National Museum of Civil War Medicine facts for kids
Front doors of the museum
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| Established | 1990 |
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| Location | 48 East Patrick Street Frederick, Maryland |
| Type | History museum |
The National Museum of Civil War Medicine is a special place in Frederick, Maryland. It teaches visitors all about how doctors, nurses, and medics helped soldiers during the American Civil War (1861–1865). This museum shows what medical care was like during this important time in history.
Discovering the Museum's Past
A doctor named Gordon E. Damman first thought of creating this museum. He collected many medical items from the Civil War. The museum officially started in 1990. It opened its doors to visitors in 1996.
In October 2000, the museum moved to its current home. This building is a three-story brick building from the 1800s. During the Civil War, it was a shop for furniture and funerals.
Exploring Civil War Medical Care
The museum is about 7,000-square-foot (650 m2) in size. It has five special exhibits that make you feel like you are there. These "immersion exhibits" show different parts of medical life during the Civil War.
- Life in an Army Camp: See what daily life was like for soldiers. Learn about the challenges they faced.
- Evacuation of the Wounded: Understand how injured soldiers were moved from the battlefield.
- Field Dressing Station: Discover where soldiers first received quick medical help.
- Field Hospital: Explore a temporary hospital set up close to the fighting.
- Military Hospital Ward: See what a larger, more permanent hospital looked like.
These exhibits use real tools and equipment from the war. You can see the only known surviving Civil War surgeon’s tent. There are also surgical kits and items related to animal care.
Sharing Knowledge and History
The museum also helps share information in other ways. In 2006, it published its first book. The book was called Prologue to Change: African Americans in Medicine in the Civil War Era.
Since 1993, the museum has held a yearly meeting. This meeting brings together experts to talk about Civil War-era medicine.
Other Museum Locations
The National Museum of Civil War Medicine also helps manage other historical sites:
- Pry House Field Hospital Museum: Since 2006, the museum has helped run this site. It is located at the Antietam National Battlefield.
- Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office: In 2014, the museum opened this office in Washington, D.C.. This was the place where Clara Barton worked to find missing soldiers after the war.
