The Plaza

The overall master plan of the Museum is a "hub and spoke arrangement." All of the galleries and experiences are arranged around a central hub (The Plaza), which becomes a central orientation point.

The Plaza is at the center of the Museum and is a spectacular setting for special events and after-hours functions. It is also the central gathering place providing access to all other areas of the Museum.

From where you are now standing in the Plaza, here is what you can see around you:

To your left stands a tall, cathedral-like forest cradling the crude cabin representing Lincoln's early years. (Some of these incredibly realistic artificial trees are over 40 feet tall!) Near the edge of the forest is a figure of a 9-year old Lincoln, pausing in his work and taking a moment to read a book. Behind him, the entrance to the cabin stands open, inviting you into Journey One – The Pre-Presidential Years.

From where you still stand in the center of the Plaza, directly ahead, a large portrait of Abraham Lincoln invites you to enter The Union Theater. To your right stands the south portico of the White House, its majestic columns rising high above your head. Out in the Plaza, in front of the White House stand figures portraying the Lincoln family shortly after their arrival in 1861. Use your own camera and take a picture of your family standing with them.

On the White House Portico, to one side, you can see figures of Generals McClellan and Grant and to the other are Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth. The figure of John Wilkes Booth stands off to one side, intently watching Lincoln's back. The open door of the White House invites you into Lincoln's White House during the Civil War. This is the starting point for Journey Two – The White House Years.

Further to the right you can see down a hallway to The Treasures Gallery.

Continuing to glance around the Plaza, you can also see the entrance to both the Ghosts of the Library Holavision Theater® and The Illinois Gallery (the changing exhibit space).

Down the corridor to your left is access to Mrs. Lincoln's Attic (the Kids' Area) and the Cafe.

Back behind you, down the corridor through which you entered, is the Museum Store, the Exit and the Spectacular "Gateway" – your invitation to further historical experiences in central Illinois and beyond.