The Pennhurst State School and Hospital was at the heart of the civil and human rights movement that changed the way the world saw people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Horrible neglect at Pennhurst resulted in Supreme Court litigation that turned the tide on people’s views on institutionalization around the world. Through preservation and adaptive re-use of the historic Pennhurst campus, the Pennhurst Memorial and Preservation Alliance seeks to ensure that those achievements won at Pennhurst are neither lost nor forgotten.  

This display depicts the timeline from the institution's opening, through the battles to create better lives for the people with disabilities who lived there, to its closing in 1987. It will be available for viewing between 9:00 am -1:00 pm on the Concourse between the Legislative Office Building and the Capitol. The opening ceremony at 10:30 AM will include presentations by Dr. James Conroy and invited legislative leaders. All are invited.