The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a new book and exhibit that shine a fresh light on the nation’s 16th president.
The book, Lincoln: A Life and Legacy that Defined a Nation in 100 Objects, features famous artifacts and little-known treasures that reveal Lincoln’s family life, political rise, and the people whose lives were changed by the Civil War. It was written by museum executive director Christina Shutt and acquisitions head Dr. Ian Hunt, and published this week by Rizzoli New York.
A companion exhibit, Lincoln: A Life and Legacy that Defined a Nation, opened Friday and showcases about 50 artifacts from the book—including the desk where Lincoln drafted his First Inaugural Address, a leather portfolio he carried at the White House, and the last ax he ever used. New “smart-glass” cases and animated historic photos help bring Lincoln’s era to life.
The exhibit runs through April 26, 2026, and admission is included with regular museum tickets. Proceeds from book sales benefit the ALPLM Public Trust.
For more information, visit PresidentLincoln.illinois.gov.
