We were blown away as we drove in the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center. It opened in April 2008, is meticulously clean and impeccably maintained. The building's thoughtful design really sets the tone for a meaningful visit. They've done an outstanding job sharing the layered stories of the Battle of Gettysburg--why it happened, how it unfolded, and its lasting impact on our nation. Their storytelling truly honors the sacrifices made, weaving history into every exhibit. Staff were exceptionally helpful and knowledgeable. The interactive displays were a highlight--my kids especially loved the miniature cannon where they could "pull the trigger," and the realistic cannon shells you could actually lift to feel their weight. Super engaging! And please, Don't skip the Cyclorama. This massive 360° painting weighs a staggering 8 tons--4 tons of canvas and 4 tons of paint--and it's presented so vividly you feel like you're standing there in the middle of the battlefield. In short, the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center delivers history with clarity, compassion, and creativity. A truly unforgettable visit -- 5 stars all the way! read more

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The short film and cyclorama are a great way to start your trip to Gettysburg to have a refresher on history and the grounds you are about to explore. Also, they are prepared to handle bus loads of people at a time - these guys are pros! Fun fact: Only 5% of people pass the Gettysburg battlefield guide test -- these guys know their stuff! We went in our own one time, and went back with a guide and it was a way better experience. Highly recommend going with a proper guide to really understand Gettysburg! read more

This is hands-down, the best visitor center that I have ever been to. There is a museum filled with artifacts and information videos. There is a movie followed by a guided tour of this incredible cyclorama oil painting that is on a 360° canvas. They have a new virtual reality experience. They have daily bus car and audio tours of the battlefield. The place is staffed with incredibly knowledgeable rangers. They have a massive bookstore. If you want to know anything about the battle at Gettysburg this is your place! Do not miss this! read more

What a fantastic museum. Give yourself 3 to 4 hours to go through. The staff was very helpful and informative. Price was a little bit high but it's a lot to maintain. Gift shop prices are definitely too high. read more

My husband is a history buff so he was in his element. We bought the personal guided tour with John who was a wealth of knowledge. It really was the best experience. The tour guide drives or rides in your car. It worth the price if you really want to know what happened in the 3 day battle. Thank you John! read more

It's a very nice facility - modern, clean large.well lit and good design. Doesn't seem really senior user friendly or easy to ask simple questions . It's a financial operation for sure. Gift shop appears sterile and expensive . read more

We enjoyed the film, cyclorama, VR activity and museum. We bought the self guided auto tour of the battlefield which was very informative. read more

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Stopped here with the boys and took in some sights and sounds. We stopped here on a weekday in November when really it was not busy at all. The visitors center is very clean and new - and the displays were exceptional. We splurged on the video and cyclorama displays and the price wasn't bad at about $17 a person. Would recommend as a must-stop if you are coming to the battlefield read more

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Very nice and clearly historic museum. Definitely a must visit if you are in Gettysburg. I am just bummed I didn't get many photos! I came with a group and got the tour of several key areas of the battlefield and surrounding area. The tour guide was professional. However, it was often a bit difficult to make out what she was saying because she spoke so softly. I do think that the tour guide went into excessive detail on sone points, and that it would have been better to have more time to take in the battlefield without any kind of talking. Still, everything was well preserved. We not only visited the place where the battle occurred, but also stopped by the homes of some figures that were alive at the time of the Civil War. All in all, I would definitely recommend coming here. Great to come here and show respect to the history. read more

If the film at the beginning of your or the cyclorama and museum did not serve as the most impressive to you, the staff and volunteers are truly some of the kindest, most generous, informative, gracious individuals you could ever meet. Upon departing the museum we saw the ancestry room with computers and books for reference. Mike offered assistance to find an ancestor that entailed computer search, books, and then the detail of skirmish that led to his demise. He printed of the docs for us to take and i regretted not having cash to tip this man. To all the employees who are dedicated to their work and do it with passion and enthusiasm, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your service. It was an extraordinary experience, one that I will always cherish never forget. read more

The best preserved and possibly the largest Civil War Battlefield requires a full day to visit - there is a movie about the events leading up to the battle, a cyclorama depiction of the battle and a large museum all located at the visitors center but that's only the beginning. The Battlefield is enormous and can be toured on your own or by ranger led tour from the visitors center. There are also battlefield hikes and companies which offer riding tours on horseback. read more

Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center - Gift shop - Visitor Centers Near Me - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

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The museum and visitor center is a must stop. Definitely watch the video. It's very informative and a great chance to sit for a little bit. They do have a cafeteria and snack bar, but it's airport prices. Only good this is the money goes back into the park. Their gift shop is huge! They had some really cool things in there. read more

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On a recent visit to Gettysburg, we visited the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center. It's part of the National Park Service. However a foundation runs a part of the site which maintains its upkeep with admission fees. There are free parts to the museum. We saw many relics from the Civil War just outside the theatre's entrance. We also heard that the drive around the battlefield sites are also free, which we didn't have time to do. For the price of admission, about $19 for adults, you could see a narrated film, the Cyclorama - a huge painting depicting the Battle of Gettysburg - and the rest of the museum. It's well worth it to pay the $19. I enjoyed the entire visit. The film featuring narration from Morgan Freeman was a touching and realistic portrayal of what the issues were leading up to the war. It was about 20 minutes and very respectful of the events. The cyclorama was an immersive experience. It was a painting that was made in the late 1800's that was restored in the 1990's that encircles a huge room. The modern touch is the addition of narration to the painting. We were told that at one point, it was the largest oil painting in the world. Finally, the best part of the museum was the story of the Civil War brought to you by a sequential series of rooms and videos that made logical sense in the telling of the story. I couldn't help but to feel how solemn this place is, especially knowing the thousands of people who died at Gettysburg. I felt that all visitors were respectful and truly understood what they were seeing even though these events happened over a century and a half ago. In my opinion, it's a must to visit this museum to reconnect us to events that brought us to the present. read more

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We did the car tour. You get a map at the visitor center. It's free. It was a bit confusing since it didn't start at the number one. We got off at a few places and went up on some of the monuments to see a 360 view of the area. Very historic place, sadly it took us longer to see the place that we forgot to see the actual museum at the visitor center. Bummer. Best thing go to museum first. Before driving around the area. read more

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We found the people working here very very kind and helpful. We enjoyed looking at the artifacts and the surrounding area. read more

Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

It's a really nice and interesting museum of the battle of Gettysburg with a really nice gift shop.

You should watch the movie narrated by Morgan Freeman. The Park Service's films are reliably informative. The cyclorama is fascinating. It's an impressive work. The museum is huge and a little overwhelming but it's also informative. I didn't take any tour and I'm glad I didn't. I was around for a few days and drove around at my leisure. Look there is only so much information you can absorb. read more

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The museum was amazing! Very clean. Loved all the exhibits and learning more about the history.

An incredible historic site. Worth the time to travel there. So much to learn. The visitors center was incredible.

the visitor center has a ton of parking and it's all new and clean inside with info booths and ticket sales. They even have security at the front door read more

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The museum and visitor center is really a great part of a visit to the Battlefield area. Give yourself plenty of time to take advantage of the movie, cyclorama, and museum areas. If you want a great perspective of what happened at Gettysburg, and especially Pickett's Charge, then do the movie and Cyclorama before you tour the battlefield. I've been to Gettysburg many times, but last time I purchased to "guided" tour you do on your own in your car...listen to me...pay for an actual guided tour with the experts that come in your car with you. They are SOOOO well versed in the battle and can answer all your questions. Next time that's what I'm doing. The gift shop itself is huge, but unless you are buying books, you are going to get gouged on just about everything. Every time I come here I wish I had chosen to be a history major. I mean there are SOOOOO many books here about the war. Can't wait to come back again. read more

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I went to see a battlefield the day before but didn't get the image in my head very clear. This museum is beyond my expectation. Highlight is the cyclorama that show the battlefield 360 degrees with super detail of painting. I love every single show and presentation they have in the museum. I learn and understand more from the beginning before the battle of Gettysburg started, 3 days battle and what happened after that. - Display is wonderful and interesting. - Staff is very nice and helpful. - Reasonable ticket. - Family friendly. - Plenty of parking space If I have all day, I will just stay there. Recommended! read more

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Went to the cafeteria and ordered a turkey sandwhich. Never again. I would genuinely rather eat f*cking horse sh*t then put this rancid f*cking turd in my mouth. As well as the fact that my "chocolate chip cookie" came with only the cookie read more

Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

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Gettysburg Museum and Visitor's Centre was a great stop from DC on the way to Pennsylvania. While we did not tour the Battlefield, we did the package where you get to see the short film (narrated by Morgan Freeman), the Cyclorama and the museum itself. For the three of us, about $45.00 USD with tax, but make sure you show your CAA for a little discount. Parking was not a problem, but make sure to leave any knapsacks in the car as they dont allow. The firm was fascinated and very engaging, with a large modern theater. Afterwards, you are directed to the escalators to the Cyclorama. For those not familiar (I wasnt) you have a centuries old artistrd rendering of the Battle of Gettysburg, 360 degree view. What a fun and unique way to learn and appreciate the battle and how close each side was to victory. After, walk through the museum, which has amazing level of detail, showing samples of actual uniforms, artillery and news clippings from the battle. This even shows Lincon's actual writings. The gift shop is large, and yes can be pricey but goes to a good cause. Overall, a great experience and a must for your drive! -Zuk read more

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Awesome museum. I learned a lot about the battle in 1863. The confederacy just didn't have the heart or skill on that day. The union wanted it more and that was clear. read more

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Interactive and well kept Museum. Interesting for children and teens as well! Target practice and parachute simulator on site. read more

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Really good experience visiting Gettysburg. This was a good starting point for our visit. They recommended the auto/audio tour since it was so cold. It was a great way to see some of the sights around the city. read more

Huge Visitor Center Made it to Gettysburg and went straight to the Visitor Center to get my National Parks Passport stamped. Make this place your first stop when visiting the battlefield. Pick up a park map. There are bus tours as well as personal tours available. We opted to do a self-guided driving tour so we can take our time at the battlefield site. Backpacks were not allowed inside the visitor center/museum unless they're medical-related or a baby bag or a camera bag... you will see signs posted outside as you get closer to the building. A narrated battlefield auto tour is available in the Museum Book Store. There are Park Rangers inside the Visitor Center to answer questions. It takes about 4-6 hours to complete a visit to the Visitor Center, museum and the battlefield including a visit to the Eisenhower National Historic Site and the David Wills House where President Lincoln stayed and completed the Gettysburg Address speech. We spent about 3 hours just touring the battlefield. There are lots to see! After our self-guided driving tour we went back to the Visitor Center but wasn't able to complete viewing the other interpretive programs including the Gettysburg Museum of the Civil War, watching a 20-minute film and viewing the Cyclorama oil painting canvas highlighting Pickett's Charge. We still wanted to see the Liberty Bell in Philly and there just wasn't enough time. Oh, how I'd like to come back to see the rest of what we missed. There are associated fees for these programs and tickets must be purchased. Review #1292 read more

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I've wanted to review the Museum & Visitor Center separately from the Battlefield for a long time, as I feel they are two distinct places. This is the new 2008 location that now houses both the Museum and Cyclorama on the former site of the Gettysburg National Tower. You can enter the grounds from either the Baltimore Pike or Taneytown Road. Parking is an issue during a busy day. The museum has three undersized lots on site, with overflow parking available at the rather far location of the former Visitors Center across from the National Cemetery. I would recommend visiting early to avoid parking there, as the walk is farther then acceptable. They do offer close parking for hybrid "green" vehicles, a complete joke when you have paying customers. What made the former Museum & Visitors Center unique was the large collection of exhibits that were available for free to tour. Some free exhibits still exist, but most of them now require admission. The main ticket includes the exhibits, a short movie (A New Birth of Freedom), and the Cyclorama. You can buy a ticket just for the exhibits. They are highly interactive and colorful with tons of media, but a little generic. A New Birth of Freedom, narrated by Morgan Freeman effectively replaces the electric map and gives a good overview of the battle. The Cyclorama is disappointing with its new setup, as a visitors view can be obstructed by the crowd. I've reviewed the Gift Shop separately on its Yelp page, as it is overpriced and better souvenir shopping exists around the battlefield and in town. Refreshment Saloon is also quite expensive. Overall, I understand why they did the upgrade. This new museum is much larger with newer features and more interactivity, but loses much of the charm the old one had. read more

We came for a visit today and the facility and museum was pretty amazing. We could not see the film but took the bus tour. This was definitely worth it. The tour was two hours and it really gives you a foundation and layout of the battlefield so you could come back on your own to explore. Our narrator was fantastic and it was worth every penny! read more

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"We entered Gettysburg in the afternoon, just in time to meet the enemy entering the town, and in good season to drive him back before his getting a foothold."―John Buford This should be your first stop when visiting Gettysburg National Military Park, as this is where you can pick-up maps, book a tour and get any other info you'll need on your journey―and it's a good, clean place to go potty, if need be. The building itself looks like it was recently renovated (2008?) and is beautiful, clean and spacious―they even have a machine to refill your water bottle with clean, filtered H2O. Besides booking tours, there is a fairly large museum, movie and amazing cyclorama (i.e., painting) you'll want to explore first. Tours There are several options for tours here including a self-guided vehicle tour (free w/ map); licensed battlefield guide can also provide a car tour ($75 1-6 people/ $100 6-12 people) or bus tours ($35/adults [13+] and $21 [6-12]); or you can purchase a CD tour ($27) from the gift store and follow along in your car. Museum The museum is $9 on its own, or $15 if you combine it with the film and cyclorama; I highly recommend the latter. The museum is pretty large―much larger than we anticipated―and you can easily spend/waste hours going through everything. I thought it was just OK, but I'm not much of a Civil War buff, as those folks would absolutely love it. Film & Cyclorama I don't think there's a film/cyclorama option only, as you must pay the $15 to see it, but that also comes with a museum tour. This was by far my favorite part of the museum! The film is titled "A New Birth of Freedom," and is narrated by Sir Morgan Freeman and features Sam Watterson (from Law & Order fame) as Abe Lincoln. Really cool ±ten minute film that tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg for the ADHD crowd. Following the film you go upstairs to marvel at the cyclorama painting. I wasn't aware of cycloramas before visiting but this was quite amazing; it's a 42' x 377' circumference painting that encapsulates the perimeter of the large room. Here you walk around and marvel at all the little details of it, and a light an sound show begins to play. Pretty damn cool, imho. Café and Bookstore/Gift shop Can't have a visitor center without these to items, it'd be like a forest without trees! Didn't visit the café, but the gift shop was pretty large and very complete. The prices were actually pretty reasonable―by gift shop standards ofc―and they had a little bit of everything you could imagine. From food stuffs to Abe Lincoln socks! All-in-all this is a must-stop for all Gettysburg visitors. Happy trails, kids. read more

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The Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center is privately owned and operated by the Gettysburg Foundation. I included a stop here on my day trip to explore Gettysburg. I visited for the Film, Cyclorama, and Museum experience, which is $18.75/adult (reduced costs or free for seniors, veterans, children, and active military). You can get your tickets online and select your film time. I started with the film - "A New Birth of Freedom." The film was pretty great. It's 20 minutes, narrated by Morgan Freeman (with Lincoln voiced by someone all Law & Order fans will recognize), and well-made. I enjoyed it. From the film, you are ushered into the Cyclorama. It's a painting that fits around a circular room; it's 337 feet in circumference and 42 feet high. It lights up with light and sound effects while a narration explaining Pickett's Charge during the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg is played for guests. I enjoyed this less than the movie because as a short person (five feet nothing), I couldn't see much (there were a lot of people in the room and I couldn't get up to a front row to see anything). But most people would only see some bits - the effects take place in/on different areas of the cyclorama, and you can only see what's in front of you well. The idea of a cyclorama is cool, but I didn't get much out of the effects of it. The museum area is definitely worth visiting, and I enjoyed it as much as the movie. (I left the cyclorama a bit early so that I wouldn't be entering the museum at the same time as everyone that was in my film/cyclorama experience, which meant it was less crowded). The museum is pretty extensive and I learned a lot from it. The visitor center had a cafe which wasn't open when I visited (I assume still due to COVID although I visited in early 2022), but it did have a snack bar. The visit is pricey, but I recommend checking it out on your first visit to Gettysburg to get the most out of your experience. I learned a lot from my visit! read more

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The Gettysburg Museum and Visitors Center is a joint venture between the National Parks Service (NPS) and the Gettysburg Foundation, newly opened in 2008 if I remember correctly. By that, it's unlike most other visitors centers managed by the NPS by there being a much larger commercial component, with extra fees to boot for making it more of a tourist attraction. While I am not a fan of ancillary fees, given the crush of tourists that descend upon Gettysburg, I am ok with the joint venture in making the place a little bit more tourist-centric by having better facilities and fee-based services (museum, film, store, cyclorama, cafe, etc), while keeping it free to visit the actual Gettysburg Military Park (reviewed separately...can't see how anyone can give the military park less than 5 stars). I did take a 2-hour bus tour of the park with a guide, which I highly recommend. Had I known in advance that I could book a combo ticket which included the bus tour and all the other attractions here, I would have just done that as it's the most comprehensive and cost effective way of visiting both the Military Park and getting the tourist experience, which is what Gettysburg deserves, given the historical significance of what transpired there over 3 days during the Civil War. I would recommend doing your research as to what you want out of your visit. A family can stop by the visitors center and the Gettysburg Military Park for free, but also have the option of spending anywhere from $12 to upwards of $45 per person to take in a bus tour and the other attractions. I went on a random weekday towards the end of April and it was quite busy, so I can't imagine how packed the place may get during the weekend in peak tourist season. read more

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Informative, entertaining, very cool. We don't have museums like this where I'm from and I'm jealous. Will recommend to family

Highly recommend. Us and our three children toured and were really impressed. The cyclorama is a must see. The battlefield tour was so good too. read more

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great walkthrough. interesting artifacts. quite a few short movies describing aspects of the battle and each day and phase of the action. fascinating to experience. very enjoyable afternoon. read more

I know nothing about history and I Loved this place! It was clean, flowed nicely, lots of short movies and lots of benches!!! It started with a short movie explaining the battles, progressed to the round picture , cyclorama that was so amazing, and then you proceeded to the tour of the museum. We were there about a total of three hours. It is listed as a national park, but the lifetime park pass for seniors is not valid bc the building was privately owned.‍ But it was so well worth our time and money! read more

Okay, just so we all know, this is kind of a duplicate on here, but I can see why some will say it is needed. As for the duplicate, it is of this: https://www.yelp.com/biz/gettysburg-national-military-park-gettysburg That page oversees all of the battlefield, which a lot, including myself, have included this in our reviews. But anyway, since I'm already typing, let me continue. This is basically the main purpose of coming to Gettysburg. This is like the main draw in the area and that's not a bad thing. Gettysburg is an amazing place with deep historical roots. So as I was saying before, this is kind of a duplicate, but this is specifically for the building that houses the museum/visitor center for the Military Park. The building itself is huge, it has to be to house all of the artifacts that you will come across. This place has so much in it that no matter how many times you come here you will have to make a return visit if not return visits to make sure that you get all the information it has to offer. This time around I noticed that above what catches your eye is more information. Lots more. Quotes, statistics, newspaper references, all that had something to do with what you were looking at in the cases. But I had no idea it was there. For real. Don't skimp in here, make sure that you do the whole thing. By that, make sure you see the film, make sure you see the cyclorama, make sure that you read everything...even if it takes you all day to do so. Make sure that you do everything. It is well worth it. Of course do the stop at the gift shop, buy yourself some knickknacks. Grab a visitor map so when you leave you'll have a good idea of where to go. Also, as a heads up, if you want to visit the Eisenhower House, this is where you would purchase the tickets and catch a shuttle from. Some days that may not be open so it wouldn't hurt to call ahead if you are dead set on doing that for your day. Or, I believe, you can pre-purchase your ticket for a later day. read more

Large Museum and center. The target audience is people who are interested in the battle but are not hard core historians. The displays are engaging and well done, and the History Channel did the AV portion. Serious students of the battle will notice that key events and personalities are left unmentioned, but what is presented is quite good and consistent with the scholarship available. The gift store is enormous and has more than enough to expand on your reading and find goodies for family and friends. read more

Had an amazing time visiting the museum and battlefield. The cyclorama was by far the best part of the museum. I have never seen anything like it before. The museum was so informative and flowed really well. It was super clean too which I find very important. The gift shop seemed a little pricy with certain items, but they had a huge selection of items and a military discount. Our tour guide Chris gave us a tour of some of the battlefield, he was very knowledgeable and nice. It was absolutely beautiful and exciting to be able to see so much history in one little area. read more

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