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Plan Your Visit
Hours
School Group Reservations
Field Trip Confirmation
Packets

 
Changes in Reservations
Adult Tour Groups
Library Tours
Preparing for your Tour
Transportation Grants
ALPLM Chaperone Policies
ALPLM Field Trip Rules
Souvenir Bag Order Form
Museum Scavenger Hunts
Arrival Information
Bus Parking
Additional Parking
Directions
Lunch
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PLAN YOUR SCHOOL VISIT

Hours


MUSEUM 9:00 AM — 5:00 PM DAILY (ticket sales end at 4:00PM)
CLOSED — New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day
Cafe offers in-house dining (10am - 4pm daily)

Click here for hours and information about The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library

UNION STATION
9:00 AM — 5:00 PM DAILY
CLOSED — New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day


School Group Reservations
All group visits to the Museum must be scheduled through the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB). School sponsored groups booked through the SCVB will be admitted to the Museum free of charge June – February. March – May there is a $4.00 per student fee.

"School Group" Criteria: To qualify as a "school group" all criteria below must be met:

  • A "school group" must originate from a state accredited public or a private school recognized by the state’s official department of education
  • Students must represent an academic class for which they receive a grade
  • Students will be accompanied by teachers who are being paid by the school district for this day
  • The school principal will sign the School Admission Form acknowledging his/her approval of the field trip.
  • Home Schools are considered a school group and should schedule through the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau by following the directions below.

Please go on-line and access the Youth and School Group Reservation Form at the Springfield Convention and Visitors' Bureau website http://www.visit-springfieldillinois.com. Click on Print Reservation Form, complete the form indicating the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum as one of your options, and send via U.S. Mail to SCVB, 109 N. 7th St. Springfield, IL 62701. Upon receipt, your reservation request form will be dated stamped, processed and returned via U.S. Mail as soon as possible. Please be advised that the volume of requests for ALPM tours has considerably lengthened the processing time.

Please Note: School sponsored group tours (15 people or more) scheduled through the Springfield Convention and Visitors' Bureau will be complimentary during the months of June - February. The ALPLM will require one chaperone per every 10 (ten) students. This policy will be strictly enforced. These chaperones will receive complimentary admission. Additional chaperones will be asked to pay ($12.00) upon arrival and check in separately from the group. During March - May there is a $4.00 per student fee. The ALPLM does not invoice for additional chaperones.


Field Trip Confirmation Packets
Teachers making reservations through SCVB to tour the ALPLM will receive an electronic confirmation from the ALPLM via email. This message will be sent to the primary contact person listed on the registration form. The email message will contain documents required for your tour. The email message has a "read receipt for this message" box. Therefore, it is the school's responsibility to follow the required procedures for the field trip.

Changes in Museum Reservations
Changes in all Museum reservations must be made in writing to the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau on official school letterhead and signed by the school principal or school tour coordinator. Changes will not be accepted by phone. SCVB, 109 N. 7th St. Springfield, IL 62701.

Adult Tour Groups
For adult groups wishing to tour the ALPM, the Springfield Convention and Visitors' Bureau is accepting requests at this time for June 1st or later visits. Please go on-line and access the Springfield Convention and Visitors' Bureau website at http://www.visit-springfieldillinois.com.

Library Tours
Library tours are conducted free of charge by the Volunteer Services Department and must be scheduled. The SCVB does not schedule Library tours.

Preparing For Your School Tour
The goal of our Education Department is to provide your class with the highest possible quality Museum experience. We encourage you to download our Teacher Resource Guides which include pre-visit, inhouse, and post-visit activities designed to enhance your visit to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Complex. The Museum Experience Teacher Resource Guide is specific for school tours of the Museum and includes a Museum Questionnaire (scavenger hunt).

Transportation Grants



The Winnick Family Foundation generously provides funding for transportation grant opportunities to certified classroom teachers nationwide. These grants can help put eligible schools on the road to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library/Museum where visitors are immersed in Lincoln's world and time through scholarship and showmanship.
Download Winnick Grant Application


ALPLM Chaperone Policies
ALPLM requires one chaperone per every 10 students. This policy will be strictly enforced. These chaperones will be admitted free of charge with the school group. Aides accompanying special needs students over and above the 1 to 10 ratio will also be granted complimentary admission. Additional adults will be charged the adult admission rate of $12.00 and will be asked to check in separately from the group. ALPLM does not invoice for additional adult tickets. Tickets can be purchased online three days prior to tour or at the ticket counter.

  1. Teachers and chaperones MUST stay with their assigned groups at all times, including visits to the gift shop, the restrooms and the theaters. Groups should be assigned to chaperones prior to arrival.

  2. Teachers and chaperones are responsible for guiding their assigned group throughout the museum. Docents will be on hand to answer questions and provide assistance but they will not conduct formal tours. For more information on our galleries, exhibits and theaters, click here.

  3. Chaperones are strongly discouraged from bringing additional children on scheduled school tours.
  4. If your group has booked other tours through SCVB, it is the teachers'/chaperones' responsibility to maintain your SCVB schedule.

Arrive at the theaters at least five minutes before show time. It is the chaperone's or group leader's responsibility to get your group to each theater at the appropriate time. Groups must remain together in the theaters.

ALPLM Field Trip Rules
The museum and its exhibits are designed for students in the 4th grade and up. Some of the exhibits and theater presentations may be disturbing for younger children. Strobes are used in the Union Theater presentation.

No backpacks or large bags will be allowed. Umbrellas and bags exceeding a size limit of 11x16x8 must be left on the bus or checked. Headsets, personal stereos and other electronic equipment must be left on the bus or checked. Cell phones must be turned off. Students who text or use a cell phone as a light source in the theaters or exhibits may be escorted from the theater by Museum security. It is the chaperone's responsibility to see that students adhere to this policy.

Photography is allowed only in the Plaza area and "Mrs. Lincoln's Attic." No photography, including cell phones, is allowed in the theaters, galleries or exhibits.

As a sign of respect to our 16th President, please remove all hats, hoodies, and other head coverings unless worn for medical or religious reasons. Use quiet voices in the museum.

No food, beverages, candy or gum are allowed in the Museum. The Museum is a smoke-free facility.

Bringing siblings of varying ages on scheduled school tours is strongly discouraged.

The entire museum is monitored by video surveillance. Please do not touch the exhibits.

Bus drivers accompanying a scheduled school group will receive complimentary admission.


Souvenir Bag Order Form

Place your souvenir bag order for your next field trip, birthday party, or educational event. Our grab bags include pencils, postcards, pencil toppers, rulers, etc, depending on the denomination. They are great souvenirs to help the students/guests remember their trip to our Museum.
Click here to download your Grab Bag Order Form. PDF

Museum Scavenger Hunts

These scavenger hunts may be used by students, families, or adults as a means of focusing on museum exhibit content. Some can be used prior to a tour, some during a tour, and some as follow-up to a tour. All are different, all are fun, and all can be used as a learning tool. Please take a look at each one to determine which one best suits you, your group, and your research skill level. Have Fun!
Exhibit Exploration PDF
Exhibit Explorations Answers PDF
Lincoln Timeline Scavenger Hunt Questions PDF
Lincoln Timeline Scavenger Hunt Answers PDF
Museum Experience Questionnaire PDF
Historic Honors PDF

Arrival Information
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled tour time. You have been scheduled for an EXACT tour time. Late arrivals may forfeit their tour. Early arrivals may not be granted entry until their scheduled tour time.

Your bus will be met by an ALPM docent who will provide you with further instructions. Do not unload your bus before speaking with an ALPM docent.

Busses will drop off students at the south end of the ALPM on Jefferson Street (one-way West). See map.

Busses will pick up students on the west side of the ALPM on 6th Street (one way North). See map.



Bus Parking
Busses may park in a designated lot off 6th Street between Madison and Mason. Bus parking is free. A code is required to exit the lot. An ALPM staff person or docent will provide this code upon your arrival.

Additional Parking
The museum parking ramp is located one block north of the Museum on Sixth Street at Madison. The rate is $.75 cents per 1/2 hour or $1.50 per hour.

Directions
Due to the one-way street system in downtown Springfield the following directions are advised for bus drop off.

From Springfield's Clear Lake Avenue Exit: Proceed West on Clear Lake. Clear Lake will turn into Jefferson Street (one way West). The Museum Bus Drop Off is located on the North side of Jefferson between Sixth and Seventh Street.

From Chicago, take I-55 South to the West Clear Lake Avenue Exit.

From Champaign, take I-72 West. Proceed to IL-97/West Clear Lake Avenue.

From St. Louis, take I-55 North to West Clear Lake Avenue Exit.

From Jacksonville, take I-36 East to I-55 North. Proceed to West Clear Lake Avenue Exit.

From Indianapolis, take I-74 West to I-72 West. Proceed to IL-97/West Clear Lake Avenue.

From Peoria, take I-74 East to I-155 South to I-55 South. Proceed to West Clear Lake Avenue Exit.

From Des Moines, take I-80 East to I-74 East. Proceed to I-155 South to I-55 South. Proceed to West Clear Lake Avenue Exit.

From Kankakee, take I-57 South to I-72 West. Proceed to IL-97/West Clear Lake Avenue.


Lunch
SUBWAY® offers in-house dining 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. Box lunches are also available and orders must be placed 7 days prior to arrival. For menu items and prices, please contact Subway directly at (217) 523-2247 or fax: (217) 523-2248.

Subway Box Lunch Options

In addition, Springfield offers several lunch options for school groups. Many local restaurants can accommodate large groups when given advance notice. For more information on area restaurants visit the Springfield Convention and Visitor Bureau Restaurant Listings.

Springfield also offers a variety of picnic areas including:

  • Union Square Park (directly opposite Museum—no reservations required)
  • Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site
  • Capitol Complex Visitor Center
  • Lincoln's Souvenir & Gift Shop (near Lincoln's Tomb)
  • City Parks (no bus parking, only pick up and drop off)

For more information on picnic areas visit the Springfield Convention and Visitor Bureau Picnic Area Listings.


 


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