Gettysburg

(Gettysburg, PA: 12 April 2010) We were not going to do Gettysburg this time since we had been through the whole battlefield tour when our friend Keith Neely visited from Oregon about 4 years ago. However, we heard that the new visitors center was incredible so we had to go...who knows when we'll get back this way again. And we were not disappointed. The featured display of the old visitors center was the Cyclorama, a 360 painting of the battle of Gettysburg done by a Frenchman in the late 1800's. The old building was small and worn out, frankly. This new Visitors Center is 1000X better than the old one. You start with a great film narrated by Morgan Freeman which gives a very good orientation to the causes of the Civil War and what was at stake for each side, and places the importance of the Battle of Gettysburg in the overall context of the war. When the film is done you exit the theater and make your way up escalators to a specially built viewing area of the Cyclorama painting. The painting was not only cleaned up and restored, but they built a diorama in the foreground all around creating a dramatic effect giving the feeling like you were right in the middle of the battlefield. The near life size painting comes to life with special lighting and sound taking you through key events as the 3 day battle unfolds. There is plenty of time given to view the entire painting and ask questions of the knowledgeable Rangers. After viewing the presentation you go back downstairs into the museum which takes you through the Civil War in 14 rooms. Creative use of short movies trace the lives of 5 different people from both sides as you wind your way through the various artifacts on display while also moving chronologically across the timeline of the war from the first shots at Fort Sumter to Lee's surrender at Appotmatox and Lincoln's assassination. I especially enjoyed the separate exhibit explaining the Gettysburg Address and the full address given in moving speech by actor Sam Wasterston. They also added a large cafeteria which not only serves good food, but adds to the education of Civil War life with displays explaining how the soldiers were fed, clothed and supplied (emphasizing the importance of logistics!).
It all was exceptionally well done. We are so glad we didn't miss it.