Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum to mark Lincoln’s birthday with free admission Feb. 10

SPRINGFIELD – You are cordially invited to join the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum for a free day of fun Feb. 10 as we mark Lincoln’s birthday, honor his love of reading and celebrate the ALPLM earning national accreditation.

Admission will be free all day, starting at 9 a.m., and then the museum will host a Literacy Jam from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We’ll collect donations of children’s books, welcome special guests to read stories, and offer music and activities for kids. Finally, after a ceremony to mark the ALPLM’s accreditation, we’ll close with cake for all and an explosion of streamers.

The ALPLM offers free admission in honor of Lincoln’s birthday because everyone, regardless of income, should get the opportunity to learn about Lincoln and his impact on America. This year, there will actually be two free days – Saturday, Feb. 10, and then on Monday, Feb. 12, his actual birth date.

The Lincoln Presidential Library is teaming up with the Lincoln Library (Springfield’s public library) on Feb. 10 to present the Lincolns4Lincoln Literacy Jam. Highlights include:

• Cast members from the musicals “Finding Nemo” and “Winnie the Pooh” reading stories and performing songs.
• Tater Tots Rock sharing their special brand of rock & roll for the junior set.
• Jenna Snow, author of a book about her service dog Koa, reading from her book and letting kids meet her dog.
• Jacobsen Woollen from the Illinois Symphony Orchestra performing a special piece and offering a show-and-tell of musical instruments
• Magician Richard Landry dazzling young and old alike.

Visitors can also donate children’s books for the “Compass for Kids” program. More information about how to help can be found at www.compassforkids.org/lincolns-4-Lincoln.

“Abraham Lincoln loved books and understood their power to change lives. That’s why we celebrate his birthday by encouraging children to read. We hope parents and caregivers from all over will bring their little ones on this special day,” said Christina Shutt, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. “This year, we have something extra to celebrate – the ALPLM has been granted national accreditation, which certifies that we follow all the best practices as we share the history of Lincoln and Illinois.”

Only about 3.2 percent of museums are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Qualifying involves months or even years of internal preparation and then evaluation by the alliance. The ALPLM was among the few museums to receive accreditation on its first try.

To celebrate, there will be a short ceremony at 2 p.m., followed by air cannons firing volleys of streamers in the museum plaza. Everyone is invited to enjoy a piece of cake afterward. The event is made possible by generous support from Springfield Alderwoman Lakeisha Purchase and members of the ALPLM Board of Trustees.

The mission of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is to inspire civic engagement through the diverse lens of Illinois history and sharing with the world the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. We pursue this mission through a combination of rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship built on the bedrock of the ALPLM’s unparalleled collection of historical materials – roughly 13 million items from all eras of Illinois history.

For more information, visit www.PresidentLincoln.illinois.gov. You can follow the ALPLM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.