As part of the Smithsonian-wide celebration of the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth, the Museum brought together—for the first time—its unique and unparalleled Lincoln collection in an exhibition that ran through May 2011.
Through a focused selection of nationally important Lincoln artifacts, visitors explored the life and times of this extraordinary figure. Each highlighted object was augmented with personal stories told by Lincoln and the people who knew him best. The exhibition showcased more than 60 historical treasures associated with Lincoln's life from an iron wedge he used to split wood in the early 1830s in New Salem, Ill., to his iconic top hat he wore the night he was shot at Ford’s Theatre. The exhibition told a new and very intimate story of the life and legacy of this remarkable individual.
The website for this exhibition was retired in 2023 due to incompatibility with current web standards. View an archived site snapshot.