Refreshment Saloon - GETTYSBURG
Refreshment Saloon
Description
Gettysburg National Military Park is a vast, well‑preserved battlefield and modern museum complex that delivers a powerful, emotional encounter with Civil War history. Visitors praise the Cyclorama, film, exhibits, and knowledgeable guides; options include bus tours, GPS car tours, and self‑guided audio. A clean 2008 museum, cafeteria and gift shop add convenience, while nearby hotels and downtown shops make extended stays easy. Allow several hours—or ideally two days—to fully absorb the monuments, artifacts and moving landscapes of this sacred site.
Feedback
How do you put a star rating on a place of history so devastating that it split families? Split our Country. Killed so many Americans. Destroyed so many peoples ' lives. How do you rate that? The Park is impressive...both in size...and in the care it receives. The monuments from each State...the calvary...the infantry. The cannons on every rise of land. The visualization of the battles you READ about in history class...but in the Park...you FEEL them! You are on sacred ground. So many lives lost. So many families destroyed. So many soldiers, farmers, boys next door , lawyers, doctors, shop keepers...all fighting for a cause THEY believed in. You can FEEL it. The Cyclotron is exceptional! The Battle of Gettysburg is all around you! Amazing! Don 't skip the movie, the Cyclotron and the Museum. The experience is well worth whatever it costs. Don 't miss those opportunities. The Park is open sunrise to sunset. And the Park is free of charge. Give yourself at least 6 hours to visit the Park. There 's so much more to experience than you 'll ever get in a book.
Incredible experience! The tour ticket suggest spending 2 hrs for the museum, film and cyclorama. If you want to do the museum in depth you'll need 3 hrs for those activities. Additionally I also did the 2 hour bus tour- absolutely amazing! The only downside is that you don't get to stop at points that are of personal interest. You do exit the bus 4 or 5 times to view things up close. The other tour options are either a self-guided audio auto guide (upside: make as many stops as you want. Downside: no one to pose your questions to), or hiring a guide yourself. This is the best of both worlds but is more expensive.
Always love Gettysburg. Haven’t been here in a number if years. The visitor’s center is great and the overview movie very informative. Had a wonderful guide for our students. Very knowledgeable and gave plenty of information. So much to see and learn.
I'm not sure why it took me so long to visit this national park. I finally visited on 1 July and enjoyed the rich history. I loved the car tour and found it interesting and informative. After the museum I spent some time in downtown. It was fun and alive! I enjoyed walking around and going out of the different shops.
A sobering glimpse into the tumultuous past of my beloved nation. Having ancestors on both sides of the divide gives me pause to reflect at just how fortunate I really am. I cannot recommend visiting the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center enough! You must go! While there the Film and the Cyclorama are a must see. Whether you opt for a guided or self-guided tour of the battlefield, you’re sure to grow in your appreciation for the magnitude of this great Civil War Battle.
