ADA Needs

Special Accommodations Available

The Museum is equipped to accommodate the needs of guests with disabilities and to assist with special needs.

Wheelchairs and Assistive Devices 

• To avoid possible lines at the Journeys or theaters, we recommend scheduling your visit Sundays and Mondays, or any day of the week from mid-November through the first of March.
• Guests with wheelchairs or walkers may be dropped off at the Museum Entrance at Sixth and Jefferson streets.
• Motorized wheelchairs are permitted.
• A limited supply of complimentary wheelchairs and strollers are available on a first-come, first-serve basis to Museum guests and can be requested at the will-call desk. 
• Complimentary wheelchairs are also available when viewing the exhibit inside Union Station. Please ask the staff at Union Station for assistance.
• Strollers must fit within Museum guidelines. Umbrella strollers are recommended.

Listening Devices 

Each theater is equipped with ADA devices for both the hearing and the visually impaired.

• Assistive devices are available in the theaters
  • Our enhanced audio device boosts the show's soundtrack.
  • Our visual device provides an audio narration of the show's action.
  • Reflective captioning is available for the deaf, please notify theater staff to have the device set-up.
• To request a sign language interpreter, visitors must notify Guest Services at 217-558-8914 two weeks prior to your museum visit.

Foreign Language Guides 

• Scripts of the theater presentations “Lincoln’s Eyes” and “Ghosts of the Library” are available in French, German, Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish. To request a copy for use while at the Museum, locate a staff member outside the theater for assistance.
• Cards showing the layout of the museum are available in French, German, Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish.
• If a translator/aide is assisting a visitor, their admission is free upon notifying Guest Services.​ To request assistance, visitors must notify Guest Services at 217-558-8914 two weeks prior to your museum visit.

Sensory Friendly Accommodations

The ALPLM offers numerous resources to help visitors with developmental and learning disabilities, sensitivity to sensory overload, or Autism Spectrum Disorders enjoy their visit. Please use these resources to prepare for your visit to the ALPLM or use them during your visit to supplement your experience in the museum.

Social Story

Download, print, and read our Social Stories (PDF) about key exhibits in the ALPLM. This will help you prepare for your visit and give you an overview of the rules of the museum.

• ALPLM Social Story
• Social Story: Slavery
• Social Story: The Assassination of President Lincoln

Learn more about Social Story

Sensory Map and Temperature Variations

Some areas in the Museum may overstimulate sensitive visitors. Some areas also have tactile portions to them. In the resources below, we have ranked the areas using a Green, Yellow, and Red scale to indicate the potential to overstimulate. Download these Microsoft Word documents to help you plan your visit.

• Journey One (The Pre-Presidential Years)
• Journey Two (The White House Years)  
• Theaters, Galleries, Kids Area and Other Exhibit Spaces

Temperature Variations: As is the case for most museums, we house a variety of different artifacts that require us to keep the Museum at a lower temperature. Areas that experience drastic changes are noted on the sensory maps. You may wish to bring along a jacket or sweater for your visit.

Learn more about Sensory Map and Temperature Variations

Busy Bags

Our Busy Bags provide a variety of fidgets, noise-canceling headphones, Sensory Maps, Social Stories, and a selection of PECS Cards to aid in your visit and allow for a sensory-friendly tour of the ALPLM.

Busy Bags are made possible by the gracious sponsorship of the Judith G. Stephens Chairpersons Fund Community Grants Program Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

Learn more about Busy Bags