Lincoln Presidential Museum rolls out red carpet for Oscars

Oscar party offers games, crafts, 'Lincoln' props and prizes for the most accurate Academy Awards ballot

[February 21, 2013]  SPRINGFIELD -- The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is rolling out the red carpet for an afternoon of fun and games as the movie "Lincoln" competes for a dozen Academy Awards.

Parents and children can strut their stuff for paparazzi as they enter the museum on Sunday from noon until 3 p.m. Once inside, they'll be able play games, see props from the movie and make Oscar-themed craft projects. Plenty of popcorn and other snacks will be on hand.

Movie fans can also try to predict the Academy Awards by filling out their own Oscar ballots, with the winner getting a $50 gift card and four passes to the Lincoln Presidential Museum.

Visitors get to attend the Oscar party for a special price. To get two tickets for the price of one, say "Civil War Sunday" when you go to the museum ticket desk.

The 85th annual Oscar presentation airs at 8 p.m. Sunday.

Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" is up for 12 Oscars, including best picture, best director, best actor and best supporting actress. Actor Daniel Day-Lewis and other members of the "Lincoln" team visited the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, along with other Lincoln sites, to do research for the movie.

Riverton-based KEL Equine Productions provided props and horses for "Lincoln." Some of those props will be on display at Sunday's Oscar party, and Karl Luthin will be on hand to discuss his time on the set.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum combines rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship to explore Lincoln's legacy. The library contains 13 million items pertaining to Illinois history, including more than 52,000 related to Lincoln.

For more information about visiting the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum or becoming a member through the Library Foundation, visit www.presidentlincoln.illinois.gov.

[Text from Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum file received from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency]