As Pennsylvania Hospital — America’s first chartered hospital — marks its 275th anniversary this year, the hospital also plans to celebrate the occasion by transforming its historic Pine Building into a museum. The museum, which officials said would include exhibits that “links the natio n’s first hospital’s rich history with Penn Medicine’s continued leadership in science and medicine,” is set to open to the public in May of this year. “Pennsylvania Hospital is not only linked to the history of just Philadelphia – but to the history of the United States of America:  From caring for soldiers during the American revolution to sending physicians and nurses abroad to care for soldiers in World War I and World War II, from the Yellow Fever in 1793 to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, from brewing healing teas from herbs grown on hospital grounds to developing brain-computer interfaces that can treat conditions like Parkinson’s disease and obsessive-compulsive disorder, ” said Stacey Peeples, Lead Archivist at Pennsylvania Hospital in a statement on the planned new museum. “I am thrilled to illuminate the huge contributions of generations of caregivers, patients and staff, so that every visitor can share in the pride we feel in the history of Pennsylvania Hospital.” Organizers with Pennsylvania Hospital said the opening of the new museum is intended to coincide with the celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. When it opens, organizers said, exhibits will include a preserved historic library and surgical amphitheater along with a newly restored apothecary. There will be eight unique galleries that will feature “interactive video and other hands-on activities to illustrate previously untold stories about Pennsylvania Hospital’s role in the history of modern medicine,” organizers said. Organizers said that highlights of the new museum will include: Brain and mental health: The hospital was first established to provide psychiatric care to Philadelphia’s poorest residents, which at the time was groundbreaking. Since then, Pennsylvania Hospital continues to pioneer cutting-edge technologies to treat complicated conditions, including using Deep Brain Stimulation for binge-eating disorder and thought-powered prosthetics. Women’s health: Today, Pennsylvania Hospital is the busiest birthing hospital in Philadelphia, welcoming over 5,000 babies into the world each year. It paved the way for modern obstetrics and gynecology for centuries, from establishing the first maternity ward in 1803, to addressing racial disparities in maternal health care today. Apothecary and pharmaceuticals: In a reconstruction of the hospital’s original apothecary, the museum traces the history of how illness is treated, from the early therapies created from plants through modern day innovative therapies developed at Penn Medicine, like CAR-T cell therapy and CRISPR gene editing. Leading through conflicts and perseverance: Pennsylvania Hospital played an important role in guiding the nation through challenging times; Starting with the American Revolution, Pennsylvania Hospital cared for soldiers during times of war. The hospital also provided care to Philadelphians during pandemics, from the Spanish Flu all the way through COVID-19. “Pennsylvania Hospital is a jewel in the crown that is Penn Medicine, where our staff draw energy from our rich history to shape the future of medicine,” said Alicia Gresham, CEO of Pennsylvania Hospital in a statement. “It is an honor to preserve this vibrant legacy while steering the hospital forward as we continue to make history through innovation, discovery, and advances that propel Penn Medicine’s mission.” Tickets to the new museum, organizers said, will go on sale this spring. To sign up to receive updates on the new museum, ticket sales, and museum events, visit https://pahmuseum.pennmedicine.org/. ...read more read less