Although most of the American Civil War was fought outside of Ohio’s borders, more than 300,000 Ohioans were Union Army soldiers. The Buckeye State played a major role in determining the wars outcome and the collections of the Ohio Historical Society contain thousands of items from this pivotal period in the states history.
For the first time ever, the Ohio Historical Society will officially offer behind-the-scenes tours of its vast collections to the publicmany of the objects having never been seen before by visitors. With the upcoming commemoration of the Civil War Sesquicentennial from 2011 to 2015, the first of the series will be Sneak Peaks: Civil War Collections.
Participants will get an exclusive, guided tour through the Ohio Historical Societys Civil War objects and collections that arent on exhibit and are stored in areas not open to the public. This tour will focus on the flags, weapons, military accessories and clothing related to the Civil War era in and around Ohio. Its a very special tour that allows participants to experience the real stuff of Civil War history, said Jason Crabill, manager of Curatorial Services. Folks will have a chance to taste traditional soldier food, hold real military equipment and smell the actual campfire smoke as our curators share the stories behind the collection pieces and talk about preserving and caring for these treasures of Ohios past. Each Sneak Peak tour will be limited to 8-12 participants. The intimate, two-hour tour experience will start from the Ohio Historical Center. he tours will be Thursday evenings on April 14, May 12 and June 9 from 6:30-9 p.m. Cost will be $150 per person. Registration is required and is on a first-call basis. For more information or to register for this one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore Ohios Civil War past, call 800.686.1541. Dates: July 21 6:30-9 PM July 30 6:30-9 PM Cost: $150 per person. Each tour is limited to 8-12 participants. Contact: Call us at 800.686.1541 for information and booking.
