New exhibit digs deep into Abe Lincoln’s past (and his pockets)

Posted by admin on May 20, 2009

If you’ve ever wondered what was in Abraham Lincoln’s pockets the night he was assassinated, here’s your chance to find out. To celebrate Lincoln’s 200th birthday, the California Museum for History, Women, and the Arts in Sacramento presents "With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition," which charts Lincoln’s growth from prairie lawyer to preeminent statesman.

On loan from the collections of the Library of Congress, this exhibit offers a chance to view rarely seen treasures from Lincoln’s life. The California Museum is one of only five museums in the country to host this exhibit, and the only one west of Nebraska.

The exhibit, which runs from June 24 to August 22, is a unique opportunity to learn about an icon who has represented equality, tolerance, and inspiration for the last two centuries. Among the artifacts on display are the Bible that Presidents Lincoln and Obama took the Oath of Office upon, the earliest existing draft of the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln’s presidential debates scrapbook, and the grammar textbook Lincoln used to teach himself proper English. Also on display are other assassination-related items, such as the blood-stained notes of Lincoln’s family physician describing the president’s final hours.

Visitors will also have a chance to explore letters, documents, photographs, and political cartoons related to the 16th president, more than 200 artifacts in all. Supporting the exhibit are interactive computer stations and video presentations offering a detailed, virtual close-up of some of the artifacts on display.