Lincoln’s Life in Letters

At its heart, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is a showcase for the millions of items housed in its collection devoted to Illinois history and Abraham Lincoln. On any given day, at least 100 of those items are on display. Included in the collection are more than 1,600 documents in Lincoln’s hand. We invite you to explore Lincoln’s life through some of the documents that shaped our museum exhibits and the stories they tell.

Written by ALPLM historians, designed and created by ALPLM’s exhibit team, Lincoln’s Life in Letters will be installed throughout the first-floor atrium of ALPLM’s Library building. Lincoln’s life, from childhood through his presidency, will be told through his own correspondence in a semi-permanent display. The exhibit will feature 10 facsimiles of letters from ALPLM’s collection which are curated and interpreted to help illuminate significant milestones in Lincoln’s life.  NOTE: this exhibit can only be viewed when the Library is open.