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For immediate release
Contact: Beth E. Gerber, Director of Marketing
Telephone: 717-260-1861, Ext. 1201
Children in the Civil War
Special
Exhibit at The National Civil War Museum to Focus on Children of the
Mid-19th Century
Harrisburg, PA (November 23, 2004) - The
National Civil War Museum, located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, today
unveiled its newest exhibition, Young America: Children in the Civil
War. This unique
presentation, which will occupy the Museum’s temporary gallery until
July 2005, focuses on the lives of children during America’s tragic
Civil War. Children at
home, at school, at work and at play were forever caught up in the events
of the day. How did they cope? How
did they play? The exhibit
highlights children’s roles in the War, and the impact the War had on
their personal and family lives, both during the conflict and in
subsequent years.
“This
exhibit is special,” expressed George E. Hicks, CEO of the Museum.
“We know of no other institution, no museum or gallery that has
ever considered children during the Civil War.
We have made a concerted effort to identify and locate a
substantial number of children’s artifacts, and we think that the public
will be find the collection, the images and this rare retrospective both
touching and humbling.”
Artifacts
and photographs have been borrowed from museums all along the east coast
including Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York.
Notable items include the simplest of homemade toys; mid-19th
century log building sets; dolls; board games; sporting equipment;
jewelry; clothing; military costumes; and school books, representing both
the North and the South regions. The
display will also bring to light stories of individual children and their
daily lives during the period.
“The
role of children, during this time, has been overlooked by many throughout
history,” explained Guest Curator, Juanita Leisch Jensen.
“Children and adolescents provided a sense of support during the
War - - assisting with household activities, earning extra income and even
taking on the role of caregiver. The
impact of the conflict was significant on the generation and affected them
deeply.”
The
exhibition was designed to encourage interaction with visitors, especially
children. Guests will
experience a simple replica mid-19th century schoolroom and
have the opportunity to pose in an old-fashion photography studio, and
listening to civil war story time in the theatre.
In
addition to the physical exhibit, the curatorial staff is building
curriculum enhancing materials; developing pre-field trip information; and
creating “traveling trunks” that can be loaned to schools and other
educational institutions.
“The
Museum is an educational resource for this community, for the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania and for the nation,” explained Hicks.
“Providing these materials to local school systems is a natural
fit for us. We are the
three-dimensional extension of the classroom and can offer an in-depth
examination of the lives of children during the mid-19th
century. We hope that
children and family members of today will be able to look back and reflect
upon just how luck we are today.”
Assisting
the Museum staff were a team of individuals assembled to research and
design the special exhibit. Juanita Leisch Jensen served as Guest Curator; Meg Galante-de
Angelis, Assistant Guest Curator; Exhibit Designer, Martha Kelly; Exhibit
Engineer, Roger Bardwell; and Robin Stokes was Exhibit Preparator.
The
exhibit is supported jointly by a grant from the U.S. Department of
Education, by an Act of Congress and the Pennsylvania Historical and
Museum Commission.
The
National Civil War Museum is the only museum in the world dedicated to the
entire scope of the war that divided our nation.
Exhibits are factual, yet humanistic in presentation, without bias
to the Union or Confederate causes.
The
National Civil War Museum, which has an on-site, full-service café and
museum shop, is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,
and Sunday, noon to 5:00 p.m. Admission
to
the Museum is $7.00 for adults, with reduced rates for children, seniors
and families.
For
more information about this unique attraction, please call 717.260.1861,
or visit the Museum’s website at www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org.
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2004
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