“Lincoln” Movie Props Coming To Springfield

A piece of Hollywood is coming to Illinois early next year. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg is sending props and sets from the movie “Lincoln” to be part of a new exhibit at Springfield’s Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.

The exhibit called "Lincoln: From History to Hollywood' will actually be across the street from the museum, in the restored Union Station, a train depot in Lincoln's day.

The museum will get two big sets: the Lincoln bedroom, and the cabinet room in which the president — played by Daniel Day-Lewis — argued for passage of a constitutional amendment to abolish slavery.

Museum spokesman Chris Wills said the items are on an indefinite loan, with no timeline for how long the exhibit will last.

"We envision it being here for several years - you know, five years or so," Wills said. "And if at the end of that period it's still seems to be going well - still seems to be popular - and the kind folks at Dreamworks are still open to letting us use it, then it will remain after that."

DreamWorks is not charging the state anything for the exhibit, which was previously on display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

Visitors will have to pay $5 to see just the movie stuff, or $3 on top of regular museum admission. The exhibit is free for children accompanied by an adult.