Gettysburg Museum & Visitor Center
Start Your Visit Here: Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center
Once you’ve arrived in Gettysburg, the Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park is the best place to start your visit. Located at 1195 Baltimore Pike, just south of historic downtown Gettysburg, the Museum and Visitor Center features the exclusive Cyclorama, Film and Museum Experience. Combined, they provide an overview and excellent introduction to the Battle of Gettysburg and will prepare you for a Gettysburg battlefield tour.
The Cyclorama, Film and Museum Experience includes the film narrated by Morgan Freeman, A New Birth of Freedom (sponsored by The History Channel); the massive Cyclorama painting, which literally surrounds visitors with a magnificant visual of the fury of Pickett’s Charge, and the Gettysburg Museum of the American Civil War, featuring 12 exhibit galleries that contain artifacts and interactive displays.
Plan Your Gettysburg Battlefield Tour
At Gettysburg, the Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park offers information on touring the park and other activities. From the Museum and Visitor Center, you can plan your battlefield tour by selecting from several options: a Licensed Battlefield Guide bus tour; a personalized Licensed Battlefield Guide car tour; or a self-guided audio CD tour, available in the Museum Bookstore.
The Museum and Visitor Center also sells tickets, for President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Gettysburg home — now the Eisenhower National Historic Site — and the David Wills House in downtown Gettysburg (another National Park Service site).
Experience National Park Service Ranger Programs
You can find schedules and information on a variety of National Park Service Ranger-led programs at the Information Desk in the lobby of the Museum and Visitor Center. These programs are offered throughout the year. Check for schedules and find out more details in our Gettysburg events calendar.
Eat at the Refreshment Saloon and Shop in the Gettysburg Museum Bookstore
At Gettysburg, the Museum and Visitor Center also offers a Refreshment Saloon where visitors can sample Civil War-era foods. The Refreshment Saloon was modeled after the saloons that offered food and other items to Civil War troops.
The Gettysburg Museum Bookstore features a wide selection of books and souvenirs. (You can also visit the Museum Bookstore’s online shop.) Friends of Gettysburg members receive a discount in the Museum Bookstore.
Purchases Benefit Battlefield Preservation
Proceeds from all purchases in the Museum and Visitor Center — including tickets to the Cyclorama, Film and Museum Experience — benefit battlefield preservation.
If You Are Visiting For The First Time
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The Gettysburg Experience
Immerse yourself in the Gettysburg experience by purchasing a ticket to the Cyclorama, Film & Museum. Click here for ticket information. Allow 1.5-2 hours.
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Battlefield Tours
Reserve a Licensed Battlefield Guide, take a Battlefield Bus Tour, or tour on your own using the CD that can be purchased at the ticket window at the Park Museum and Visitor Center.
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Refreshment Saloon
Experience dining, 19th-century style, in the Refreshment Saloon.
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Soldiers’ National Cemetery
Set aside some contemplative time to walk the Battlefield and to visit the Soldiers’ National Cemetery.
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Take a Walking Tour
Learn more about the experiences of the battle participants with a tour of the battlefield.
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