the paradoxical Lincoln -- born in the
most common of surroundings, yet destined to become the most
uncommon of leaders; a politician who rose above politics; a product
of his times who transcended the racist culture that produced him."
The
Abraham
Lincoln Presidential Museum features nearly 50,000 square feet of exhibits, special
effects theaters and displays of original artifacts that will plunge
visitors into Lincoln's life and times. Hundreds of thousands of
visitors each year will be immersed in the Lincoln story through two
state-of-the-art exhibit "journeys" depicting Lincoln's early years,
home life, legal and political careers, and presidency. The museum's
Treasures Gallery will showcase select original items from the
state's Lincoln Collection, such as the Gettysburg Address and
Lincoln's presidential briefcase. The Union Theater will present
"Lincoln's Eyes," a 17-minute show that uses special effects and
three screens to surround the audience with the tragedies and
triumphs of Lincoln's life. The "Ghosts of the Library" will amaze
audiences as live actors interact with ghosts onstage to make
yesterday and today come to life.
The museum also features a
children's area, restaurant, gift shop, a 4,500-square-foot plaza --
sure to be one of the most popular gathering places in Illinois --
and a parking garage for visitors. The complex will include a
welcome center, currently under construction, in the restored 1890
Union Station.
In October of last year, the
governor opened the much-anticipated Abraham Lincoln Presidential
Library, the new home of the former Illinois State Historical
Library, which since 1889 has been the world's foremost institution
for research about all aspects of Illinois history. The library's
47,000-item Abraham Lincoln Collection is the largest assemblage of
pre-presidential Lincoln material in the world and is used for
virtually every publication, broadcast program or film about Lincoln
or the Civil War. The new building replaces the one constructed
underneath the Old State Capitol State Historic Site in 1968.
Contained within the library is a
treasure trove of 12 million documents and artifacts relating to all
eras of Illinois history. These include more than 10.5 million
manuscripts, 175,000 books, 90,000 reels of Illinois newspapers on
microfilm, 6,000 maps and broadsides, and 200,000 prints and
photographs.
The library's Lincoln Collection
features 1,500 original manuscripts written by Abraham Lincoln; 400
of the 600 letters written by Mary Todd Lincoln that are known to
exist; 1,200 prints and photographs, including the only photo
showing Lincoln lying in state; more than 200 paintings and
sculptures, including six original life portraits of President and
Mrs. Lincoln; 12,000 books and pamphlets; more than 230 personal and
family items; 800 broadsides, including invitations to Lincoln's
first and second inaugural balls; and political campaign material,
including pieces of rail allegedly split by Lincoln and sold to
raise money for the 1860 presidential campaign.
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 Highlights from the dedication
ceremony Tuesday included the visit from President George W. Bush;
U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, and Barack Obama, D-Illinois;
and U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Ill., and Speaker of the House Dennis
Hastert, R-Ill. Also serving as part of the dedication was Mihan
Lee, the grand-prize winner of the C-SPAN and Abraham Lincoln
Presidential Library and Museum essay contest and an 11th-grade
student at Georgetown Day School in Potomac, Md., reciting her work,
"A New Country, A New Century, A New Freedom."
Earlier in the year, C-SPAN invited
students to honor Abraham Lincoln by writing their own modern-day
interpretation of the Gettysburg Address. About 5,400 entries from
all 50 states and the District of Columbia were submitted for
"Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address: An Essay Contest for Middle and
High School Students," which challenged the students to craft their
own thoughts about a "new birth of freedom" in an essay not
exceeding 272 words, the length of President Lincoln's Nov. 19,
1863, Gettysburg Address.
Preceding the dedication
ceremony, citizens of all ages had the opportunity to engage in four
days of activities memorializing this historic event. Included were
a two-day Looking for Lincoln block party in downtown Springfield;
an outdoor concert, laser and fireworks display; an interfaith
service uniting members of various faith traditions in celebration
of the opening; a 5K race; a re-enactment of Lincoln's Farewell
Address before his departure to the White House; and a traditional
torchlight parade.
"So, why build a Lincoln museum at
the dawn of the 21st century? To paraphrase the 'Ghosts of the
Library' inside this building, for as long as his story is told,
his experience becomes our experience. His courage
becomes our courage. And the best part of Abraham Lincoln
lives on in us. May it always be so," the governor concluded.
The museum officially opened to the
public following the dedication ceremony.
[News release from the governor's
office]
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