After a two-year, multimillion-dollar renovation, the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum is open to the public. Visitors are once again welcomed to visit one of the world's largest private collections of Lincoln and Civil War material anywhere in the world.
Upcoming Events
Monday, July 6th, 2026 - July 4, 2026, marks the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. To celebrate, a temporary exhibition, Lincoln: Echoes of 1776, will open on July 6, 2026, at the Abraham Lincoln Library & Museum of Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) in Harrogate, TN.
Curated by Jonathan Smallwood, Assistant Director and Curator, the exhibit traces that thread from the forging of a new nation in 1776, through the Founders’ own contradictions on slavery, to Lincoln’s defense of the Declaration and his lasting mark on the country. Across its panels, three central questions are explored: How did the Founding Fathers justify slavery despite advocating for liberty and equality? How did the global history of slavery shape the unique system of racialized chattel slavery that developed in the United States? And how did Abraham Lincoln fight to uphold the ideals of the Declaration of Independence to combat slavery?
It will feature campaign materials from Lincoln’s 1858 Senate race against incumbent Democrat Stephen A. Douglas and from his 1860 presidential campaign. In addition, a special case will showcase a rotating selection of signed documents from the first sixteen presidents, from George Washington to Abraham Lincoln.
“As the nation celebrates 250 years of the Declaration of Independence, there’s no better time to explore how deeply those words shaped Abraham Lincoln,” said Jonathan Smallwood, Assistant Director and Curator. “We’d love to see the surrounding community come out to experience our latest temporary exhibit.”
As part of the nation’s 250th birthday celebration, the Museum will offer free admission for the entire month of July (July 6 - July 31). The first 100 guests will receive an America 250 mug and a copy of the Declaration of Independence. Please note that the Museum will be closed from June 29 to July 5th for the Fourth of July celebration.
The Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum is located on the historic campus of Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. Housing one of the top five Lincoln and Civil War private collections in the world, the Museum is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from noon to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (March through November).
Family Membership
For $60 a year, all individual member/subscriber benefits, plus free ALLM admission for up to four guests per visit for one year
Hours
Please note that the museum is closed on Easter weekend, Thanksgiving weekend, and during all Lincoln Memorial University holiday closures.
The Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum will be closed along with LMU offices beginning on Monday, June 29th, 2026 for Independence Day 250th. The museum will reopen on Monday, July 6th, 2026 at 10am.
