( CNN ) -- President-elect Barack Obama , who in 10 days will be sworn in using the Bible of his political hero Abraham Lincoln , visited the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on Saturday night with his family . The Obama family walks down the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on Saturday . Obama , wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha made the unannounced stop shortly after 7 p.m . ET . The family walked up the steps of the memorial on a chilly night in Washington and then visited the museum at the site . On the way out , they stopped at the edge of the reflecting pool . The parents were seen pointing in the distance to the Capitol and the Washington Monument . The Obamas spent about a half-hour at the memorial before returning to the Hay-Adams Hotel , where they are staying . Watch the family at the memorial » . Obama will be the first president to use the Lincoln Bible for his inauguration since Lincoln used it in 1861 . Inauguration organizers have said Obama 's inaugural theme , `` A New Birth of Freedom , '' was inspired by Lincoln 's Gettysburg Address . Learn more about the Lincoln Memorial » . The president-elect also plans a train trip from Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , to Washington three days before the inauguration , following the final leg of the train route taken by Lincoln .
Obamas made unannounced stop at memorial on Saturday . They spent a half-hour at the site before returning to hotel . Barack Obama will use Lincoln 's Bible at his inauguration this month .