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The Gettysburg Foundation partners with the National Park Service to preserve Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site, and to educate the public about their significance.
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Each year hundreds of thousands of visitors swing open the doors of the LEED-Gold (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park.
Behind the scenes, the Gettysburg Foundation has worked closely and methodically with staff from Gettysburg National Military Park to make a series of improvements to the visitor experience at the facility.
One set of changes has focused on reducing the facilities' carbon footprint, consistent with our long-running LEED-Gold certified status. More than 100 new geothermal wells have been drilled on the property without disruption to the visitor and they are providing greater energy efficiency. New car-charging stations have been installed to host electric automobiles driven by visitors. In the main lobby, new lighting has been installed throughout the lobby that automatically adjusts to outside lighting levels, reducing energy consumption.
"We have a long-standing commitment to energy efficiency," said Brian Shaffer, Vice President of Facilities for the Gettysburg Foundation, responsible for implementing the many changes on the grounds. "We have taken many steps that may go unnoticed to the casual observer, but taken together, symbolize our environmental stewardship in a cutting-edge facility."
Signage has been updated to inform and direct visitors. Most notably, the Park and the Foundation worked together to update visitor information on a brand-new kiosk sign that virtually all visitors see as they start to plan their day. Inside the Museum and Visitor Center, the overhead and wall signs have been updated to point visitors to Ranger programs held just outside and to a new cafe/coffee shop. New signs on limber chest/donation boxes place Gettysburg in the context of international visitors, who can now more easily donate to the Park through the Gettysburg Foundation.
Some months back, the Park’s information desk was moved much closer to the front door so that visitors can more easily engage with National Park Rangers and volunteers upon entrance, while the Friends of Gettysburg desk was moved forward in the lobby to provide easy access to people interested in joining the premiere membership organization that supports Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site.
Other improvements made by the Gettysburg Foundation include: automatic doors throughout the museum that ease the way for visitors with disabilities; a newly constructed leadership pavilion right outside to host small groups and provide visitors with a covered place to picnic; repainting of crosswalks and parking areas to maximize pedestrian safety; and perhaps mostly notably, a wall of brand-new charging stations where visitors can charge their phones as they experience Gettysburg.
"We are so pleased to have systematically worked our way through such a comprehensive set of visitor improvements on the grounds," said Matthew Moen, President of the Gettysburg Foundation and Zach Bolitho, Acting Superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site, in a joint statement. "Our commitment to an excellent visitor experience at the Gettysburg and Eisenhower national parks is paramount and our organizations have systematically cooperated to ensure it remains that way."
To begin your Gettysburg experience, visit the Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park, 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, PA. Open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
At its annual June meeting, the Gettysburg Foundation unanimously elected two new board members, Pamela L. Rogers and Lance D. Bultena.
Rogers is founding partner with the Law Office of Pamela L. Saia, PC, located outside Boston. She received her JD from the Massachusetts School of Law and her LLM in Intellectual Property from the University of New Hampshire School of Law. She is a licensed attorney with over 17 years in private practice and extensive litigation experience in both state and federal courts. She has extensive government experience as a legislator in the New Hampshire General Court, consistent with a lifetime commitment to public service. Pamela is the supervising attorney for the Essex County Bar Advocate Association.
Bultena is senior counsel with Hogan Lovells law firm in Washington D.C. With a background in regulation and public policy, Lance helps clients evaluate the impact of public sector developments on businesses, develop strategies to optimally manage that impact, and influences regulatory and legislative outcomes. Prior to joining the firm, Lance served as counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. He received an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of South Dakota, a JD from Harvard Law School, and a Doctorate in Politics and Masters in Economics while a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University.
“We are delighted to welcome Pam and Lance to the Gettysburg Foundation board,” chairman Eric B. Schultz said. “Pam’s ancestors have lived in the Gettysburg area since the early eighteenth century. She brings a passion for history and a commitment to public service. Lance’s expertise in economics and strategy, and his extensive national and international networks, will be assets to the work of the Foundation.” Schultz added, “Both Pam and Lance will strengthen the board as we redouble our efforts at public education, and to engage Americans in respectful, non-partisan dialogue about leadership and citizenship, conciliation and civility.”
The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business is teaming up with the Gettysburg Foundation to deliver an executive development program built around and using lessons from the Battle of Gettysburg, the Civil War, and Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
The new series—The Gettysburg Experience—focuses on organizational and personal leadership, teamwork, and strategic agility for a powerful, unique learning experience leveraging the historical and academic resources of both Smith and the foundation, say its organizers. Customized, 1-3-day-long programs at Gettysburg will explore Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and “Current Conversations about the Battle of Gettysburg.” The latter includes “Civil Rights and the legacy of the Civil War,” “Women and the War,” “the Civil War in a Global Context,” and more.
“Gettysburg will always be remembered as an epic battlefield—and rightly so. But, its significance to the American democratic experiment runs much deeper,” says Gettysburg Foundation President Matthew Moen, PhD “For 155 years Gettysburg represents a place of remarkable healing, civility, inclusion and responsibility.”
The series incorporates the Gettysburg Foundation’s existing program of field-based training for Smith’s Executive Development clients. This arrangement builds on Smith professors independently directing executive development program participants and executive MBA students in onsite, Gettysburg-themed leadership classes. “Learning happens in varied contexts and needs to be increasingly impactful to keep adult learners engaged,” says Christine Thompson, Ed.D., executive director of Smith’s Executive Development programs. “It’s exciting for the Smith School of Business to rekindle a partnership with the Gettysburg Foundation to uniquely impact leadership development experiences for organizations and leaders.”
The new partnership is “a unique, flexible means for conveying the lessons of leadership and teamwork unavailable elsewhere,” Thompson adds. “Smith’s educational resources— facilities, faculty, and expertise—provide a solid delivery mechanism for translating the lessons of the Battle of Gettysburg into meaningful and relevant business training for organizations of all types.” The Gettysburg Experience is designed specifically to meet client needs based upon consultation between the client, the foundation and Smith. The programs may involve an expertly guided and experiential battlefield tour; facilitated debriefs and deep dives into select topics, networking dinners and more. Participants experience the program through Gettysburg locations McPherson Ridge, Eternal Light Peace Memorial, Little Round Top, The Peach Orchard, Pennsylvania Memorial and High Water Mark. Leadership topics broadly include communication, team building, empowerment, adaptability, strategic and visionary thinking, decision-making under pressure, accountability, execution and strategic agility
In addition, the Gettysburg Foundation will work with Smith to build open enrollment programs and alumni events that bring groups of executives to Gettysburg through the partnership program. “We are excited to dive deeper into these broader leadership themes, as well as those taught on the battlefield, through our partnership with UMD,” says Moen.
Smith Dean Alex Triantis says: “The Smith School is proud to partner with the Gettysburg Foundation to create meaningful and high-impact programming for today’s and tomorrow’s leaders. Experiential and lifelong learning is an integral part of the Smith School’s core mission and we look forward to continuing this partnership for years to come.”
For more information about The Gettysburg Experience program, write to [email protected]. For more on Executive Development at Smith go to https://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/programs/executive-education.
About the Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, specialty masters, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.
On June 20, officials from Gettysburg National Military Park, Eisenhower National Historic Site, the Gettysburg Foundation and the Dwight David Eisenhower Society signed a pledge recognizing the critical importance of pollinator habitat on public and private lands in and around Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site.
The Gettysburg Foundation and other agenices signed in support of the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s proclamation in support of National Pollinator Week, recognizing the National Park Service’s role in encouraging the health of resident and migratory pollinating animals in North America, an important example of collaborative conservation. The purpose of National Pollinator Week is to promote the health of pollinators, critical to food and ecosystems, through conservation, education and research. The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center plan called for consideration of the environment, and the Gettysburg Foundation continues to think and act "green" in operating its LEED-Gold Museum and Visitor Center. The Pollinator Pledge also supports Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf’s proclamation in support of Pollinator Week, encouraging all citizens to protect and encourage pollinator habitats to ensure the continuation of species that are essential to our habitats, economy, and lives.
Thus far, 26 other local organizations have signed the Pledge.
Recently more than 20 employees from Gables Residential participated in the Gettysburg Foundation’s leadership training program, “In the Footsteps of Leaders,” at Gettysburg National Military Park. This is the fifth year that Gables sent a team to Gettysburg as part of the Gables Leadership Institute, which provides high-performing employees with a comprehensive leadership training program at various locations across the country.
Facilitated by Dr. Jeffrey Kudisch, a Clinical Full Professor at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, and led by Sue Boardman, Director of the Gettysburg Foundation’s Executive Leadership Program, participants were treated to an immersive guided tour of the battlefield exploring the leadership styles of various personalities that played critical roles at the Battle of Gettysburg.
According to Philip Altschuler, Senior VP of Human Resources at Gables Residential, a day on the battlefield with Sue Boardman is worth many days in the classroom. “Walking in the footsteps of these battlefield commanders, and studying their decisions from the very location where they made them, provides a unique perspective for Gables associates to learn how leadership styles can affect team performance and provides an unparalleled opportunity to mentally prepare for future business challenges.”
Gettysburg Foundation thanks Gables Residential for five years of leadership training here at Gettysburg!
Learn how your company or organization can take advantage of battlefield lessons to improve performance with the Gettysburg Foundation's Leadership Program.
The Gettysburg Foundation, in partnership with the Journey Through Hallowed Ground, is pleased to announce that we are celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the release of the iconic movie Gettysburg with Director Ron Maxwell and other special guests with an exclusive screening at the Majestic Theater in downtown Gettysburg on October 13. Considered by many to be the greatest war movie, it clocks in as the longest American film ever made. It notably featured thousands of re-enactors who joined Ted Turner in the climatic Pickett’s Charge scene filmed right here at Gettysburg.
Attendees are welcome to attend a Q&A session with the Director and special guests beginning at 5:00 pm before the film starts at 6:00 pm.
Ron Maxwell has expressed his gratitude for all the preservation efforts made on the Battlefield over the past 25 years thanks largely to the efforts of the Friends of Gettysburg. During the Q&A, he will explore how these preservation efforts would have changed his filming perspective for the better, not having to navigate around modern intrusions like power lines, towers, and hotels. Along with special guests, he’ll also share his many insights into the making of this classic film.
Proceeds from ticket purchases support the preservation and education missions of the Gettysburg Foundation and Journey Through Hallowed Ground. See our Programs, Lectures and Seminars page for more information.
The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) has an Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program for eligible businesses making contributions to an Educational Improvement Organization. Since 2013, the Gettysburg Foundation has provided students from more than 30 Pennsylvania school districts with EITC approved educational programs thanks to the generosity of Pennsylvania businesses. These programs form the core of school field trips to Gettysburg. With the help of our EITC participating business partners, we hope to expand our programs to provide free and low-cost educational opportunities to more school districts across the Commonwealth.
Our EITC approved programs include: Battlefield Footsteps, a series of Ranger-led battlefield hikes that give students the opportunity to walk in the path of four different regiments and Civil War Perspectives, Ranger-led programs which include classroom materials introducing students to four unique Civil War viewpoints. Additional EITC approved educational programs are the National Park Service’s (NPS) Traveling Trunk program that brings the history of Gettysburg into the classroom, and the Best Field Trip Ever that incorporates the many educational opportunities offered at Gettysburg’s national parks including: the film, A New Birth of Freedom; the Battle of Gettysburg Cyclorama Painting; exhibits at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center; and tours of the Gettysburg National Military Park, Eisenhower National Historic Site, Soldiers’ National Cemetery and the David Wills House.
We appreciate the generosity of our 2017-2018 EITC Partners:
- BB&T
- M&T Bank Corporation
- Utz Quality Foods, Inc.
- Weis Markets, Inc.
To learn more about the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program for eligible businesses, please visit their website.
For more information about how your business can join us in helping Pennsylvania students enjoy their own Gettysburg Experience, please contact Jennifer Evans, 717- 339-2132.
Plan your visit to the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center
what we do
The Gettysburg Foundation engages Americans in constructive conversations about leadership, citizenship, civility and conciliation in our democracy. Find out how you can become a part of this legacy.
Your Visit Starts Here
Gettysburg National Military Park and Visitor Center
The National Park Service recommends you start at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center to get the most from your visit.
The Gettysburg Museum
The Gettysburg Museum of the American Civil War is a world-class museum that brings the past to life with one-of-a-kind artifacts, educational interactive exhibits and 9 short films.
The Gettysburg Film and Cyclorama
From slavery and secession to the opening shots at Fort Sumter and Bull Run, A New Birth of Freedom, narrated by Morgan Freeman, places you in the midst of the momentous issues of the Civil War, and provides an orientation to the complex battle of Gettysburg. Afterward, Pickett's Charge comes to life in the massive circular Cyclorama painting through a spectacular sound and light show.
Learn Morespecial historic sites
Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station
The Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is where President Lincoln arrived and departed Gettysburg in November 1863, when he came to deliver the Gettysburg Address.
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David Wills House
Located on the square in downtown Gettysburg, the David Wills House was where Abraham Lincoln stayed the night before delivering the Gettysburg Address.
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Eisenhower National Historic Site
The weekend retreat and retirement home of President Dwight D. and Mamie Eisenhower, this is a must-see to get a real glimpse into their lives away from the oval office.
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Rupp House History Center
The Rupp House History Center is the historic home of John Rupp and his family. It also serves as the headquarters for the Friends of Gettysburg.
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George Spangler Farm Field Hospital Site
During the summer, visitors have access to the best surviving example of a farm used as a corps field hospital during the battle of Gettysburg, newly restored to its 1863 appearance.
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The work of Gettysburg Foundation would not be possible without the generosity of our visitors and Friends. Make a contribution toward battlefield preservation and education today.