History |
|---|
The Civil War Museum of Philadelphia has a long history and is considered to be the first Civil War museum in the United States. The collection was begun by veterans of the armed forces who created the Military Order of the Loyal Legions of the United States (MOLLUS) in 1865. The museum was chartered in 1888. The Civil War Museum of Philadelphia’s purpose is to interpret the history of the Civil War; to preserve the artifacts and other material objects and archives that help to tell the stories of the men and women who went to battle and who lived through that time; and to use programs, research, and exhibitions to engage the public in a dialogue about the meaning of that conflict and the reasons that it was fought. |
In 1886, several "Companions", as members were called, of MOLLUS began forming a Civil War library and museum to serve as a repository for their records, relics, memorabilia, souvenirs, artifacts, and awards. A charter and certificate of incorporation were granted on May 24, 1888 for The War Library and Museum of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. “Companion” Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th President of the United States, was the first elected Commander-in-Chief. The collection was kept in various locations in Philadelphia until the purchase of 1805 Pine Street in 1922 to house the collection and to serve as the Headquarters of MOLLUS. The collection is the result of over a century of acquisition and conservation of a full range of artifacts, documentary material, books and memorabilia of the Civil War . |
The Museum’s collection includes over 3000 artifacts, more than 7000 photographs, and hundreds of works of art. Firearms, edged weapons, musical instruments, uniforms, and flags are among the most evocative items in the collection. Letters, diaries, and scrapbooks tell the personal stories of soldiers, sailor and their families, bringing the rest of the collection to life. |
The Museum was closed as of August 2008 The collection was moved into storage (Moving the Collection) in preparation for the conservation and exhibit design work needed for the new museum. |
The Civil War Museum’s library of over 7000 books, documents and archival material will be housed in the new Civil War Heritage Center to be built at the Union League of Philadelphia. The Civil War Museum’s collection will represent over 60% of the Heritage Center’s holdings, making this material more widely accessible to researchers and the public. |