One Vast Hospital – Civil War Walking Tour in Downtown Frederick
2025-08-02 10:30, 2025-08-03 14:00, 2025-08-09 10:30, 2025-08-10 14:00, 2025-08-16 10:30, 2025-08-17 14:00, 2025-08-23 10:30, 2025-08-24 14:00 UTC and 10 more dates | National Museum of Civil War Medicine, 48 E. Patrick St., Frederick, 21701, United States
Saturdays and Sundays from April through September
Walk in the footsteps of doctors, nurses, soldiers and civilians who cared for 8,000 wounded soldiers in Downtown Frederick.
Join NMCWM docents for a walking tour of Downtown Frederick focused on the city’s role as a makeshift hospital in the final months of 1862 every Saturday (10:30 a.m.) and Sunday (2:00 p.m.) from April through September.
Tickets are $15 and include admission to the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in addition to the walking tour. Tickets are free for Museum members, but you must still reserve your spot. Reservations will be accepted on a first come first served basis.
In September 1862, a newspaper correspondent from the Philadelphia Inquirer referred to Frederick as “one vast hospital.” In the aftermath of America’s bloodiest day at Antietam on September 17, 1862, over 8,000 wounded soldiers, Union and Confederate, were brought to make-shift hospital wards in Frederick’s churches, schools, hotels, and private homes. From the diaries and letters of the surgeons, soldiers, and civilians who were there, this guided walking tour will explore the locations of the city’s Civil War hospitals in churches, schools, and public buildings. Many of those same buildings still make up the historic district today.

Foundations of Frederick Walking Tour
2025-08-23 10:30 | Heritage Frederick, 24 E Church ST, Frederick, Maryland, 21701
Experience the history and beauty of downtown as knowledgeable guides share the fascinating stories that make up historic Frederick, Maryland.

Civil War Walking Tour
2025-08-30 10:30, 2025-09-06 10:30 | Heritage Frederick, 24 E Church ST, Frederick, Maryland, 21701
Explore what it was like to live in Frederick during the Civil War. Stories include the last Confederate invasion of the North, the ransom of Frederick, and the Battle of Monocacy.

Frederick in the Civil War: A Bus Tour of the Historic City
2025-09-07 14:30 | National Museum of Civil War Medicine, 48 E. Patrick St., Frederick, 21701, United States
Step back in time aboard a vintage 1966 double-decker bus for a fascinating one-hour journey through Downtown Frederick, exploring the city’s critical role in the Civil War and the evolution of battlefield medicine.
Departing from the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, this guided tour is led by a professional docent who will share gripping stories of local hospitals, heroic caregivers, and the medical innovations that emerged from wartime necessity. As you roll through historic streets and landmarks, you’ll gain insight into the challenges faced by doctors, nurses, and soldiers alike during one of the most pivotal periods in American history.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
– Explore Frederick’s Civil War history through a medical lens aboard a restored 1966 double-decker bus
– Hear expert narration from a professional museum docent
– Visit key sites where wounded soldiers were treated
– A unique educational experience in the heart of historic Frederick
– Every ticket includes admission to the National Museum of Civil War Medicine
DEPARTS FROM: The National Museum of Civil War Medicine
TICKET PRICE: $39 per person (includes admission to the National Museum of Civil War Medicine)
HOW TO BOOK: Spots are limited — join us for an unforgettable ride through the past — where history meets healing.

Frederick's Black Heritage Walking Tour
2025-09-13 10:30 | Heritage Frederick, 24 E Church ST, Frederick, Maryland, 21701
Visit landmarks and hear stories revealing Frederick’s Black heritage from the early-19th century to the present day. This tour features sites associated with enslavement and segregation and highlights the achievements of a diverse and vibrant Black community in the pursuit of equality and freedom.

Mount Olivet Cemetery Civil War Tour
2025-09-17 18:00 | Mount Olivet Cemetery, 515 South Market St, Frederick, Maryland, 21701
This insightful walking tour features former residents who participated in and experienced first-hand the American Civil War. Mount Olivet was opened less than a decade before the conflict and possessed a contract with the federal government to bury here the dead of both armies who passed in Frederick’s “one vast hospital.” Many local veterans survived the horrors of war and came back to Frederick to continue their lives in peaceful times. They would be laid to rest here in family lots. Civilians like Barbara Fritchie, Rev. Daniel Zacharias and Glenn Worthington played unique roles in Civil War lore and they, too, repose here.
Note: This tour can be taken ala carte or is already bundled as a special FREE bonus to go with the 3-week Frederick in the Civil War ONLINE course being taught via Zoom (Aug.27-Sept. 10-See Course offering)​2+hour Walking Tour $20. Meet at the Key Chapel, 100 yards behind the Francis Scott Key Monument (near front gate).

Foundations of Frederick History Walking Tour
2025-09-20 10:30 | Heritage Frederick, 24 E Church ST, Frederick, Maryland, 21701

Art & Architecture Walking Tour
2025-09-27 10:30 | Heritage Frederick, 24 E Church ST, Frederick, Maryland, 21701
Look at Frederick with new eyes. Experience the history and beauty of downtown as we explore some of the popular architectural styles, local art, and history.

Haunted History at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine
2025-10-11 17:00, 2025-10-18 17:00, 2025-10-25 17:00, 2025-10-26 17:00 | National Museum of Civil War Medicine, 48 E. Patrick St., Frederick, 21701, United States
Starting on October 11th, tour the most haunted building in Frederick – the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. Explore the building’s history amidst the darkened galleries and offices. On the tour, staff and volunteers will share stories of Civil War embalmers, the building’s most infamous tenants, and their first-hand accounts of paranormal activity that have given the building its spooky reputation. In addition to a trip through the museum galleries, the tour provides exclusive access to the third floor where numerous sightings have occurred.
48 East Patrick Street was built in the 1830s. Before it became the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, the building was a furniture shop and a site of Civil War embalming, as well as home to many Frederick residents and their businesses. The past still echoes through the halls of the building. The haunting sights, sounds, and sensations from the building have been reported for decades by the people who lived and worked in the building over many years. Join us to hear our staff and volunteers’ stories first-hand.
You are invited to bring your own cameras and ghost-finding apps – who knows what you’ll capture!
Flash photography and LIVE streaming are prohibited. Tours will be given on October 11, 18, 25, and 26 from 5:00-6:30PM. This year we are offering two special Halloween tours on Friday, October 31 from 5:00-7:30 and 7:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m. During these special Halloween night tours, you’ll have additional time to tour the galleries without a guide.
