Online Exhibits

The State of Sound: A World of Music from Illinois

Experience the on-line version of the critically-acclaimed, award-winning original ALPLM exhibit which was featured in Springfield and in Chicago. The exhibit tells the story of the “Sonic History” of Illinois through mini documentaries, images and artifacts. Written by Dave Hoekstra.

Learn more about The State of Sound: A World of Music from Illinois

The Gettysburg Address Up Close

Get a detailed look at the ALPLM’s copy of Lincoln’s most famous speech through this interactive exhibit. Pop-up boxes will explain key ideas, tell the document’s history, and link to other sources of information. The page also includes a photo gallery and educational resources for teachers and parents.

Learn more about The Gettysburg Address Up Close

Emancipation Proclamation

On the day Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, he reportedly told abolitionist Senator Charles Sumner that it was “the great event of the nineteenth century” and “that the name which is connected with this matter will never be forgotten.” Lincoln was correct that the Emancipation Proclamation would become the focal point of his life and legacy, and it continues to be one of the seminal texts of American History.

Learn more about Emancipation Proclamation

Here I Have Lived: Home In Illinois

Winner of the American Association of State and Local History for Leadership in History.

For centuries the land that has become Illinois has been home. Here our region’s earliest indigenous residents built powerful, lasting communities. And for generations afterward, though immigration, migration, and settler colonialism, Illinoisans have changed the world…by starting at home.

Through their stories and objects, we invite you to explore our shared roots and what it means to truly find a place of belonging. 

Learn more about Here I Have Lived: Home In Illinois