 The exhibit, "Lincoln: From History to Hollywood," will present
Lincoln's office, where much of the movie takes place as the
president ponders how to pass a constitutional amendment abolishing
slavery, and a vignette of Mary Lincoln's bedroom, the setting for
emotional confrontations between husband and wife.The exhibit,
opening early in 2014, will be displayed at Union Station, just
across the street from the presidential museum. The station will
serve as an annex to the presidential museum. At the station,
visitors can tour the exhibit and see video presentations about the
movie.
"Lincoln," directed by Steven Spielberg, earned an Academy Award
for Daniel Day-Lewis as best actor and another for Rick Carter for
best production design.
"The portrayal of the 16th president owes much to research done
at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum," said Gov.
Pat Quinn said. "I am pleased to offer the public the chance to see
these set pieces and costumes from the movie firsthand in
Springfield."
"It is an honor to have this exhibit at the Abraham Lincoln
Presidential Library and Museum," said Spielberg. "When we visited
for research on the film, it was our thought that there might be an
opportunity to bring such an exhibit to Springfield, and that is now
a reality."
The sets and costumes are on loan from Spielberg and DreamWorks
Studios. This will allow the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
to present the display at minimal cost to visitors.
Children can tour the special exhibit at Union Station for free
when accompanied by an adult. The cost for adults is just $5.
Adults also have the option of buying a new "full experience"
package, allowing them to tour the entire presidential library and
museum and the new movie exhibit for $15. That's just $3 more than
the basic museum admission price, which is not changing.
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 The costumes include a selection of Mary Lincoln's dresses (which
will change annually), Lincoln's suit and a uniform worn by their
son Tad. Props in the exhibit include the stethoscope used in the
scene of Lincoln's death, historically accurate papers and magazines
used in his office, and gloves worn by Day-Lewis as he portrayed
Lincoln.
"The movie 'Lincoln' introduced millions of people to a new part
of the Abraham Lincoln story and did it in a way that was both
entertaining and historically accurate. Now, this exhibit will allow
us to continue building on the momentum created by the movie," said
Amy Martin, director of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency,
which operates the presidential museum.
"This is a case where history and Hollywood come together to
everyone's benefit," Martin added.
The "Lincoln" sets and costumes have been on display at the
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library as part of a major Abraham
Lincoln exhibit there -- one that included many items from the
collection of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
No tax dollars are being used to pay for moving the exhibit from
California to Springfield. That expense is being covered by the
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation.
"The foundation is thrilled to help the presidential library take
advantage of this unique opportunity," said Carla Knorowski, CEO of
the foundation. "The 'Lincoln' movie exhibit will give the library
and museum a new tool for telling the Abraham Lincoln story."
Union Station, built in 1897, was most recently used as a tourist
information center for central Illinois and a box office for the
presidential museum. The visitor center is moving to the Old State
Capitol State Historic Site. Ticket sales for the museum will move
to the Lincoln Presidential Library building on the southeast corner
of Sixth and Jefferson streets.
[Text from
Abraham
Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
file received from the
Illinois Historic
Preservation Agency]
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