honestly, this museum is cool

Today EIB and I went to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, which we highly recommend.

As I recall, the museum has caught some flak for being too slick and modern, and perhaps even pandering in the way it sells 19th-century history and politics to a modern audience. But I think the site does an excellent job of telling a big story in an approachable way, and tries to show all points of view when telling Lincoln’s story.

In addition to more traditional exhibits, the museum includes life-sized figures, videos, a mock TV studio, even a holographic show that explains why presidential libraries are important. (I did think that was a bit of preaching to the choir. I mean, we came all the way here to see Lincoln’s kid gloves and his wife’s handkerchief. We’re convinced that this all is worthwhile.)

The best display, in my opinion, was “The Civil War in Four Minutes,” a silent movie that showed, on a map, the advance/retreat of each side, as well as the casualty count, with major battles and major events also highlighted. Each second of the show equaled one week of Civil War activity. This display really helped me understand military strategy in a way that I never have before.

I should spend more time in Springfield, which has one of the best (and now smoke-free) Americana clubs within a short drive. In fact, I went down Friday night to see Paul Burch and the WPA Ballclub. I never tire of seeing Paul Burch, just as I never tire of going to museums.