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Oldest Hospital Opens Museum Doors
23 Apr
Summary
- Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's oldest, unveils a new museum.
- The museum is housed in the historic Pine Building, serving patients since 1756.
- Exhibits cover 275 years of medical history, from the Revolution to COVID-19.
Pennsylvania Hospital, established in 1756, is commemorating its 275th anniversary by transforming its historic Pine Building into a public museum. This venerable institution, the oldest hospital in the United States, has opened its doors to showcase its rich medical history.
The Pine Building, which served patients until 1971, now houses eight distinct exhibits spread across three floors. Visitors can explore colonial-era artifacts and extensive medical documents, offering a tangible connection to the past. These displays illustrate the hospital's involvement in pivotal historical moments, including the American Revolution and, more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.
The museum also features an authentic surgical amphitheater and a library containing 13,000 volumes of medical journals. A unique highlight is an old hospital log book, which provides intimate glimpses into the lives and contributions of often-forgotten individuals, including women, people of color, nurses, and laundresses, detailing their work and payment records.
