Lincoln Heritage Museum

Lincoln College

The Lincoln Heritage Museum, situated on the campus of Lincoln College, is a premier destination for exploring the life and legacy of the sixteenth president. Recognizing the abundance of Lincoln exhibits across Illinois, the College commissioned a fresh, unique experience that would distinguish them from other sites. They also required the exhibit to be modular and easily changeable to regularly rotate their many artifacts, ensuring repeat visitor engagement.

Taylor Studios was hired to meet this dual challenge by designing and building two floors of completely new gallery space. The first-floor gallery features custom-designed, highly functional artifact cases that allow museum staff to quickly and safely change displays. This area sets the stage for the truly unique, award-winning experience upstairs. In a powerful and provocative moment, Taylor Studios created an immersive encounter that places visitors into Lincoln’s seat at Ford’s Theatre at the exact moment of his assassination.

The installation dramatically unfolds as visitors inhabit Lincoln in the final hours of his life, experiencing his memories and thoughts through a blend of historic artifacts and state-of-the-art theatrical techniques. The result is an unforgettable, high-impact history museum exhibit that brings the sixteenth president’s story to life in a way unlike any other.