Illinois is the fifth most populous state. Known for its many museums, it is home to the largest presidential library in the nation: the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, which aims to teach visitors about the life and accomplishments of our 16th president, which include steering the country through the Civil War and signing the Emancipation Proclamation to free slaves in the Confederacy.
Also of interest to history buffs staying in vacation homes in Illinois is the Field Museum of Natural History, where tourists can see to this day the preserved forms of two lions that once terrorized a bridge-building project in Kenya, events immortalized in the film The Ghost and the Darkness starring Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas. Other museums of note in Illinois include the Museum of Science and Industry, the John G. Shedd Aquarium, and the world-famous Art Institute of Chicago.
Music lovers will also find much to do in the state, which is home to one of the largest organizations for music education in the country. The Southern Illinois Music Festival takes place each year at the state college campus in Carbondale, and since 1946, Illinois has played host to the Midwest Clinic, a conference for bands and orchestras that welcomes music companies from around the globe.
Every major league sport has a team based in Chicago, the state's largest city. Notable teams include the Chicago Cubs and the White Sox, baseball teams that compete in different leagues, and the Chicago Bulls basketball team.