The Lessons of Gettysburg

Explore how history inspires important topics of today at Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center.

History comes alive as students learn the significance of Gettysburg, covering relevant topics during a field trip to Pennsylvania’s Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site. Find more than a history lesson when exploring Gettysburg with the Gettysburg Foundation, in partnership with the National Park Service. The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center and our historic sites and experiences are sure to make your students’ field trip memorable.

Begin your visit at the Museum & Visitor Center with the introductory film presentation of A New Birth of Freedom, produced by The History Channel and narrated by Morgan Freeman. Experience the iconic Gettysburg Cyclorama and become immersed in the massive 360-degree painting depicting Pickett’s Charge. A RoughCoarse Life: The World of the Civil War Soldier offers a window into soldiers’ lives, experiences and memories through unique artifacts, documents and art. The Museum & Visitor Center displays and cares for artifacts from Gettysburg National Military Park’s collection of 1.25 million artifacts, the largest and most diverse publicly held collection of American Civil War artifacts in the world.

Children of Gettysburg 1863 – School Group

Step onto Gettysburg’s hallowed ground when you visit the battlefield with an expert Licensed Battlefield Guide providing the narrative. Visit iconic battlefield locations with 1,300 monuments and markers throughout more than 6,000 acres of preserved battlefield land. Younger groups discover stories of Gettysburg through experiences and firsthand accounts of children and young adults who lived here during the 1863 battle in the Children of Gettysburg 1863® interactive history museum.

Travel back to 1863 in Ticket to the Past—Unforgettable Journeys at the Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station™. Through virtual technology, students meet historic figures and unexpected occupants to the railroad station. Get a glimpse of our 16th President’s arrival, feel the impact of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and consider how it influences us today.

Groups of 16 students or more and their chaperones receive discounts for experiences and exhibits by the Gettysburg Foundation. The Museum & VisitorCenter offers group breakfasts, dinners and boxed meal options.