The Collection

The Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection was begun in 1905 when the Lincoln National Life Insurance Company was founded in Fort Wayne. The company’s organizers sought association with the values of Abraham Lincoln and, accordingly, named their company for the former president and began acquiring Lincoln material. For more history, click here.

The Collection grew to one of the largest in the world and was housed in a museum in Fort Wayne.  When the Lincoln Financial Group closed the museum and donated its Collection to the State of Indiana in 2008, portions of the Collection were deposited for safekeeping and display in two separate institutions:

The Indiana State Museum holds the fine art, sculpture, prints and engravings, sheet music and three-dimensional artifacts. Click to view and search online.

The Allen County Public Library holds the books, newspapers, documents, and photographs – comprising over 20,000 items. The Library continually works to sort, catalog, and digitize this material, making it conveniently available online and displaying items of special interest in public exhibitions at the Library. Click to view online.

The Rolland Center for Lincoln Research actively supports the care and display and scholarly use of the Collection, financially as well as through programs and publications that draw upon material in the Collection.

Public Exhibitions

Exciting and educational displays of the Collection are regularly available at both the Indiana State Museum and the Allen County Public Library (where the Rolland Center is housed).

• Exhibits at the Indiana State Museum
• Public displays and archived programs at the Allen County Public Library