Lincoln Memorial to pull historic documents from public display over fear of heat damage – report

Rare copies of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment, owned by philanthropist Kenneth C. Griffin, are being removed from public display at the Lincoln Memorial due to concerns over heat damage. The documents, which bear original signatures from Abraham Lincoln and other Civil War-era officials, were on loan for the memorial's new undercroft exhibition, which opened in late June in honor of the United States' 250th anniversary. A spokesperson for Griffin stated, "Out of an abundance of caution, these sacred documents are being temporarily relocated while the National Park Service resolves the environmental challenges driven by the heatwave engulfing Washington DC." Reports indicated that temperatures inside the display case exceeded optimal conditions, with the National Archives recommending temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit for historic documents. The documents will undergo inspection in a climate-controlled facility before their eventual return.