Lincoln Presidential Library & Theme Park

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum has (or will) received a couple of awards. One of them seems to validate what some of the museum’s critics have been saying.

Recall critics have chided the museum for being a Disney-like Lincoln theme park. Well, they seem to share that opinion with some admirers:

The Lincoln museum is one of 13 recipients of 2005 Thea Awards for achievement in the creation of compelling places and experiences.

"(TEA) is the equivalent in our industry of the Motion Picture Academy," which awards the Oscars, [Bob Rogers, head of BRC Imagination Arts, the firm that designed the high-tech museum] said. "It's a competition of the best of the best in the entire world."

This year's awards recognized accomplishments in seven countries for sites ranging from amusement parks to zoos.

[snip]

Other recipients of this year's Thea Awards include Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., "The Curse of DarKastle - The Ride" at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va., "Fear Factor Live" at Universal Studios in Hollywood, "Images of Singapore" at Sentosa Island in Singapore and "The Lifeline Table" exhibit at the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Room in London.

The awards will be presented at a black-tie gala on March 18 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.

Oh well, at least Ft Wayne’s museum isn’t getting the awards.