Check Out the Lincoln Museum’s “Rare and Rarely Seen” Exhibit

If you've never been down to Springfield's Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, they're rolling out for display some really cool and interesting items that visitors would normally not get the chance to see.

Beginning on next Wednesday, September 28th, and running through January 29th of next year, the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum will be highlighting the depth of the library’s collection by showcasing items that rarely get a turn in the spotlight, from a document signed by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson to a pair of shoes from a Nazi concentration camp.

The exhibit is called "Rare and Rarely Seen," and according to Alan Lowe, executive director of the library and museum,

“What makes this exhibit so special is that it shows the depth of our collection through documents and artifacts that, in most cases, have never been on display before. We’re excited to share these rare items with our visitors.”

Some of those items include:

• Wooden shoes worn by a prisoner at the Dachau concentration camp
• A commission naming a federal marshal, signed by President George Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson
• A Howitzer shell representing Illinois that was fired during President Kennedy’s funeral
• A dress worn by Marilyn Monroe
• A letter from Robert E. Lee to Ulysses S. Grant expressing concern that he might be indicted for treason. It includes Grant’s handwritten recommendation that Lee not be prosecuted.

The exhibit also includes two interactive features. One was inspired by the section on politics and will let visitors vote on their favorite item in the exhibit. Another asks visitors to write about rare, precious items from their own lives; their answers will be posted for everyone to see.