Gettysburg National Military Park Museum And Visitor Center

United States Park Police

The United States Park Police is the oldest uniformed federal law enforcement agency in the United States. It functions as a full service law enforcement agency with responsibilities and jurisdiction in those NPS areas primarily located in the Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and New York City areas.

In addition to performing the normal crime prevention, investigation, and apprehension functions of an urban police force, the park police are responsible for policing many of the famous monuments in the United States and share law enforcement jurisdiction in all lands administered by the service with a force of national park rangers tasked with the same law enforcement powers and responsibilities.

Gettysburg National Military Park History Kids Reading Adventures Club

1/7/23

Time: 11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Price: Free and open to the public | Designed for familes with children ages 4-10

Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center1195 Baltimore Pike

Gettysburg National Military Park invites you to enjoy engaging and inclusive family events in 2023.

On Saturdays from Jan. 7 through Feb 25, 2023, families can spend weekends at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center for special family programming. Gettysburg National Military Parks presents winter reading adventures for families and children.

The History Kids Reading Adventures Club, for families with children ages 4 to 10, returns to the Museum & Visitor Center this year with a Superheroes of History theme. Book readings focus on such famous people as Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, Jane Goodall, Neil Armstrong and many others. Each Saturday morning from 11 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. in Jan. and Feb., families can join a park educator to hear a new book, with pages projected onto the movie screen. Then, families can participate in a related indoor or outdoor family-led adventure. This reading program teaches budding historians about important events and important people in history with a focus on the Civil War era.

The National Park Service winter programming at Gettysburg is free of charge. For more information on family focused programs at Gettysburg National Military Park, visit nps.gov/gett or email .

Why Was The Battle Of Gettysburg Important

The Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 marked a major turning point in the American Civil War. Confederate forces led by Gen. Robert E. Lee, right, were defeated by the Army of the Potomac before retreating back to Virginia. Composite by Coffee or Die Magazine.

Composite by Coffee or Die Magazine.

On May 6, 1863, Confederate Army Gen. Robert E. Lee defeated the Union Army of the Potomac in Chancellorsville, Virginia. The unexpected victory left Lee believing his army was invincible and that he could beat the Union Army on its own turf i.e., on Northern soil. Lee convinced Confederate commanders to approve his strategy. In June, he and his 75,000-strong army marched across the Potomac River into Maryland toward southern Pennsylvania.

After the loss in Virginia, President Abraham Lincoln fired Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker as commander of the Army of the Potomac. Lincoln did so because of Hookers unwillingness to confront Lees army. Replacing him was Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade, a veteran of two wars and several prior Civil War battles.

Meades first order authorized his army to pursue Lee through Pennsylvania. Lee had already managed to advance past the border town of Gettysburg. Learning that Meade could threaten the rebels supply lines to the south, however, Lee turned his army around and prepared his forces for battle.

Wikimedia Commons image.

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National Park Service Information Desk

Stop by the National Park Service Information Desk and talk to a friendly park ranger to find our more about your visit. Our rangers will be able to provide more information about the offerings in the Museum and Visitor Center and explain all your options for touring the battlefield. Pick up a park map and guide to help you navigate park roads and ask about other seasonal publications that list special ranger-led programs and tours and where and when they meet. Learn about ranger programs on our Ranger Programs page.For more information about Living History programs and schedules, please visit our Living History page.

NPS Photo

Gettysburg National Military Park

The Gettysburg National Military Park protects and interprets the landscape of the 1863 during the . Located in , the park is managed by the . The GNMP properties include most of the , many of the battle’s support areas during the battle , and several other non-battle areas associated with the battle’s “aftermath and commemoration,” including the . Many of the park’s 43,000 artifacts are displayed in the .

The park has more wooded land than in 1863, and the National Park Service has an ongoing program to restore portions of the battlefield to their historical non-wooded conditions, as well as to replant historic orchards and woodlots that are now missing. In addition, the NPS is restoring native plants to meadows and edges of roads, to encourage habitat as well as provide for historic landscape. There are also considerably more roads and facilities for the benefit of tourists visiting the battlefield park.

Attendance in 2018 was 950,000, a decline of 86% since 1970. The five major Civil War battlefield parks operated by the National Park Service had a combined 3.1 million visitors in 2018, down 70% from 10.2 million in 1970.

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Museum And Visitor Center At Gettysburg National Military Park

PA Heritage StaffDestinationSummer 2008Abraham LincolnAdams CountyAmerican Civil WarChicagoConfederatesGeorge Gordon MeadeGettysburgGettysburg AddressGettysburg National Military ParkJefferson DavisNational Park ServicePennsylvania Capitol Preservation CommitteePickett’s ChargeRobert E. LeeSoldiers’ National CemeteryState Museum of PennsylvaniaDestination profiles museums and historic sites in Pennsylvania.

The newly opened, $103 million Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park, the result of a cooperative project between the National Park Service and the Gettysburg Foundation, places the American Civil Wars turning point in perspective, using exhibits, sound, video, and setting to give visitors a deeper understanding of the war and its impact. A decade in the making, the nearly 140,000-square foot facility brings to life one of the most tumultuous epochs in American history.

Galleries feature several objects on loan from The State Museum of Pennsylvania, including a Union battle flag, a Confederate slouch hat found at Gettysburg after the battle, and a chair from General Meades headquarters. The Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee has loaned a flag used by the 150th Pennsylvania Infantry, whose entire color guard became casualities on July 1, the first day of battle at Gettysburg. This state color was captured by Southern soldiers and presented to President Davis.

Metropolitan And Combined Statistical Area

The has designated Adams County as the Gettysburg, PA . As of the the metropolitan area population of 101,407 ranked 19th most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the in the United States. Adams County is also a part of the larger , which combines the populations of Adams County with those of , , , and in Pennsylvania. The ranked 5th in the State of Pennsylvania and in the United States with a population of 1,219,422.

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Gettysburg Nmp Museum And Visitor Center

NPS Photos

The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center is the place to begin your visit to the battlefield. Here visitors will find information on how to visit the park and what to see around Gettysburg. Visit the for hours and more information!The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center is privately owned & operated by the Gettysburg Foundation .

Best Military Museums In The Us

Did you know that the doors to the finest military museums in the United States are open to anyone?

Its true, these historical centers are designed to inform civilians as well as honor the service of veterans.

Accordingly, visiting a military museum is a terrific way to spend a day with family and friends.

The visit is especially memorable for veterans that can share their own personal experiences with loved ones.

Here are the 15 Best Military Museums in the U.S. worth visiting.

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The National Wwi Museum And Memorial

• Website:NPS.gov/Gettysburg

Unfortunately, the American Civil War doesnt always get the attention it deserves.

Consequently, the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center was created to remember the soldiers that fought on both sides of the gruesome conflict.

Those that are visiting Pennsylvania would be foolish not to make a stop at the famous battlefield which now includes an indoor museum.

The 1863 Battle of Gettysburg is often considered the turning point of the war despite the tremendous loss of life.

For this reason, make sure to take the time and honor these lives at the free military museum.

What If The Museum And Visitor Center Is Closed

NPS Photo

Gettysburg Museum of the American Civil War

NPS Photo

Film – “A New Birth of Freedom”

NPS Photo

Cyclorama Painting

Destination Gettysburg – Jeremy Hess Photographers

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Creation Of An Multimedia Experiential Reenactment Conveyed On The Largest Oil Painting In North America

The Gettysburg National Military Museum & Visitor Center, a partnership between the National Park Service and the Gettysburg Foundation, is the largest and most successful public/private partnership of its kind. Working closely with an array of stakeholders at local, state and national levels, Warehaus helped to redefine the National Park Services model for museums and visitor centers with the master plan for the new museum, guaranteeing the preservation of the nations largest collection of civil war artifacts. Today, the popular center draws over 1.1 million visitors each year, engaging them with more than 20,000 square feet of interpretive space and two state-of-the-art theatres. Visitors are treated to a multimedia experiential reenactment of the Battle of Gettysburg, conveyed on the last remaining original Gettysburg Cyclorama, the largest oil painting in North America. The destination also showcases a world-class Civil War museum, refreshment saloon, bookstore and nearby tours of the battlefield.

We Listen

We Design

With the ability to store artifacts that are not on display, the facility requires catalogue space and an intake area for new historical items. During construction, a vapor barrier was created, ensuring that external conditions do not cause a fluctuation in temperature and humidity inside. Construction needed to be phased in order to create a controlled working environment large enough to accommodate the Cyclorama.

We Deliver

First Stop: The Visitor Center

Plan Your Trip

Location: 1195 Baltimore Pike , Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Getting there: Gettysburg, in rural south-central Pennsylvania, is a reasonable day trip from Baltimore or Washington, D.C. . Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has the closest airport , while Philadelphia’s is 140 miles east. An accessible parking lot is available in front of the visitor center, and curbside drop off is also available. When the lot fills up , shuttle buses service remote lots.

Hours: Park grounds and roads open sunrise to sunset . The visitor center is open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through September, with operating hours to be determined for October and beyond .

Admission: Park, free. Film, cyclorama and museum, $15 museum only, $9 .

Best times to visit: Fall, for its cool temperatures, beautiful foliage and smaller crowds. The annual commemorative events each July 1-3 are well worth a visit, too, with real time tours following the minute-by-minute progress of the battle each day, punctuated by explosive Living History re-enactments.

You’ll do much more than reserve tours, pick up park maps and grab a bite at the café at the impressive Gettysburg Visitor Center. In its 20-minute orientation film, A New Birth of Freedom, you’ll learn why the battle was important, how it came about and who fought here, giving deeper meaning to the monument-filled battlegrounds you’ll be touring later.

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Gettysburg National Military Park Museum And Visitor Center Tours And Tickets

The National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center is the place to begin your exploration of historic Gettysburg. After watching a short orientation film, check out the Civil War artifacts on display, and marvel at the iconic 360-degree cyclorama painting of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center

The National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center is the place to begin your exploration of historic Gettysburg. After watching a short orientation film, check out the Civil War artifacts on display, and marvel at the iconic 360-degree cyclorama painting of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Best Military Museums In United States

There is so much to take away from visiting a military museum.

For starters, the opportunity allows a veteran or military retiree to share with family and friends their personal experiences.

Additionally, visiting a military museum is highly recommended for civilians, too.

Here, military dependents and others can gain a newfound appreciation for military service.

Thus, make sure to set time aside on a calendar to pay one of the 15 best military museums in the U.S. a visit.

Youll discover that all these sites feature rare artifacts and other information regarding the decorated history of the U.S. military.

Furthermore, admission to many of these herald military museums are free of charge.

Thus, its hard to find a better way to spend a day or vacation with loved ones.

Here are the 15 best military museums based on reputation, exhibits and artifacts, as well as cost of admission:

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How Can I Visit The Eisenhower National Historic Site

In addition to American Civil War history, tourists can visit the farm of former World War II general and 34th president of the United States, Dwight. D. Eisenhower. Wikimedia Commons photo. Composite by Coffee or Die Magazine.

Wikimedia Commons photo. Composite by Coffee or Die Magazine.

Apart from its Civil War history, the town of Gettysburg is also famous for having been a second home for President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Eisenhowers affinity for the historic landmark began in 1915 while he was a cadet at the US Military Academy at West Point. His class visited the town that spring to study the famous battle.

Three years later, Eisenhower returned to Gettysburg with his wife, Mamie, and their son, Doud. He was appointed commander of Camp Colt, which belonged to the Army Tank Corps Training Center and was located on the sacred grounds of Picketts Charge. From there, Eisenhower went on to have a storied 31-year career, rising to the rank of five-star general and serving as the supreme allied commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force during World War II.

Dwight D. Eisenhower enjoyed playing golf so much he even had the Professional Golfers Association of America install a putting green in front of his home in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

Land And Water Conservation Fund

The supports Land Acquisition and State Conservation Assistance grant programs. In 2010, the LWCF began an incremental process to fully fund its programs at a total cost of $900 million. The Department of the Interior and the use these funds to purchase critical lands to protect existing public lands.

The LWCF also issues grants to States and local jurisdictions to preserve and protect Civil War battlefield sites that are not part of the national park system. The SCA program distributes funds for land preservation to individual states.

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Gettysburg Museum And Visitor Center

The Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center is a Gettysburg National Military Park facility, with a museum about the American Civil War, the 1884 Gettysburg Cyclorama, and the tour center for licensed Battlefield Guides and for buses to see the Gettysburg Battlefield and Eisenhower National Historic Site.

The museum displays artifacts including cannon, firearms, and uniforms, and includes an exhibit gallery and theater. Additional facilities are a “computer resource room”, a bookstore with gifts, and a restaurant.

United States Coast Guard Museum

• Website:NavySEALmuseum.org

Finally, the Navy SEAL Museum in Florida ranks among the top military museums in the nation.

Its the only education center in the world dedicated to preserving the special history of Navy SEALs.

Therefore, visitors get a unique introduction into the lives of Frogmen.

The informative displays include exhibits that range from World War II to Vietnam and present day.

Furthermore, special events offer the rare opportunity to partake in The SEAL Experience and other opportunities.

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What Was The Gettysburg Address

President Abraham Lincolns famous Gettysburg Address speech framed on display at the Gettysburg National Military Park and Museum. Wikimedia Commons photo. Composite by Coffee or Die Magazine.

Wikimedia Commons photo. Composite by Coffee or Die Magazine.

On Nov. 19, 1863, four months after Meade defeated Lee, Lincoln stood on the battlefield and delivered a 272-word speech that would become known as the Gettysburg Address. Appearing before a crowd of about 15,000 at the dedication of the Soldiers National Cemetery , Lincoln began by evoking the signing of the Declaration of Independence 87 years earlier.

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal, Lincoln said. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure.

Lincolns wartime elegy received a mixed response at the time. Newspapers toeing a political party line either bashed his speech or praised it. Ultimately, the speech succeeded in strengthening the connection between civilians impacted by the war and the soldiers on the front lines. It would be remembered as one of the most famous presidential addresses in American history.

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