New Civil War exhibit at State Museum to open in time for 150th anniversary

“Objects of Valor: Commemorating the Civil War in Pennsylvania,” opens Friday, 19 April, and will include an exhibit displaying Pennsylvania's role in the Civil War. The evening will include a free reception from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., sponsored in part by the Friends of the State Museum and in conjunction with Harrisburg’s 3rd in the Burg, a monthly celebration of arts and entertainment.

Artifacts donated during the past 100 years by veterans and their families will be on display. They include sashes, swords and paintings of famous Civil War generals to ordinary, everyday items saved by common soldiers to memorialize their experience in the war. The gallery will feature more recent acquisitions such as objects associated with the United States Colored Troops (USCT). The museum’s outstanding collection of Civil War presentation swords, one of the best of its kind in the country, can be seen in a custom designed case.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for children and senior citizens. For more information about the museum, visit www.statemuseumpa.org.

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