Exhibitions

Broken Bodies, Suffering Spirits: Injury, Death, and Healing in Civil War Philadelphia

No Civil War battles were fought in or near Philadelphia, but the war came here in other ways. On trains and steamboats, tens of thousands of wounded and sick soldiers arrived in the city, to be cared for in local hospitals. 

What was it like to fight, to become sick or injured, to take care of the wounded? Why did people—especially women—volunteer to work day and night to relieve the suffering of soldiers? What was it like to miss home or die alone? 

What was it like to fight, to become sick or injured, to take care of the wounded?

We explore these questions via artifacts, anatomical specimens, and illustrations from the Museum’s and other collections. You can even step inside our interactive experience that lets you see what it would be like to have an arm amputated.

To see our Civil War Medicine video series CLICK HERE!

Explore our Civil War lessons plans HERE!

This exhibition is supported jointly by a grant from the following organizations. 

The following organizations loaned objects or provided support for this exhibition: 

• Hancock House
• Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library
• The 3rd Infantry Regiment (re-enactors), United States Colored Troops
• Citizens for the Preservation of Historic LaMott and Camp William Penn

Civil War Resources

• Biography of Cornelia Hancock
• Civil War History Consortium 
• Delaware Valley Civil War Roundtable
• Laurel Hill Cemetery
• National Museum of Civil War Medicine
• Pennsylvania Civil War 150. 
• Seminary Ridge Museum Gettysburg
• The Woodlands