VA Virtual Museum

VA Hospital, Van Nuys, CA (Closed)

Administration Building and Nurses Quarters. The center building immediately behind the flag pole and circle houses only part of the administrative offices of the hospital. About 350 nurses are housed in six other buildings of the type shown here.
Interior of the large gymnasium at the Birmingham Veterans Administration Hospital, Van Nuys, California. Basketball, volleyball, and other sports are played here by patients and hospital personnel. Recreation facilities at the hospital also include ball diamond, golf course, archery and bowling alleys. PM 1947
Birmingham Veterans Administration Hospital is located at the corner of Balboa Ave. and Van Owen St., Van Nuys, Calif. 114 buildings are spread over 146.3 acres, most of which are connected by about 3 miles of covered corridors. It is a General Medical and Surgical Hospital and has a record evaluation, including almost $2,000,000 worth of equipment, of about $7,500,000. The authorized bed capacity is 1500, and 1650 employees are required to operate the many services and facilities available to patients.
Chapel. Each evening at the close of business for many of the administrative staff the musical chimes located in the chapel tower play religious and patriotic music for about five minutes. Regular services of all faiths are held in the chapel. Catholic, Jewish and Protestant chaplains are on the hospital staff.