Experience
Hiding among the aged brownstones of Pine Street lives an unknown historical haven: America's oldest chartered Civil War institution. The doors of the museum open into a staggeringly large world of artifacts and records, the largest single assemblage of Civil War related material outside government institutions.
Nine galleries make up the museum, including more than 3,000 artifacts, 7,000 photographs, hundreds of art works and about 400 cubic feet of archival material including firearms, edged weapons, uniforms, paintings, photographs and flags on permanent display.
Want to catch up on your history? Step into the Civil War Library, which houses more than 10,000 volumes on the War and related subjects, dating back to the mid-1800s. Or see one of the special Changing Gallery displays on subjects like women in the war, military railroads, prisons and prisoners of war, and the experiences of black soldiers.
Included in the nine galleries are special rooms dedicated to important figures of the Civil War era, including President Lincoln, General Meade and Jefferson Davis.
History
In 1886, several Companions of the Loyal Legion 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 2, 1888 for the War Library and Museum of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.
Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the United States, was its first elected President. 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 the Loyal Legion.