The Civil War Museum of Philadelphia Records

The Civil War Museum of Philadelphia was chartered in Philadelphia in 1888 with the goals of “the collection, preservation and maintenance of a free library, more particularly upon military and naval subjects relating to the War of the Rebellion in the United States of America, the formation of a museum of implements, relics and muniments of war, and the erection and maintenance of a building for lectures and meetings.” Rutherford B. Hayes served as the Museum’s first president. The Museum was housed in various rented spaces until 1922, when it was moved to 1805 Pine Street. In 2008, the Museum was closed to prepare for a new building, originally intended to open in 2014. After the museum closed, Founding Forward took stewardship of the two-dimensional items while the three-dimensional (objects) items were brought to the Gettysburg Foundation.

The Civil War Museum of Philadelphia records date from 1886 to 2006. The collection consists of institutional records, including general correspondence, financial records, and minute books; administrative records associated with the Board of Governors, the museum registrar, and exhibition planning; educational multimedia materials; and scrapbooks, clippings, and other ephemera. The collection documents the administration and activities of the Civil War Museum of Philadelphia. This collection could prove valuable for researchers interested in the museum itself, as well as for those interested in the history of museum administration in the Philadelphia area.

Overall, the collection documents the establishment, administration and activities of the Civil War Museum of Philadelphia, as well as relationships with other individuals and organizations. These relationships along with the administrative records constitute an interesting glimpse into the history of museums in the Philadelphia area. Additionally, the exhibition records and research files reveal trending subjects in the study of the Civil War. This collection is valuable for researchers interested in Civil War heritage, the Civil War Museum itself, and also the history of general museum administrative practices in the Philadelphia area.