What in the world is a Cyclorama? This massive, 360-degree “Battle of Gettysburg” painting-in-the-round was first exhibited in 1884. Today, this colossal experience is exhibited the way the artist originally intended—with the painting (measuring 377 feet around and 42 feet high!), a canopy that removes the building’s architectural features from your sight, and a three-dimensional diorama, which carries the painted scene into the foreground. All of these elements combine for an illusion of immersion - you feel as though you’re surrounded by the fury of Pickett’s Charge on the third and final day of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Freedom-one small word that changed the course of human history. In the Gettysburg Address, given just a few short months after the epic battle, President Abraham Lincoln called for “a new birth of freedom,” and consequently redefined the United States. It is here, at Gettysburg, that we are reminded that freedom, like power, will always be contested. And it is here that we, ourselves, are called to "a new birth of freedom," inspired to protect and defend all that we hold dear. This film, narrated by Morgan Freeman, will introduce you to the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg-placing those monumental events into the larger context of American history and helping you understand that what happened in the past is very relevant in the present day.

The Gettysburg Museum of the American Civil War features 12 exhibit galleries featuring artifacts, interactive exhibits and hands-on displays that will engage visitors of all ages with content that places the Battle of Gettysburg into the larger context of American history, helping visitors understand its magnitude and relevance. Multiple film experiences throughout the museum tell the story of the causes of the Civil War.