Special Tour: Disease, Death, and Mourning in Early America

The ways people mourn and remember their dearly departed have changed dramatically over the centuries. During the month of October at the William Paca House, view a temporary exhibit on medical instruments and memento mori (literal translation: remember that you must die) from Early America. View postmortem photography, mourning attire, and memento mori jewelry, which often held the artfully woven hair of a deceased loved one. 

Then, take a 30-minute tour of the WIlliam Paca House highlighting the evolution of medical practices, death, and mourning rituals during the 18th and 19th centuries. After the tour, visit the recently-installed physic garden in the William Paca Garden and learn how herbal remedies were used during the 18th century and beyond.