Visiting the Lincoln Presidential Museum with Your Family
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If you are going to be driving past Springfield, Illinois or are thinking about taking a trip there, I highly recommend taking the time to visit the Lincoln Presidential Museum.
It is so unique and INCREDIBLE!
The Lincoln Presidential Museum is not your ordinary museum.
Visiting the Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield, Illinois transports you back to the era when Lincoln lived as well as his time as president of the United States.
This museum provides you with a remarkably well done and realistic historical experience.
Kids and adults alike will be able to learn about what it was like during Lincoln’s time as well as get to walk through the most noteworthy moments of his life.
I highly recommend making it a priority to stop at this museum on your next road trip or even planning a weekend family getaway to Springfield, Illinois to experience this amazing history lesson.
Location and Parking
The Lincoln Presidential Museum is located in downtown Springfield, Illinois.
There is a covered parking garage a couple of blocks from the museum that is absolutely free.
The entire Lincoln Museum Campus has fantastic signage and maps so you should very easily be able to find this parking garage as well as any of the Lincoln attractions that you want to visit.
Downtown Springfield has many one-way streets, but it does not have very busy traffic so it is very easy to navigate around.
Admission and Hours
The Lincoln Presidential Museum costs $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, $6 for children ages 5-15, and kids under age 5 are free!
It is open daily 9am-5pm. The last ticket is sold at 4pm.
I suggest giving yourself at least 2 hours to see this museum so make sure to arrive by 3pm at the latest.
Things to See at the Lincoln Presidential Museum
The museum is divided into a few main areas.
First, there is the center plaza which is surrounded by the other exhibits and theaters.
In the plaza stands lifelike figures of the entire Lincoln family. It is super cool to stand next to these statues.
Then there are two main exhibits where you will spend the majority of your time.
One is Lincoln’s Life.
This exhibit takes you through the journey of Lincoln’s life from his boyhood through to his campaign for president of the United States.
The scenes and artifacts in this exhibit are absolutely captivating.
The other main exhibit reveals his time in the White House. Even the youngest visitors will be awestruck by this area.
Additionally, there are a couple of smaller exhibits in this museum as well.
Besides that the Lincoln Presidential Museum has two incredible shows for visitors to see.
One is called Lincoln’s Eyes and is located in the Union Theater.
The other is Ghosts of the Library in the Holavision theater.
The Lincoln Presidential Museum has SO much for guests to see and learn about.
Both shows are MUST SEE shows. I would make sure you check the time that each of these shows play and plan your visit at the museum around the times you want to view these shows.
Note: The shows are quite loud especially if you have younger kids. Both my 1 year and 3 year old watched each of the shows and did fine but some of the loud sounds especially in the Lincoln’s Eye show may frighten some children.
Things to Do
Besides so many things to see here, there are also some unique things you can do while at this museum.
One, make sure you take a picture with the Lincoln family in the plaza with the White House as the backdrop.
It will make such a great memory that you will cherish for a long time.
Also, do not miss viewing either of the amazing shows at this museum.
Additionally, the museum has a paper scavenger hunt for kids if they are interested. It is a great way to keep them even more engaged and for them to learn some interesting facts about Lincoln and the time he lived.
Our kids LOVED during the scavenger hunt.
Finally, on your way out, do not forget to stop by the gift shop. There are so many special souvenirs to purchase.
Tips for your Visit
- Visit earlier in the day if you can. You will want to make sure you have enough time to see and experience everything plus you want to make sure you can see both the shows. Visiting earlier in the day will ensure that you have enough time to do everything.
- Time your visit around the showtimes. Each show is only at specific times of the day. You want to make sure you get to see both so as soon as you get there, make a note of what times the shows are on and be ready to view them at those times.
- The White House exhibit will take you longer to go through so keep that in mind if you are planning on seeing a show at a certain time. You will want to make sure you are able to make it through the exhibit before your show begins.
- You are able to come and go as you please throughout the day. If you want to leave for lunch and then return, you can definitely do so! Just make sure you keep your tickets in a safe place and keep your wristbands on.
- Most visitors spend between 2-3 hours at this museum so make sure you have enough time to fully experience it and see everything.
Lincoln Presidential Museum- A Must See Attraction
This museum is not your typical museum where you view artifacts and read informational signs about them.
The Lincoln Presidential Museum really makes you feel like you are standing right besides Abraham Lincoln as he lives out his life.
You get to experience all of the noteworthy moments of his life including his time in the White House.
It is truly incredible, and I can’t wait for you to experience it for yourself.
After your visit to the Lincoln Presidential Museum, discover some of the other Abraham Lincoln sights and attractions in Springfield, Illinois.
I highly recommend taking the time to visit his tomb as well! It is just a 6 minute drive from the Lincoln Presidential Museum and is very stunning.
Looking for more Illinois road trip adventures? Discover things to do in Metropolis.
May you love your adventure. KW
