SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – As part of its “Abe for All” initiative, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is proud to announce a series of sensory-friendly events for people who may be overwhelmed by intense light, strong sounds and large crowds.
The first event runs 1-5 p.m. on Oct. 30, the last Sunday of National Sensory Processing Awareness Month. Audio will be lowered throughout the museum, and lighting will be adjusted to reduce extremes and create a more fluid atmosphere. The museum will be open to anyone, not just people with sensory difficulties, and regular prices apply.
Similar Sunday afternoon events are scheduled for next year on Jan. 29, July 30 and Oct. 29. If cost is a barrier or evenings are more convenient, we will offer a free sensory-friendly event April 18 from 4-6 p.m. with touch tables and new activities that give guests more engagement opportunities.
Advance registration is not required. We have developed a pre-visit preparation packet that ranks areas of the museum based on their potential to overstimulate. This can be found in the “Plan Your Visit” section of our website or by sending an email to ALPLM.GuestEntry@Illinois.gov. The ALPLM also offers “busy bags” with a variety of fidgets, noise-canceling headphones, sensory maps and other tools that make visits more comfortable for people with sensory issues.
“Abe for All” is an initiative to make President Lincoln’s legacy more accessible to everyone, including those who are autistic, deaf, disabled and more. The ALPLM is holding a series of events as it learns how it can be more welcoming to people. The project launched earlier this year with events for the Deaf community and people with sensory processing issues.
“Everyone deserves to learn about Abraham Lincoln’s accomplishments and his continuing impact on America. That means the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum has a duty to make its campus as inclusive as possible,” said the ALPLM’s executive director, Christina Shutt. “We’re committed to learning and improving so we can truly offer Abe for all.”
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 – some 13 million items from all eras of Illinois history.
For more information, follow the ALPLM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.