I’m backdating the next few by a few days. I went to the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg on a recent day off. I got there at 2:30, and had plenty of time to peruse the entire museum by the time they closed at 5.

They have some interesting multimedia exhibits, including a triptych set of televisions playing a short video featuring letters from characters living every day lives surrounding the civil war. There is a large use of manikins.

I appreciated the depth of the exhibits, they had an example of pretty much every uniform imaginable from the war: army, navy, marines, even rare ones like Zouaves. There is an impression collection of flags and bayonets. I really like the film that they play near the end. And the Abraham Lincoln room is also very nicely done.

Now what I didn’t like: the museum building is MASSIVE, but the museum takes up less than half of it. There are a large number offices on both floors. There are typos throughout the museum. Many easily noticeable ones — if someone had just proofread the labels. They mentioned a navy man who had invented a “naval fun.” They definitely meant naval gun and even later on had an imagine of the man WITH the naval gun.

Overall, it tried. If you’re interested in Civil War history, and especially uniforms – this is the place for you. It could have been more nicely done if they hired a proofreader. I myself will just go back to Gettysburg next time.

All my best,

K., RN