SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum will begin welcoming visitors again on Monday, Jan. 25, with clear, simple safety protocols to protect all guests.
Visitors will need to schedule their appointments in advance so the number of people in the building at any one time can be held to safe levels. Visitors will also have to wear masks that cover the mouth and nose, answer basic health questions and have their temperatures taken before they can enter.
The facility has been meticulously cleaned and disinfected, and protective barriers have been installed in key places to ensure guest and employee safety. Visitors will be also be encouraged to stay one “Lincoln” apart – 6 feet, 4 inches, the equivalent of President Lincoln’s height.
“New public health guidelines allow us to open the museum doors again. It will be wonderful to see visitors exploring Lincoln’s life and taking inspiration from his accomplishments,” said Acting Executive Director Melissa Coultas. “We will continue to be mindful of the threat of Covid-19, and we ask our visitors to do the same.”
The library portion of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum will not immediately be open to visitors. Its reopening date has not been set yet. In the meantime, researchers can access a wealth of information by visiting www.PresidentLincoln.Illinois.gov or emailing alplm.reference@illinois.gov.
Measures to maximize public safety include:
• Requiring tickets be purchased in advance, either online or by telephone
• Requiring face masks at all times
• Installing signs with outlines of Lincoln’s feet to help visitors maintain proper physical distance
• Reducing the number of theater performances and maintaining safe guest distancing throughout the shows (theaters will be cleaned and disinfected after each performance)
• The temporary closure of the “Mrs. Lincoln’s Attic” play area
• Establishing a strict cleaning and sanitation regimen for the museum and library.
The museum will maintain its usual schedule of being open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week. Visitors can buy tickets up to two weeks in advance at www.PresidentLincoln.Illinois.gov.
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum uses a combination of rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship to immerse visitors in Lincoln’s life and times. The library holds an unparalleled collection of Lincoln books, documents, photographs, artifacts and art, as well as some 12 million items pertaining to all aspects of Illinois history.
