The Smithsonian National Museum of American History has been closed for a couple of years for renovation. On September 16, 2008, they held a private showing of select Lincoln “treasures” for the Lincoln Group of Washington DC. Here are some of the items displayed.

	This is the actual hat that Abraham Lincoln wore to Ford’s Theatre the night he was assassinated there. He placed the hat on the floor and it was later picked up and eventually given to the Smithsonian.
	This is the “office suit” that Abraham Lincoln was wearing during the day on April 14, 1865. He changed into another suit before leaving for Ford’s Theatre that evening. Note how think his waist was.
	This is an actual “life mask” of Abraham Lincoln, done in 1860 when he was running for president. It was made by putting plaster on his face to create this mask, so it is a very realistic “portrait” of what he really looked like.
	This is a plaster case of Abraham Lincoln’s face and/or hand(s).
	This is the White House cup that Lincoln drank from before going to Ford’s Theatre the night he was assassinated.
	This is the cuff of Laura Keene’s dress. She was the star of the play “Our American Cousin” the night of Lincoln’s assassination, and she went to Lincoln’s box to give him water, cradling his head in her hands, thus getting his blood on her cuff.
	This is the inkwell that was in the War Department telegraph office. Lincoln said he wrote the Emancipation Proclamation in that office, in ink, and this was the only inkwell there, so this is the inkwell used to write the Emancipation Proclamation.
	This is a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation.
	These are campaign posters used in the 1860 election.
	This is a campaign “ax” used in the election campaign of 1860.
	Abraham Lincoln was the only U.S. President who ever had a patent issued to him. It was for a system to allow boats to get over obstructions in rivers and streams. This is a model used to obtain Lincoln’s patent.
This is jewelry used or worn by Abraham or Mary Lincoln, showing they were successful people.
This is the actual autopsy kit used on Abraham Lincoln after he was assassinated and died on April 15, 1865.
	This is one of the masks that was placed on the defendants in the Lincoln assassination conspiracy trial. They were kept masked in their cells at all times, to embarrass, humiliate, and annoy them.
	These are the shackles and other items used on the Lincoln assassination defendants during their incarceration and t