The Gettysburg Cyclorama: North America's Largest Oil Painting May Be Closer Than You Think

North America's largest oil painting?  It's not in an art museum; it's not in a huge city.  It's the Gettysburg Cyclorama, on display at Gettysburg National Military Park.  If you are unfamiliar, a cyclorama is a giant painting you kind of enter--connected canvas hang all around you in a circle, and you view it from a center platform.  In another era, they traveled the country on display.  Recently lovingly restored across five years and housed in a special round barn-like building designed for it, the Gettysburg Cyclorama is shown as it was long ago, making for quite the immersive experience. You'll understand why veterans who saw the cyclorama were said to weep with its authenticity when you visit.

To see the cyclorama, go to the Gettysburg National Military Park's Visitor Center.  You'll pay a reasonable fee ($15 for most adults, $10 for many others--or avoid the fee by joining Friends of Gettysburg) and see a nicely-done film, much of which is voiced by Morgan Freeman, discussing the complexity of the US Civil War.  Then, there's an escalator ride to the cyclorama viewing platform where you will have ample time to hear about the painting and view it.  You can move around on the platform, too, and non-flash photography is allowed.  The painting is 42 feet high and 377 feet in circumference--take your time.  Impressively, the display is as it was long ago, and scenery at the "bottom" of the painting gives everything a truly 3-D feel.  Ask the docents questions--obviously, the presentation doesn't include everything about the painting.  Be sure to find Lincoln, painted in the battle scene (no, he wasn't really there), and the artist himself among the soldiers.

If you go, your entry to the cyclorama also gets you in to the Visitor Center's museum, a focused telling of the story of the US Civil War, truly an epic in American history.  It serves as a detailed introduction to the war if you are not a professional historian, and if you visited the "old" Visitor Center that closed before 2008, this one will be much more modern than you remember.  If you are a first-time visitor to Gettysburg, the cyclorama itself will help you understand how the story of the Battle of Gettysburg was told at the time, an essential part of understanding the US Civil War in American memory.  You'll find the best parking and less crowded viewing very early in the day or in the off season, basically January-March.

Explore and More: Gettysburg's Wonderful Playhouse

On a recent trip to Gettysburg, we had a bit of dismal weather.  This situation became a great excuse to check out Explore and More, Gettysburg's children's museum.  K had seen simple ads for it, and in town with our two kids and friends and their two kids, we figured it would be worth a shot for spending a bit of time together.  We wound up turning our "bit of time" into about 4 hours with our combined kids, ages 18 months to 7 years.  Everyone had a great time!

Explore and More, situated conveniently "behind" the town library and walkable from Lincoln Square and Steinwehr Avenue hotels on the Baltimore Street end, is a repurposed older home turned hands-on exploration area.  In short, if we could turn our whole house into a playroom, this is what we would build.  Downstairs, you'll find exploration stations including a giant bubble making area and an imaginative play space with a civil war period "home" and campsite.  Upstairs, there's a small black light room and multiple art activities--as well as our boys' favorite space, a construction/manufacturing "site" with a loft and play office.  K, principal of a career-technical education center, was thrilled to see E, age 7, enjoy it so!  There are also small animals to observe (not pet)--think pet mice in cages--and there's a mini gift shop to boot with educational toys.

K, a kindergarten and first grade teacher in a previous segment of life, was impressed by how developmentally-appropriate the museum is--exploration comes naturally in this environment. The owners are two former teachers--and they work to provide this opportunity for the community without paying themselves.  Therefore, pay your admission happily--it's a good value at $7/kid 2-14 and $5/adult.  Those with the potential to visit frequently should investigate a frequent-visitor punch card; there is no membership available.  The atmosphere is quite welcoming and low key, making the museum an excellent place to frequent.

If you go, really consider walking if you are staying at such places as the 1863 Inn of Gettysburg or the Inn at Cemetery Hill.  The walk is pleasant and will allow you to see the living town of Gettysburg--after all, the town was a town at the time of the Civil War battle bearing its name. Metered parking is, however, available and can be free in some circumstances (like holidays)--check ahead.  We agree with the official website that the museum is pretty perfect for ages 2-8, but kids older and younger can enjoy it as well.  Remember that you can walk to Lincoln Square; there are several nearby moderate pub-style restaurants directly on the circle, and the economical and fun Lincoln Diner (truly situated in a diner) is about a 10 minute walk away, albeit through intersections.  Art activities do include paint and glitter; while there are smocks, dress accordingly. Our best advice, though, is to come on out to Explore and More and get messy!

Simple and Small: Gettysburg's Land of Little Horses

Gettysburg is J's favorite history site, of course.  G, however, adores being outside on a battlefield but doesn't quite have historical tourism down yet.  We're still teaching her, but in the meantime, it's sometimes effective to explore in other ways.  On a recent trip to Pennsylvania, G and K were inspired to visit Land of Little Horses, a family farm attraction in Gettysburg's countryside, accordingly to indulge G's enjoyment of animals and the outdoors.  The farm is celebrating its 45th year!

K had always been curious about this attraction, a great place to spend a morning or afternoon. Famous for miniature horses as the name implies, Land of Little Horses is a simple, peaceful farm on which at least 20 or so friendly mini horses reside by our count.  The park has special times during which one can groom and interact with the horses daily.  Other special events include simple animal shows during which select horses and other animals including dogs and pigs perform cute tricks.  The performances, low-key and in a covered arena, are a nice way to take a break on a hot day.  The information is also inspiring--many of the animals are rescued and all are cared for by the family that owns the farm (the dogs even go home at night with them).  The show demonstrates kindness towards the animals as well--a far cry from a rigorous "animal trick exhibit."  A semi-famous horse will even do math for you--addition through division and including number recognition.  Nifty.

The park is a pretty place to walk aimlessly on paths, venturing barn to barn and showing up for hourly special events like the animal show.  There are rabbits, turkeys, goats (twins born on K's birthday, actually), a "racing" tortoise, and more.  Yes, you can buy food pellets for them, but we opted not to.  There's also a small park, a snack bar with indoor seating (we had ice cream), places for picnics outside, a "wild west" village with props for imaginative play, and a gift shop (of course we bought a Christmas ornament--as well as a fancy pink cowgirl hat).  G's favorite experiences?  Saying hello to the rabbits, brushing the horses during the grooming event, climbing on the playground, and riding the saddle swings in the wild west village.

This farm park has no amusement rides and put me in the mind of the type of pleasant family/friends outing one can have at a fall pumpkin patch in Virginia.  If you go, dress for the weather outdoors, and know that closed-toed shoes are optimal.  Search online for deals (try sites like Groupon, Certifikid, and Living Social as well as coupon sites like Val-Pack).  We enjoyed eating just ice cream at the park, enjoying an air-conditioned break at the snack bar, and then meeting our family for a bigger dinner at Blue and Gray Bar and Grill, one of our favorite local restaurants.  Management makes sure you are aware the park does not offer pony rides (apparently, they did before an insurance increase).  The park is open, weather permitting, select days April to October with season passes available and makes a perfect trip for preschoolers and young kids who enjoy animals.

Speaking of Indulging Our Interests: Pennsylvania National Fire Museum

E wants to be a firefighter.  He adores stopping at fire stations and driving by fire stations--we even sometimes plan drives around our home city of Roanoke, Virginia, to incorporate multiple fire stations.  When we realized the Pennsylvania National Fire Museum in Harrisburg, PA, was just a short drive from Gettysburg, PA, we planned a visit.

A charming, well-kept specialty museum, the Pennsylvania National Fire Museum possesses an impressive collection of fire apparatuses, including steamers dating to the 1700s and 1800s.  The museum clearly shows the history of fire fighting in America, including the roles of horses and dogs. Displays include fire fighting-related toys and a functioning alarm headquarters, circa 1900.  On the day of our visit, specialists were working on the headquarters, and they allowed us to pull a fire alarm box, using one of the alarms boxes to trigger various communications at headquarters.    There's also a charming collection of firefighter "parade hats" from days long gone.

Upon arrival, our visit was immediately welcomed, and we received the attention we needed as we toured--but we were not "suffocated" by museum staff.  The host was knowledgeable and answered our questions, and there's a small gift shop that sells souvenirs.  If you go, note the easy, fee-free surface parking nearby, and you are just a very short drive from Whitaker Center.

Still More Science Fun: Whitaker Center, Harrisburg, PA

On a recent family trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Kim, E, and G explored "up the road" to Harrisburg.  Again armed with our ASTC Passport science museum membership, we found the Whitaker Center.  A broad-based center with arts programming as well, we focused our visit on the Harsco Science Center and had a great time.

This museum is yet another beautiful science center with 3 floors of exhibits, most of which are highly interactive.  As an educator, Kim would recommend the bulk of the center for ages 7-13 for field trip planning purposes, but E, then 5, and G, then almost 2, had a blast interacting with the displays and learned content as well.  If you are familiar with Pennsylvania, you'll appreciate the connections to the state.  For instance, Move It!, an engineering and transportation area, simulates manufacturing processes and is a great link to a trip to a nearby factory tour.  The kids' favorite activities included making and test racing cars, with E trying to beat his previous times; and Forces of Nature's hurricane chamber.  Both kids also thoroughly enjoyed the "children's museum" section of the museum, KidsPlace.  This gated section was wonderful for free play with friends we met along the way and featured a fabulous ambulance center, grocery store/market, and construction site.  In this area, you'll also find the best water table we've yet to see--and as water table connoisseurs, you should take our word on it.  The table features fountains as well as movable pipes for constructing your own fountains, embedded baby seats, multiple levels, the capability to build dams, and nearby hand dryers.  If you, too, are a little too into water tables, the Forces of Nature area also includes a water/sand table capable of simulating erosion that's similar to the one recently in the rotating exhibit area at the Virginia Museum of Natural History.

If you go, there is pay garage parking very nearby in the Walnut Center Garage.  We found parking a bit pricey (about $10 for our 2-to-3 hour visit), but the garage was very convenient to the museum--like we-didn't-have-to-go-outside-to-walk-in convenient.  The museum staff and volunteers were also very welcoming and helpful, and there were no large crowds when we visited.

Transportation is Everywhere: The Antique Automobile Club of America Museum

Since Elijah's birth, our family has learned a lot about transportation thanks to his interest in it.  During a recent trip to Pennsylvania, this interest inspired us to discover the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Museum, a gorgeous facility devoted mainly to antique cars. 

It's not your average transportation-type museum--in fact, it is a Smithsonian affiliate.  The building is clean and classy; the set up is on theme and beautiful; you will quickly see why it moonlights as a wedding reception venue.  Areas of the museum are designed to look like, say, a drive-in movie theater, providing a wonderful backdrop that allows you to explain often-forgotten technologies to young kids.  There's a permanent display of cars ranging up to the 1980s, and there are changing vehicle exhibits, too.  When we were there, a small fire engine was on display to Elijah's delight.  An impressive collection of buses forms a bus-museum-within-a-museum and includes a bus featured in the movie Forrest Gump and a bus that featured stewardess-type service.  Other vehicles on display include a hearse used to transport alcohol during prohibition and a collection of a dozen or so early motorcycles.  Expect a nod to visual art as well; a gallery was full of vehicle photos, and there were cases of hood ornaments. 

Within the collection, you'll also find delights of Americana including an actual diner (yep, the real thing) that you can enter and a room of model train displays with a few interactive components.  These components of the museum are different than antique cars, but they sure are fun. 

If you go, know you are very, very close to the Hershey's Chocolate attractions, including Chocolate World, which easily can be paired with a museum visit in a single travel day.  Within the museum, you'll find a children's play area featuring a few train tables and various toys as well as tables near vending machines--it's a comfortable place to give kids a break.  There's a AAA museum entry discount--always ask. 

An Introduction to the Factory Tour: Chocolate World and Utz Potato Chips

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ask Elijah what he wants to be when he grows up, and he'll tell you he wants to be a firefighter.  Ask him what else he might want to do, and he'll tell you he wants to be a factory worker.  In our tradition of wanting to indulge our kids' interests a bit (we can't wait to find out what more of Gwen's are!), Kim took Elijah and Gwen on two kid-friendly factory tours while Justin "historied" in nearby Gettysburg. It was a milestone trip in that Gwen seemed to engage as much as Elijah.

In Hershey, Pennsylvania, we obviously found Hershey's Chocolate.  Hershey's Chocolate World is a simulated factory tour that features a free ride through of a factory mock up that also includes anamatronic singing cows for the entertainment value.  Elijah and Gwen both loved the ride--so much so that we rode it four times.  There's also a large chocolate/souvenir store with a food court and a few other attractions, like a pay-per-view 4D movie and an opportunity to create your own chocolate bar, that you can purchase.  There's no cost for the ride and for parking at the site under three hours, however, and with two small ones, we did the inexpensive trip and didn't regret it. 

In Hanover, Pennsylvania, we chose Utz Potato Chips, which is, in Mom Kim's opinion, the ideal factory tour for young kids.  The tour is self-paced and includes a walk along an observation deck so you can see the factory in operation; recordings play on demand to explain what you see.  The kids loved watching the action and, in Elijah's case, learning some content.  Highlights included seeing potatoes "dump" off a truck into the factory and watching the forklifts.  There's a nearby outlet store a very short drive away that sells a great variety of affiliated snack foods, including Kim's new favorite chip (Zapp's in many flavors).  While we skipped their tour as we were unsure how Gwen would fare on it, Snyder's of Hanover is nearby, as is Renovah Pretzels.  Both offer regular tours, and we tried Renovah but were offered a chilly welcome and were informed that their website provided inaccurate information about their abilty to provide tours.  If you go, talk to them beforehand--we are in sincere hopes we caught this small bakery operation on a bad day.

If you go, check out TripAdvisor for up-to-date reviews and tips, especially about crowds at the Hershey site, and bring a cooler for any choocolate you might buy.  Kim also considered the Turkey Hill Experience, which may be right for your family and is nearby but didn't appeal as much to us this time.  If you are going with family members who aren't preschoolers, check out the Steel Toe Tour at the Harley Davidson plant (you must be 12 or older).  We took each factory tour we selected on separate days, paring them with other attractions in their respective cities and/or in Gettysburg, to cut down on driving for us. 

Justin's Happiest Place on Earth: Gettysburg, PA

No trip to Gettysburg is complete without seeing some of the monuments.  We say some because there are literally over 800 on the battlefield honoring brigades, veterans from certain states, clergy, and others.  If you are Justin, they represent historic events and figures.  If you are Kim, they represent an interesting period in American tourism and means of creating memory that are both sacred and profane (read a little Durkheim).  Our beloved nerdiness aside, the monuments are attractions in themselves, especially for kids.  You can climb the New York and Pennsylvania monuments, two of the largest on the battlefield, and Elijah enjoys "climbing" the elevated Peace Monument, fascinated by the concept of the eternal flame.  You can also go up the Longstreet Observation Tower on Confederate Avenue and get a great view of the overall site, associated monuments, and the Eisenhower Farm.  Elijah surmounted it for the first time this year.  We recommend visiting quieter sections of the battlefield as well--Barlow's Knoll is a particuarly peaceful site with many monumental cannons--as well as the monuments to well-known figures (the humble Longstreet, the Lincoln Speech Memorial, and Father Corby statue in particular).  Tour in your car, on your motorcycle, on a rented Segway, or on horseback. 

If you go, visit the National Park Service Visitor's Center, getting your picture taken with the Lincoln statue and taking in the Cyclorama and/or museum.  The new visitors center is spacious, but the bookstore is no longer fully controlled by the National Park Service, meaning some of the "academic" books and resources available are, well, less than academic.  There are still good finds in the store for history buffs--you just have to have a willingness to evaluate them.  Don't bother with the DVD Gettysburg Monuments and Statues and Their Stories, a showcase of 75 select monuments on the battlefield--Justin can teach you more.  Serious book buyers should still join Friends of Gettysburg for a valuable discount.

Relevant Twitter Handle:
@visitgettysburg

More Off-the-Beaten Path Museums: Gettysburg, PA

Justin has taught Kim, a former self-professed "museum snob," the true joy of smaller, roadside collections.  What some museums lack in curatorial credentials they make up for amply in charm.  Now, we both seek out all types of museums:  the "fancy," the classic, the strange.  Recently, we visited two truly American museums in Gettysburg, PA. 

The National Civil War Wax Museum is home to a variety of wax tableaux.  If you are a student of wax museums, Justin can explain to you how the museum has changed over the years.  When visiting, we review the fire escape plan and note changes--really.  Several of the more innovative displays endure each year, including one honoring the Underground Railroad that allows viewers to "see" a basement hiding place (pictured).  This year, the 51-year-old site changes hands for the first time--but we were thrilled to find it plans to reopen in 2014.   On this visit, it was disappointing to learn the animatronic President Lincolns before the "battle room" finale and in the finale itself are broken beyond repair, but this does allow local Lincoln impersonator James Getty some more work (he's filmed for the battle room Gettysburg Address).  Gettysburg is full of places to buy souvenirs, but the National Civil War Wax Museum hosts one of the largest shops.  Want to see more images from the museum?  Start your search at the awesome wax museum blog Houses of Wax.

We also visited the Lincoln Train Museum again, taking it is renovations since our first trip in 2010.  The collection still features model trains visitors can control by push buttons and a train "ride" profiled in great fanfare in The Washington Post a few decades ago.  They've given the train ride a more patriotic spin, and Lincoln impersonator James Getty again has more work:  he's featured in the museum opening and in the "new" train ride.   The collection is interesting, and while the renovations take a stab at focusing more on Lincoln's funeral train, it's basically a site to take in train models.  Take time to engage the friendly staff and have them tell you about the museum owner, a longtime sherrif in a nearby community who owns several Gettysburg attractions and his own interesting collection of Presidential memorabilia.

If you go, we recommend staying in town, preferably on or near Steinwehr Avenue, so that you can walk to the museums--and lots of cute casual restaurants and the town square to boot. 

Tabernacle Time: The Biblical Tabernacle Reproduction in Lancaster, PA

Inspired by a postcard show find, we had to see Biblical Tabernacle Reproduction at the Mennonite Information Center in Lancaster, PA.  Once there, we enjoyed an informative lecture on the tabernacle itself and were treated to a detailed presentation of the replica from a knowledgeable guide.  While not a "hands on" museum, the replica is built to Biblical size and includes all the Biblical details.  We found our guide, Roy, was able to explain what parts of the tabernacle story are Biblical and which ones have grown from extra-Biblical traditions.  It's a recommended stop for anyone with interest in Christianity or Judaism.

When we found the postcards that inspired our visit for all of 10 cents each, our Sunday School class was studying the tabernacle, in part using a small model you can buy at the center's impressive gift shop.  They sell tabernacle-related religious items, books, and local interest finds like Amish Country postcards and Sight and Sound Theater DVDs--and host a Ten Thousand Villages fair trade shop.  And yes, they have site-specific postcards of the tabernacle replica--a good thing, because in the main section of the reproduction, there's a no photos rule (forgive the lack of photos here).  You can even shop their online store. 

If you go, expect a very friendly, accommodating staff.  They genuinely wanted to meet our needs and were quite pleased we were traveling with children.  The staff can point you towards many local activity options, including guided farm tours.  The center is directly across from Tanger Outlets--yes, you could walk between the sites.  If you are on the road with small children, see our previous blog about nearby Dutch Wonderland.  If you are traveling with a history buff, know you are about an hour from Gettysburg!

Gettysburg!

Justin wouldn't believe it to be a good summer without a trip to Gettysburg, PA.   It's a town that has grown on Kim, too, particularly for its qwirky tourist attractions.  Late summer is a nice time to visit--businesses are still running "high season hours," affording the opportunity to walk the town at night.

This trip, we enjoyed visiting Ghostly Images Legend and Showcase, a new indoor ghost storytelling room with automated, simplistic special effects.  It's less impressive than Myrtle Beach's similar (but unaffiliated) Ghosts and Legends Show, but we'd judge it a fun place to "sit a spell" and enjoy some classic Pennsylvania ghost stories.  More pleasant than scary, it could be an excellent way for those who do not do walking ghost tours to visit a "haunted attraction."

We also spent time talking with a family member of the proprietor of the Gettysburg Diorama, a large-scale model of the battle of Gettysburg that was once lovingly built and housed at a local campground.  Now inside, it is a treat for model enthusiasts and equally impressive as the History Shop's more famous Alamo diorama in San Antonio.  It has the potential to give new visitors a battle overview commensurate of that with the former National Park Service visitor's center electric map (no longer on display).

If you go, pay the small admission fees to some of the small mom-and-pop attractions in town.  Each of them has their own charms.  If you don't go for these two, Kim recommends the Lincoln Train Museum if travelling with kids; Justin never misses the American Civil War Wax Museum.  This trip, we also discovered a new coupon book, available mainly at the Gettysburg Tour Center, that included some good restaurant deals. 

Dutch Wonderful

Inspired by a friend who grew up in the Lancaster, PA, area, we planned a visit to Dutch Wonderland, an amusement park for young kids a little over an hour's drive from Gettysburg.  Situated in a compact area in Lancaster, the park is a nice place for toddlers with plenty of small rides as well as "big rides" that are as kid-friendly as practical.  For example, two-year-old Elijah was able to ride their "big size" log flume.  Other rides include old-fashioned fun rides like a giant slide and family "thrill" rides the Kingdom Coaster, a wooden ride that most coaster enthusiasts would stamp as fun. 

The park is dotted with a few throwbacks to historic Pennsylvania, including wax Amish figures and a cow statue that can be "milked."  Pleasingly, the park has a sense of its own history, creating a small climb-able exhibit of old ride vehicles.   Our guess is that a good bit of their attendance is boomerang:  parents bringing their kids to a place they remember.

If you go, expect lots of food service ads everywhere in the park.  The place seems crowded on summer Saturdays, and watch the heat on enclosed rides like the monorail.  One of our favorite rides was the out-of-the-way "riverboat;" the friendly driver even took a family picture for us.  And Elijah will tell you the park's 20-minute Thomas show was toddler-perfect!  The gift shop includes a wonderful selection of souvenir pins for trading or keeping, too.  Park coupons/deals are limited, but basic parking is free--go early for best spot selection.

In the Lancaster area, we are curious about the Turkey Hill Experience and the Biblical tabernacle reproduction.  We'll have to return!

Relevant Websites:
Dutch Wonderland

Relevant Twitter Handles:
@FunatDW