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 museum in Frederick, Maryland. It teaches visitors all about how doctors, nurses, and surgeons helped soldiers during the American Civil War (1861–1865). This museum shows what medical care was like back then.
Discovering Civil War Medicine
The idea for this museum came from Dr. Gordon E. Damman. He was a collector of medical items from the Civil War. The museum officially started in 1990 and first opened its doors 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 used by a furniture maker and also an undertaker.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum is about 7,000-square-foot (650 m2) big. It has five main exhibits that make you feel like you are there. These exhibits show different parts of medical care during the Civil War.
Inside the Exhibits
- Army Camp Life: See what life was like for soldiers in their camps.
- Evacuating the Wounded: Learn how injured soldiers were moved from battlefields.
- Field Dressing Station: Discover where soldiers first received quick medical help.
- Field Hospital: Explore a hospital set up close to the fighting.
- Military Hospital Ward: See what a larger hospital looked like for longer care.
These exhibits use real tools and equipment from the war. You can see the only known surviving surgeon’s tent from the Civil War. There are also surgical kits and items related to animal care (veterinary medicine).
Learning More Through Books and Conferences
In 2006, the museum published its first book. It was called Prologue to Change: African Americans in Medicine in the Civil War Era by Robert G. Slawson. Since 1993, the museum has also hosted a yearly national meeting. This conference brings together experts to discuss Civil War-era medicine.
Other Museum Locations
The National Museum of Civil War Medicine also helps run other important sites:
- Pry House Field Hospital Museum: Since 2006, the museum has worked with the U.S. National Park Service to operate 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.. Clara Barton was a famous nurse who helped find missing soldiers after the war.
