Courtesy Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
Springfield, Ill.
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is the only presidential library that is not under the auspices of the National Archives. (The act that created presidential libraries included presidents from Herbert Hoover forward).
It doesn’t matter to visitors, who have made it Springfield’s top attraction since it opened in 2005. In August the museum welcomed its 3 millionth visitor.
The Lincoln museum and library’s arrival marked a change in approach to presidential collections. Its exhibits were designed by a company that’s worked for DreamWorks and Universal Studios. The goal was to make a visit an educational experience, with an emphasis on “experience.”
So, in addition to galas in the museum’s Rotunda, where lifelike models of the Lincoln family stand in front of the White House, not far from the log cabin where Lincoln lived as a boy, guests can watch a presentation of “Lincoln’s Eyes” in the Exelon Union Theater. It is described as a “special-effects” spectacular that tells the story of Lincoln’s life through an artist who describes the emotions he saw in the president’s eyes.
The library, located across the street from the museum, is a research facility that is amenable to daytime bookings. There are classrooms, an all-purpose room and a boardroom, but the most striking rental space in the library is the three-story, glass and stone rotunda, with excerpts of the Gettysburg address engraved on its walls.
For a small fee, staff historians will present History Lessons, 30- to 45-minute presentations (including a question-and-answer period) on different aspects of Lincoln’s life. Among the 20 topics are Lincoln and Agriculture, African-Americans Lincoln Knew, the Faith(s) of the Lincolns, What’s New in the Lincoln Collection and Lincoln Never Said That. Historians often use artifacts from the museum’s 50,000-item collection to relate their points.
Of great interest to boards of directors and corporate groups is Lincoln and Leadership, a History Lesson that shows how Lincoln’s interpersonal skills, dedication to task and sense of humor served him as a leaders. “Many clients try to relate Lincoln’s leadership style with what they are trying to teach management and staff,” said Britta Brackney, facility rental manager.
www.alplm.org
217-558-8934
LBJ Presidential Library
Austin, Texas
Jan. 1 will mark a new beginning for the LBJ Presidential Library as its renovated Great Hall is put back into service after a year-long renovation.
The Great Hall is the library’s exhibit area as well as its main event space. In the hall, visitors see four stories of glass-encased archives that hold 45 million pages of documents.
A major redo of the museum, on the University of Texas campus, has allowed exhibits to be enhanced with new technology.
Anne Wheeler, communications director, said the hall “will be filled with new information, new films and new interactive elements.” The 8,500-square-foot space is also being enlarged.
Among the new exhibits is “LBJ’s Lasting Impact,” which details some of the 1,000 landmark laws passed during Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration, Medicare among them.
Using technology, the new Medicare exhibit will show what life was like in the 1960s for those without access to medical care or insurance, as well as ways Medicare touches lives today. Visitors are invited to comment on Medicare and other programs, using interactive displays and social media.
“We want visitors to leave with an understanding of how Johnson’s policies impact them today,” said Wheeler.
Only since 2009 has the LBJ Presidential Library been available for public bookings. Before that, the library, which was dedicated in 1971, could be booked only for events involving presidents, first ladies, heads of state and other dignitaries.
The Great Hall will be available for bookings beginning Jan. 1, after it reopens Dec. 22, the 100th anniversary of Lady Bird Johnson’s birth.
It is available only after hours, but two other conference rooms, both on the library’s 10th floor, can be booked during the day.
512-721-0200
www.lbjlibrary.org
