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Plan Your Visit
Hours
School Group Reservations
Changes in Reservations
Adult Tour Groups
Library Tours
Preparing for your Tour
Chaperone Policy
Rules and Suggestions
Arrival Information
Bus Parking
Additional Parking
Directions
Lunch

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PLAN YOUR SCHOOL VISIT

Hours
Attention: New Hours Effective May 1, 2007

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

LIBRARY PUBLIC HOURS 9:00 AM — 5:00 PM DAILY
CLOSED — New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day

RESEARCH HOURS
MONDAY — FRIDAY — 9:00 AM — 4:30 PM
SATURDAY — 9:00 AM — 3:30 PM
SUNDAY — CLOSED

The Manuscripts, Audiovisual And Lincoln Collections Are Not Open On Saturday.

APPOINTMENTS

Appointments are necessary for research in the Manuscripts, Audiovisual, and Lincoln Collections. Please make arrangements by telephone.

Manuscripts: (217) 558-8855
Audiovisual: (217) 558-8891
Lincoln Collection: (217) 557-8336

Library Research Closings (2007)
The Research Divisions Of The Library Are Closed On Official State Holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, Lincoln's Birthday, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, General Election Day, Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day

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


School Group Reservations
Due to overwhelming demand, 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.

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. As of January 2006, the ALPLM will require one chaperone per every 10 (ten) students. This policy will be strictly enforced beginning Fall 2006. These chaperones will receive complimentary admission. Additional chaperones will be asked to pay ($10.00) upon arrival and check in separately from the group. The ALPLM does not invoice for additional chaperones.


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).

Chaperone Policy
Please Note: As of January 2006, ALPM requires one chaperone per every 10 students. This policy will be strictly enforced beginning Fall 2006. 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 $10.00 and may 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.

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

Teachers and chaperones should plan on 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.

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.


Museum Rules and Suggestions
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 should be turned off.

Photography is allowed only in the Plaza area. No photography is allowed in the theaters, galleries or exhibits.

As a sign of respect to our 16th President, please remove all hats. 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.

If your group has booked other tours through SCVB, we ask that you maintain your SCVB schedule.

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


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
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Cafe offers in-house dining 11am to 4pm daily. Group reservations and catered box lunches are available. Orders and group reservations must be placed 7 days prior to arrival. For menu items and prices, please contact the Museum Cafe directly at 217-523-2247 or fax: 217-523-2248.

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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