The National Civil War Museum Reviews

Well done self paced walking tour. Two stories of Civil War artifacts. The story of the war begins 100 years before the war started. This tour shows ho the division started. Then continues through the war with the major battles and how we as a nation recovered. Very well done!

This museum is a perfect blend of magnificent displays, tons of historic pieces and very, very knowledgeable historians interacting with guests. It renewed my interest in the Civil War. It was a perfect size to spend several hours or a quick drop-in for 45 minutes. What a gem!!

Tells both sides of the conflict in interesting and imaginative ways! One hour didn't do it justice, and a history buff will want to take an afternoon or longer here!

We had a fantastic visit to The National Civil War Museum this August. The Museum is a purpose built building, so they have been able to create an excellent experience that flows really well, taking you through the timeline of the Civil War, including the circumstance that led to it, which is great for a Brit like me as I am not very familiar with American history. There are lots of hands on experiences, dioramas, movies and recreations, as well as lots of memorabilia and great explanations to put everything in context, and it works well for all age groups - we were there with our 12 and 9 year old daughters and they thoroughly enjoyed it all too. All the staff were very friendly, helpful and informative, and the Museum has also worked hard to make sure that it stays fully accessible but also safe in these times of COVID-19, with hand sanitizer available at multiple point, masks and social distancing all being observed. All in all, a highly enjoyable and educational day out!

This museum is chock full of information that I never learned in a history class nor ran across in my research. I spent over an hour there and only got through the top floor. Loved the sight and sound exhibits, especially with statues. The gift shop had some unique items. The free pass for Gettysburg is a plus!

Interesting, informative and I will return and bring others to go through this museum. Questions were answered and invited

What a gem!!! For anyone interested in history, the Civil War in particular, do not miss this stunning museum in Harrisburg. Well worth the trip from outlying areas, including Gettysburg.
This museum is well-planned to include both a chronological look at the war and very interesting personal stories and displays that put you in touch with the every day life of a Civil War soldier. It presents balanced history with beautifully written explanations.
Plan to spend some time. It will not disappoint. (and the city view of Harrisburg is a lovely bonus!)

The National Civil war Museum which opened in 2001 is located on top of a hill in a park in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is a very extensive museum with lots of information on the events that lead up to the war. There are lots of uniforms, guns, knives and various artifacts from both of the opposing armies. The museum is very interesting even if you have not been to the various battlefields and other Civil War Museums.

Great spot up on a hill to give you nice views of Harrisburg. It costed my family of 4 (military) $33.00 to get in. The place is pretty big and takes you through every step before, during, and after the civil war. It’s done very well with print, videos, and artifacts. They have an excellent collection. We needed at least 2 more hours to really learn and read everything. So much I didn’t know. Really good gift store.

Well set up, in order of timeline. This was our second visit and I urge anyone with an interest in this war to make the trip. Our 16 year old grandson just loved it both times we were there.

I’m a history buff and found it only ok.. First getting to the museum is not easy and you have to travel through the absolute worst part of Harrisburg,be warned and lock your doors not the museum’s fault where it is but there is no other way to get there. That said the view is beautiful when you get there. Ok. As for the price not unreasonable at $12 with AAA. What my major disappointment was that this museum was supposed to tell the whole story, kinda like AMR in philly. And while they did mention some incredible facts like this was the first photographed war, first war with Grenades, etc I just felt this was more of an “artifact” and not story telling museum. There certainly were neat pieces like tons of revolvers, uniforms and flags, but with the exception of the well presented first shot exhibit , Lincoln information and end at Appotomax the middle was severely lacking. I give credit for the neat reading on the wall explaining the truth that, yes indeed it was about more than slavery, but they really didn’t explain more than that. Huge missed opportunity as sadly many believe it was only about slavery..Now as for the artifacts there were certainly some incredible ones, like a piece of the wallpaper from PETERSEN house( museum has it misspelled as Peterson in the exhibit that’s why I pointed that out) and plenty of amazing flags like ones that flew in the confederacy and Union navy for example.also very gun heavy, if you love civil war guns you’d love this museum. Last thing that was a slight disappointment- staff member mentioned you could see 3 countries from their observation area- and while true there was absolutely zero information there showing you where things took place to what you were looking at- other observation areas have that- maybe put a map up there showing you that . But the view was nice! Overall, while it’s worth a trip, know going in you are not getting the whole war story. I was disappointed as based on their site that’s what I was expecting. That said, I would say it’s a nice add on to any Gettysburg trip if you have time but find other things to do in the Harrisburg / Hershey area, as it’s a 2 hour at most museum. But if you go in expecting that you’ll be ok, and the admission isn’t outrageous.

This is an excellent museum that tells the story of the American Civil War that is balanced to tell both sides of the ordeal. The museum is located in Harrisburg because it is the northernmost point the Confederate forces advanced to during the war. There is a video presentation that follows throughout the museum that provides perspectives from several individuals including a woman in New York, a former slave, a southern farmer, and a newspaper owner. The war is an event in American history that should not be forgotten, and we need to remember lest we repeat the mistakes today.

This has been on my families bucket list for sometime! We finally made it happen on our way to Gettysburg! The museum is brilliant! My family loves The Civil War and spends a lot of time in battlefields, especially Gettysburg! This museum I one of the best I have seen! It is well done and interesting. I wish I had more time there. I guess we will need to return sometime!

The museum is nicely laid out. You can easily flow from one section to the next without missing anything. I consider myself to have a pretty good knowledge of Civil War history, but I learned quite a bit from this place. They use several formats to share the history of the war so there is something for everyone. Of course they have material to read, but they also have visual displays so you can "picture" it in your head. They have several locations with videos and a couple of sit down areas to view narrated videos. I loved the sections with displays of actual items from the soldiers... uniforms, boots, guns, personal items, letters, medical supplies, etc. But my favorite part was the little plaques posted with some interesting little "did you know" facts. My husband and I went through the museum in about 1 1/2hrs, but if I had been by myself I could have happily taken 4 hrs.

We were glad the museum was open during the time in which we could visit. The location of the museum is a bit sketchy with the surrounding properties in various stages of disarray and very poor upkeep but the panoramic view at the museum was beautiful. The staff was welcoming and informative. The museum layout allows you to go at your own pace while viewing the exhibits. There are many areas in which you may sit and rest while watching very interesting stories on modern LCD tvs with nice external speakers. The displays were very nice with accent lighting and sound where appropriate. The restrooms available for public use were large and clean. They even provide an elevator to assist people who may have difficulty traversing the stairs to and from the upper level. The gift shop offered a nice variety of souvenirs within a vast price range.

The only reason I did not rate this museum with 5 stars is because there were some minor typographical and spelling errors on some of the informative placards and some of the artifacts were numbered incorrectly. This does not detract a great deal from one’s experience but I felt a museum as nice as this one should have proofed the displays and typed information a bit more thoroughly. All in all this is a great museum dedicated to preserving our Civil War history!

We stopped by here on spring break. This was a very nice museum. Lots of artifacts to check out. I would recommend stopping here.

The National Civil War Museum is well worth the effort to go and visit. It is a history lesson like no other. The presentation is done very well and is balanced evenly between the North and the South. If you are ever in Harrisburg you should make an effort to visit. You can spend as much or as little time as you wish...we spent a little over 2 hours. I encourage everyone to go and visit.

I would like to reiterate all the many positive reviews already posted on behalf of the National Civil War Museum (NCWM) as I totally agree with everyone of them. The imposing edifice, grounds and walkways, located atop reservoir hill with its commanding 360-degree view of the surrounding countryside is in and of itself worth the trip. But the real treat awaits visitors inside where instantaneously one realizes they have hit the mother lode of Civil War memorabilia.
Without question the NCWM is the definitive Civil War resource whether neophyte or seasoned scholar, making available a wide range of well thought out, well-balanced dioramas along with artifacts that give the viewer a totally unbiased look back to this incredibly important time in our Nation’s history. Couple this treasure trove with a friendly and incredibly knowledgeable staff along with an archival collection available to the serious scholar it is easy to understand why it has gained recognition and association with the Smithsonian Institution.
My brother and I routinely visit at least one of the many other Civil War venues every year and this year’s September visit to the NCWM stands out as our hands down favorite. I encourage everyone, family, school class, or otherwise to experience the Museum at your earliest opportunity. We had the good fortune to spend a full day there, granted we only scratched the surface, but immensely enjoyed every minute of it. Our thanks to Wayne Motts and associates for the time spent with us and the opportunity to do so.
Norman and Donald George

This is a great place to explore. They had lots of interesting items and stories. We were there when they had community days so we had an extra special experience. They had actors that portrayed people from both sides of the war. It was easy to interact. Unfortunately it was raining so some of the outside events were cancelled. Looking forward to going back to explore some more.

It was relatively easy to find. It is built on a hill overlooking the city of Harrisburg but you can't see very well through the trees. The grounds were very well kept and free parking was easy.

The quantity and quality of the artifacts was totally amazing although in some cases, identifying numbers were there but the item wasn't. Found this very disappointing.

If you are a Civil War buff, this is a must see regardless of all the reading of the displays and walking. There were not enough "rest" benches for us seniors.

The audio volume on some of the displays was annoying if you were in another area. Made it difficult to concentrate.

Children would get bored here. We now have something else crossed off our bucket list! It was a long time coming!

Awesome place for a wedding. Such a unique place to hold your special day. So many photographic opportunities throughout the venue. Ample parking, great location

Great history museum. Great exhibits. Well done with a self walk thru timeline tour. Not being a war enthusiast I found this museum and it's exhibits interesting. Learned stuff not taught in schools anymore.

You cannot go wrong with a visit to this beautiful museum. The displays are impeccably maintained and very realistic. You get a true feel for the civil war through the displays. The staff are very friendly and parking is plentiful!

This museum is first rate. It's absolutely fabulous! There's something for all ages. I highly recommend visiting. Toy won't be disappointed.

This is one of the nicest museums I have visited. Very well planned and laid out, and it gives a thorough treatment of both sides of the war.

We enjoyed the unbiased look at both sides of the War. Love all of the displays and artifacts they have been able to preserve/replicate. Unfortunately we were underwhelmed by the disorganization of the displays. We were there on a day when it wasn't busy. I can't imagine trying to look at them on a busy day.

The museum is not gps friendly.......1 Lincoln circle will get you in trouble.......on market street go past the suggested left turn, an go up always about 1/4 mile to memorial drive.
It is well worth the time spent, a few hour touring the different sections of the museum was excellent....more " stuff" to store in the old head.

Very comprehensive museum
Includes from before beginning all the way to the end
Museum includes films, exhibits.
There is a lot of material to absorb
If you want to read everything take a whole afternoon
Reasonably priced for all the history you can learn
Museum is housed in a nice building and is built on a hill in Harrisburg that has very nice views.

We were visiting Hershey when one of my sons noted that this museum was only 20 minutes away. He and my husband happen to be civil war buffs and were thrilled. This place seems to be affiliated with the Smithsonian, which may be why it was so good, but they did charge $18pp admission, so just be aware that it's not free. It' s very well done, and we spent about 3-4 hours there. Well worth a visit if you like history.

If you can only visit one civil war museum, this would be the one! Exhibits are not mixtures of old paraphernalia, jumbled together like an attic, but well organized and focused

An affiliate to the Smithsonian institute, this museum is located near important battleground of the civil war. It museum traces the background and battles of the civil war. It categorizes union and confederate displays in two distinct colors.

This museum has many lessons to view and many artifacts that are very interesting. It is laid out very nice so you can follow the timeline of the war's history. Take the time to watch all of the videos through-out the museum. They give you a better understanding of battles and reasons the war was fought. There is a nice book/gift area on the lower level.

Beautiful exhibits, brilliantly arranged in a gorgeous building. However, I can't read with someone talking in my ear, and someone is talking almost continuously in almost every corner of this museum; often two videos can be heard from the same spot. So, most of the verbiage was lost on me. My husband is a bit challenged visually, so the dim lighting made it difficult for him to read many of the panels. We both very much enjoyed the artifacts, paintings, maps, & other nonverbal bits that could be enjoyed in spite of dim lighting and videos running continuously. The organization and flow of is an amazing feat. We love museums, my husband loves military history, and we really wanted to love this place.

Visited with family and showed the great constructions and history about this place. Excellent place to visit.

We visited with our two sons who are 9 and 11. Our 9 year old is especially interested in the Civil War. The museum has a self-guided tour so you go through at your own pace. There is a lot of ground to cover and we had a loaded itinerary so we really had to hustle but you can easily spend 2-4 hours or more going through.

There is an amazing collection of artifacts and stunning displays. My kids especially loved the medical set up with the lifesize replication of a wounded soldier being attended to.

There were hands on exhibits and places where you could sit to watch a video to learn more about certain aspects of the war.

Downstairs there is a gift shop where my kids wanted to buy some copies of confederate money and union soldier caps. They also bought a set of confederate and union soldiers that came in a large pack so they could act out some battles.

The museum and grounds are very clean and well cared for. You cannot use flash photography and they do not allow video. You can take photos without a flash and there are lots of photo ops.

Parking is easy and the museum was not crowded at all when we went. We only saw a few others as we went through. I would highly recommend a visit if you are in the area.

This museum is on the smaller side and offers more of an overview to the Civil War. Some might argue that it's more geared to younger people or people with really no Civil War knowledge. The information was plentiful but did not attempt to do any in-depth presentation of any one facet or battle of the war.
This might be an ideal place to begin if you were starting out to visit several of the nearby battlefields, Gettysburg being the closest and Antietam just an hour away.
The lighting is kept low, presumably to help preserve the artifacts but that also made it quite difficult to read many of the informational cards, particularly the small ones--older eyes don't see as well as younger eyes! A simple fix would be to add some small LED lights over the cards, much like a light on a music stand or piano.
We did spend about 2.5 hours here even though we skipped over reading the small cards.
There is free parking and the museum is accessible. Our GPS did have a bit of trouble trying the navigate up the hill to reach the museum but we finally managed.
Worth a visit for an overview.

We took our five-year-old grandson here. He liked it. He got a little bored near the end it was ready to go but that’s typical for a five-year-old in a museum LOL lots of actual items to look at and not just a bunch of reading etc.

One of the best museums I have ever been to on ANY subject. Beautifully laid out, a go- at -your- own- pace kind of place.

I was amazed at the quality of the Civil War Museum in Harrisburg. I was somewhat skeptical since the war was never fought this far north, but the museum was well stocked with memorabilia.

Really didn't expect this to be in Harrisburg but once I saw it was here I made sure to make time for a visit. The location itself great. It is on a hill overlooking the city. You can easily see the State Capitol Building from here. Before going in I walked around the pathway and couldn't help to be stuck by the State markers with the number of people who served and how many were killed. Some were truly striking.

Once inside I certainly wasn't disappointed. They did a great job at explaining all the causes and events leading up to the conflict. All the displays of uniforms and weaponry were also excellent. Really one could spend a lot of time here. I would have liked it to be a little better lit, as I had a hard time reading some of the material. Besides that very small thing, this is truly a great museum and a must visit if your in the area and have any interest at all in history. Highly recommend.

I have found this place very interesting and educational. The place shows artifacts reproduction plastics uniform displays and scenarios of the civil war. I believe is with the trip. The cost is 13 dollars for adults some discounts for kids and seniors. Very organized and clean. 5 stars.

We appreciated how the history was presented as stories. And the hillside vistas contributed to our sense of awe and respect

Lots of stories I don’t recall learning about at other museums- some really neat artifacts- nicely done- easy to follow - it was a nice afternoon date

This is one of the best museum's I've been to in the States. It's easy to find, well laid-out and makes a fascinating period of history very accessible.

If you're a tourist with casual interest you could probably go up there with no prior knowledge of the civil war and leave with a broad understanding of one of the most formative events of the modern world. Even if you've got no interest with the evolution of modern warfare, you'll leave knowing more about modern medicine, human rights and politics.

If you're more a history buff, the exhibits are well-resourced enough to encourage return visits and you could pour over the finer details and amazing artefacts for days. The staff are enthusiastic and just waiting for people to ask them questions to share their knowledge. I'm almost certain that I'll be back there again at some point.

Outside there's a nice walk with great views over Harrisburg too!

This musuem has alot of information. It was well set out as you follow the events leading up to, during and after the Civil War.
I spent over 4 hours in museum which surprised me as I did not think it would be that big.
The highlight was the mini videos you can watch during your walk through that tell a story of individual stories during the Civil War.
The parklands around are beautiful and a nice time can be spent wondering around. There is no little cafe to get food. Limited things in souvenir store water, chocolate etc
The only thing I didn't like was in some areas of the museum they randomly dim the lights so I couldn't finish reading what I was reading, I had to use the torch on my phone.

This was a must see while we visited Hershey.
The museum tells the often untold story as to how and why the American Civil War came about detailing social, economic ,political & religious reasons for the conflict. It was very entertaining and visually stimulating and the artifacts, weapons and the personal stories shown were incredibly comprehensive and explained the deep wounds that still have not healed between the north and south.

Beautiful setting atop a hill - you can see the dome of the State Capitol which lies approximately 1.7 miles away. The museum is a must see, only 20 years old. The curator and his staff are very focused on history and accuracy. The displays are varied in presentation giving visitors the best experience. I learned about the 75th anniversary of the Civil War whereas FDR gave a speech in Gettysburg to the gray and blue troops, many whom were in their (age) 90's at the time.

We spent three hours here. Loved the videos and displays. It was well thought out and presented. Highly recommend for civil war enthusiasts.

ate in the banquet room upper level.
good food, good service.
make your own slider with hot pasta dishes, coleslaw, fixins
great dessert selection too
coffee and tea provided.
iced tea and water bottles to drink
]tablecloths were way too big for the tables and people tripped on them
because they hung on the floor
did not get to the museum at all

Many steps from the parking lot and to the upper level banquet room

This is a solid museum that differentiates itself via its plethora of artifacts. In addition to the history of the war, there are focuses on the evolution of uniforms, on what the soldiers did to pass the time, and what a wartime field hospital looked like. There are also video screens throughout where actors portraying different people from the time, both soldiers as well as those left at home, comment and share their thoughts on what is going on. We spent an hour and half here and could have been here at least another hour. My teens appreciated it as well.

Just another Civil War Museum - NOT ! This one goes far more in-depth than any other one. Very educational. Very interesting and the "Firsts" topped it off. These were the "First" events, equipment etc. ever in a war. I could spend hours there.

Stopped here not knowing what to expect. So glad we did. Amazing collection of Civil War items, good historical narrative as you walk through the exhibits. Appropriate for novices or history buffs.

We learned a lot and enjoyed the exhibits. The displays about the causes of the civil war was just about the history of slavery. I didn't see much displayed about the state's rights, tariffs or other factors that led to South Carolinas secession from the union.

The building is attractive, as is the grounds around it, and the views are spectacular. It was not overwhelming and easy to get around to all the displays. Two hours is a good amount of time to spend there.

This is worth a visit if you are in the area.

I have visited a lot of civil war sites but most of them have been at locations of the battles. This museum covered all the major battles. There were videos of someone explaining them in chronological order. Also videos featuring 7 or 8 individuals sharing their situations and opinions from the time period. You found their videos at several places in the museum as the war progressed and what they were experiencing. And finished up with them after the war was over. Museum covers both sides, Union and Confederate. A lot of artifacts and displays. Even samples of the music from both sides. Spent over 3 hours but could have spent more time. Very well organized and interesting

Full disclosure. Our original plan was to go to Gettysburg and Antietam during Memorial Day Weekend. However, the weather changed the trajectory of the plans. We recalled the National Civil War Museum was in the Gettysburg area and decided since we have not experienced that it was time. Perched in a high area, you come across a very aesthetically pleasing building with parking availability. This is a complete overview of the Civil War and societal context is incorporated. The exhibits were very interesting. Bathrooms on both levels. In sum, this was a nice surprise to experience Memorial Day 2021 after a year of Covid restrictions.

It was a very good educative, historical and enlightening experience to visit this wonderful museum on top of a hill. The views were great and the museum is very maintained. They have a good gift shop with lots of memorabilia related to the Civil war. The price of admission is kind of on the higher side. They have discount for AAA members. The museum tour starts on the second floor and you go through various exhibits illustrating the reason for the war and how Lincoln's election started it all. Then you go through various other exhibits depicting the various wars fought, the Generals involved and the effect on the troops involved. The Museum does not seem to take sides one way or the other. It seemed to me that it was a pretty impartial depiction of the war. I at least learned something about the war and how the history of the country was affected by it. The main star of the whole display was perhaps Lincoln. The location is a bit of a drive from downtown Harrisburg.

I never knew this place existed in Pennsylvania let alone the city of Harrisburg. Some people I knew rented this facility for a wedding. Driving around the grounds, you will see fountains, statues, and look down upon the city of Harrisburg. Really I was very much amazed at this place. I did not get much of a chance to go through the museum being that there was a wedding, but I intend a return journey.

You can enjoy the exhibits on many levels. Of course there are guns and uniforms, but you also get personal stories from people of all walks of life and how the war affected them. Slaves, soldiers, families of soldiers, the people back home, etc. Exhibits are all top notch with lots of interesting explanations of what you are seeing and why something was important. Allow at least 2 hours. Plus during the summer there are outdoor demonstrations on firing cannons, how the soldiers lived, how it feels to hold the guns and swords, etc.

This whole museum is a treat. Exhibits are well curated and ever so informative. I believe this museum enriches and adds a valuable learning experience to the whole of Harrisburg community. A true treasure!!

I have been here many times. Great exhibits, friendly staff, easy free parking and very well maintained.
You will not be sorry that you visited.

I am not a huge fan of war or history museums, but this one was really great. It was set up in a very good way and followed several people’s stories throughout the museum. We had a nice surprise when my husband got in free for Father’s Day. The employees were very friendly.

This place is amazing! Please take a time to visit my teens loved it to. So many displays help visualize what they went through. Non bias for either side but gives you so much empathy for both sides and their cause, for all that suffered. Grounds are beautiful!

Highly recommend this museum.

There are interesting artifacts detailing both sides of the conflict. The museum is laid out chronologically. It makes a lot of sense. There is a nice combination of media, photos, and artifacts.

The staff is friendly and knowledgeable.

The self-guided tour throughout the museum was very informative and well laid out. The museum has many artifacts o display that are worthwhile to see and learn about.

It is a great museum but be mindful of the subject matter and prepared to be disturbed. Graphic visual reminders of the bloody nature of the conflict and tragic events. Not a lighthearted day trip.

Wow, What a wonderful museum. Beautiful displays with great explanatory labels. Well lighted and organizized. It gave a thorough overview of the Civil War. I only wish it had been large.

The museum sits on top of a hill overlooking Harrisburg. It is a very pretty setting for such a somber display.

The museum itself is very well done and shows how brutal life could be during that time period.

The displays are well done and walk you through the war.

The scheduled time should be about 1 1/2 hour, however it was so informative and helpful we spent another hour. Having the history in chronological order kept our learning flowing. Dioramas and presentation of guns, uniforms, medical instruments taught us a lot.
Very well worth the trip!

Besides the State Capitol Building, the other must-see in Harrisburg is The National Civil War Museum, which sits above the highest point with nearly a 360-degree view of the city and surrounding mountain ranges. They preserve material, culture and are a source of information for the period 1861-1865 as well as its aftermath. It is praised for being one of the only Civil War museums that tells a balanced story from both the northern and southern perspective. There are interactive displays, video interviews, still photos, etc.

I love this museum. It covers the Civil War comprehensively. Very few sites do that, often because they are attached to specific battlefields. Also, there is so much there that you have to make multiple trips to take it all in. The staff is great also. I highly recommend!

Didn’t know about this museum until last year and I couldn’t go then because of Covid. So I went today and it was amazing! I practically had the whole museum to myself. Spent 3 hours here taking in the very comprehensive collection, on two floors, of exhibits and detailed information. I always look forward to coming to these places because, having a huge interest in this period of U.S. History, I know I will learn something new. I did! A very remarkable museum.

This one of those places not to be missed! I had no idea before we got there how incredible this would be. We spent three hours there and still didn't do everything. The surrounding grounds are also beautiful with an amazing park, amphitheater, etc. Everything in the building is so well done and I must admit I learned so much more than I thought I would.

Had heard that this was a more balanced history museum of the Civil War. I think they have done a good job of portraying both sides. This is more of an basic education for individuals without much prior knowledge of the war. Very much an overview, not much in detail and alot of important events were missed. A good presentation, not much detail, and not enough relics.

Over ten years ago my wife and I visited the National Civil War Museum. We were very impressed by the exhibits and the role playing opportunity. We looked forward to our visit. Unfortunately, things had changed and the museum appeared to be a shadow of the place we remembered. The museum was manned by a women in the gift shop. We paid our admission, there is one, and wandered around. I would drive west and stop at Gettysburg and visit their new museum and tour the park. The Army Heritage and Education in Carlisle, PA is another site you might visit. They have exhibits inside and outside. The cafe inside offers good lunch fare at a reasonable price. Two places to go and another okay.

Should stop here when visiting Gettysburg or anytime really. If you are going too Gettysburg this would be a great place top stop before. A full explanation of the causes of the war, to what went on during the war and the aftermath. Also shows the war from both sides. Will take about 2 hours and would give great background before heading to Gettysburg or even a trip on its own. The grounds around are amazing as well. Bring a picnic lunch with you and enjoy

This is quite a difficult review to write, as I am generally a very positive reviewer, so I do hope the comments below will be taken as constructive.

First of all, the subject covered is huge, indeed overwhelming, so think carefully about how much time you can spend here and what you would like to see. It's simply impossible to take in the scale in just one visit.

On arrival, parking is adjacent to the museum and free. Entry is then via the Visitors' Centre where you pick up a self-guide pamphlet to steer you through the two floors. The story of the American Civil war is complex, gripping and emotive. But it is told in a balanced way, and some of the exhibits are remarkable. For this, the museum is worthy of a 'five'.

But it's almost impossible to concentrate due to the noise! We visited with our seventeen year old daughter with a diagnosis on the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (and before any prejudice or misconception sets in, she is currently studying for her UK Advanced Levels in History, Chemistry and Biology before attending University, her goal being Oxford). One of the common symptoms is the difficulty in filtering out and processing sounds and noise that come in from 360 degrees, so we find noise reduction headphones in situations such as restaurants or other busy places helpful. But should they need to be worn in a museum?

So I would say to the museum management, walk around your museum, and try and concentrate as follows: listen to the stories being told by the actors in the televised dramatic reconstructions that link the story as the visitors works though the museum (which are pretty good). Try to listen with loud sounds of battle coming in through one ear and sounds of civil war music coming in loudly through the other. Or other sounds. Nowhere in the museum seems to be safe from noise coming in from all angles. Our daughter found this difficult and extremely fatiguing, and it did reduce the quality of our visiting experience quite considerable. My background is flying jet fighters, I'm used to noise coming in from all directions: radios / intercom / background cockpit noise / radar warning receivers. We adjust various volume stalks to work out where the noise is coming from. Not an option in your museum (and even I found it difficult to concentrate). The analogy I would use is this: have you ever seen a powerpoint presentation where the message is lost because the presenter has been seduced into using every gimmick on powerpoint when constructing the talk? The NCWM is a bit like this, not every display requires such noise intensity.

So please do take this comment in the constructive manner in which it is meant. Try and seek advice or consultation (I would hazard a guess that you have done so for other aspects to make your museum accord with other requirements to meet other disability needs) to address the assault on our ears. Then you really will be the world class museum you rightfully deserve to be in telling this hugely important chapter in American history.

Lots to read and look at. Empressive display of artifacts. I would not reccomend for very young children.The building was clean but was a little dark in some areas for effect.I would say to allow a good 2 to 3 hrs to see everything. The building sits on top of a hill with a wounderful view.

We had a great visit at this museum. We spent 3 hours and could have done much more had we not been exhausted from the travel to get here. I highly recommend this museum if you really take the time to go through it like you should.

While it"s not near the size to compete with nearby Gettysburg, all you civil war buffs would do well to spent half a day to come see this museum. While covering the entire war, it gets into the effect it had on the central pennsylvania area more than most others I've seen. Worth the trip.

This museum is very well done and informative. The artifacts are many and very interesting. We like to take friends who visit us in the Harrisburg area. They are always impressed. Don't miss this if you have interest in America's Civil War.

It is a bit difficult to navigate to get there but well worth it once you get inside.

Amazing and professional displays. Good balance between north and south with really good history about Afroamerican back stories.

Even if you are not a history buff, it is well worth the time. Great gift shop too.

This gem is overlooked by many local residents. We went as a couple. Then took a friend visiting from the Czech Republic, then took some friends from another county. Each visit was great. Our friend from the Czech Republic took over 100 photos. It is living history and a dose of reality about the history of the country.
It us a must see.

We learned very much as we walked through the museum. So many wonderful quotes and photos. Tom was dressed in costume and talked to us about his costume. Loved the displays and exhibits. My only complaint is that there was too much noise coming from the displays so when I was trying to read I found it distracting. I did love the flow of the space. Very nice docents work there and are helpful. Beautiful setting. We had a picnic before we went inside. The gift shop had great items also. We especially liked the quill pen and parchment paper.

The Civil War Museum is a place that anyone can appreciate. It lays out the civil war in stages and in special exhibits from before through after the war. It is quite a trip and gives you a pretty good overview of the war. It also contains quite a number of interesting artifacts.

This museum is a hidden gem. I found out about while checking out Trip Advisor for things to in Harrisburg. This place, if you are the slightest bit interested in the Civil War, is THE place to visit. It offers discount admissions for AAA, seniors and military.

The museum is affiliated with the Smithsonian and it shows. The exhibits are first class. Interestingly, the tour starts on the second floor of this magnificent museum.

The exhibits are very balanced and provides a well-interpreted view of slavery before and during the war on both sides of the issue.

It was interesting to note that initially, the Union story appeared on the left side of an exhibit room, while the Confederate exhibit was on the right.

The artifacts were amazing and well explained.

The wax figures in some of the exhibits were so lifelike that you almost expected them to move.

The gift shop was well stocked with books and souvenirs.

I wholeheartedly recommend this museum. It is so well maintained, plus the view from the front of the building of the surrounding area is breathtaking.

We just visited the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg. I must say I was amazed just how much the place had to offer. Tons of war artifacts and stories also. Reasonably priced too. Located at a beautiful location

When you walk into the Museum we were greeted by Jessica. This is a great place to visit when you have teenagers.

You get a complete understanding of the causes of the Civil War. From the beginning of slavery to reconstruction after the war. If you want to understand the Civil War this is the place to visit. Museum exhibits are first class

There is so much of history this place has to potray. the best part is the vintage guns. Architecture of the building is another marvel

A great museum that takes you through all aspects of the Civil War from beginning to end. There are many Civil War relics to see and can be best experienced if you have a couple of hours spend looking at the exhibits.
The museum is located on the top of a large hill which provides a breathtaking 360 degree view of the Pennsylvania landscape.
Well worth a visit.

This museum requires you to read a lot of text while lookin at a few displays. It quickly lost the interest of my son who wasn’t interested in reading books posted on a wall. The info is good if you are patient but even with reading all the info - it’s at most 1.5 hours of museum

Excellent learning source and as their mission states, they offer a "balanced presentation of the American peoples struggles for survival and healing." First the extras: There's a nice long walking path outside and there is a gift shop where you can find a souvenir, shirt or book. There aren't any refreshments or vending machines. There are plenty of benches to sit and watch the videos throughout the museum. Lots of artifacts and representations. It's not just North vs. South, but it gives you insight into how the Civil War affected everyone, including the soldiers on both sides, their families left behind, the slaves, slave owners. You leave with an understanding of how extensive the Civil War was and how we could be a much different country today had it not taken place.

Great museum, for overall history of the conflict. Presents both sides, starts with root causes and concludes with surrender and death of Lincoln. Tour starts on 2nd floor. Facility is disabled accessible and has elevator. Ample parking, access road is one way in and one way out. Allow at least two to three hrs to fully absorb, all that is here.

A very well-organized layout that spends time on the pre and post-war environment, not just the battles. Incredible artifacts on display and a wandering docent that had an answer for almost every question. Before we knew it, we had spent 3 hrs inside. Very impressive.

I was shocked when we pulled up to the Civil War Museum. It is HUGE. I am not a big history buff, but my daughter is, so I'll admit that when I saw the size of the place, I was dreading spending all day staring at flat paintings and musty uniforms of the Civil War. I couldn't have been more wrong. This museum is engaging and has incredible exhibits that really draw you in. Some of the very first exhibits actually brought me to tears. Beautifully crafted wax figures are brought to life with ingenious audio and lighting to tell the stories of families impacted during the war. There are tales of wealthy Southerners, military men, and slaves. It's heartbreaking, informative, and incredibly well done.

This was an excellent overview of the entire Civil War. You are able to follow a number of different people through their war experiences via videos. They had an interactive cart with a knowledgeable guide. Some of the exhibits had sounds and lights. Overall, definitely worth the visit!

This museum has an extensive and impressively curated Civil War collection that is presented in a very engaging and accessible fashion. It is well beyond my initial expectations.

This should be on the must see list for those who are focused on the US Civil Warnor on US History more generally. Very well done.

Great displays to educate us about the Civil War
Very user friendly
Videos were informative
Very spacious
Great for history buffs

The Civil War Museum is fantastic, featuring wax figures, sound effects, short films, thousands of artifacts, dioramas, interactive elements, and maps. Everything is organized, clean, and presented with a delightful color scheme. It’s a must-see attraction for the history buff in your family, offering an immersive and educational experience that brings history to life.

The museum is so well laid out. Provides so many quality visuals to go with the information. The best part of this museum was the video clips being played throughout. It took you through the lives of several people (a slave, his wife, a rich white woman from NYC, a mistress of 500 slaves etc.) during the timeframe. It really put into perspective how the civil war impacted everyone no matter what level of society you were.

We went today a Wednesday in October. On Wednesday’s they are open until 8 pm. We got there are 2 pm and there were very few people here. I would say we saw less than 10 people there during our 4 hour visit. They have many great exhibits here and original artifacts. There are videos throughout the museum following several people from before the war until it ends which helped show how the war impacted individuals lives. The museum is in a great location on a hill. You are able to see for miles from the walkways. If you are a Civil War buff this is a must see.

Most Civil War museums have an ax to grind, a peculiar focus—a battle, a general, a lost cause, ironclads, etc. The National Civil War Museum eschews a viewpoint as best it can and strives to supply the war in broad strokes from causes to reconstruction. Located in Harrisburg, PA, and associated with the Smithsonian Institution, the Museum admirably looks at both sides in the conflict and uses a plethora of media. First, a cast of actors appear throughout the museum in video monologues to show how the stages of the war affect the common people including a southern belle on the home front, a married black woman and her husband who endure his enlistment in the USCT, three brothers on opposite sides, and a southern landowner. Next come the standard artifacts—the guns, cannon and uniforms preserved under glass. Then every other enhancement for the story in paintings, posed mannequins recreating historic scenes, war music, posters, slave sale handbills, and lived uniform reenactors to flesh out the exhibits to greater depth when needed. The exhibits themselves include a timeline of issues before, during, and after the war; slavery as seen by people at the time; campaigns and battles 1861-1865; weapons and equipment; building the armies from volunteers to drafts; women in the war; battlefield medicine; the building of the navies; why men fought; Civil War music; Civil War battlefield grooming; Lincoln; military cooking. It took us four hours to go through both floors and that gave short shrift even then to some exhibits. I need to return. The $13 adult winter admission is well worth the money (60+ $12, 6+ $11). Winter hours: Mon-Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5. Even if conversant with the vagaries of the war, you will find something new here in the most comprehensive museum on it that I’ve visited.

While the National Civil War Museum does not provide an exhaustive look at the Civil War (best to go to the various battlefields for this) it does give a great overview of the events leading up to the outbreak of hostilities and the key political and military events. There are monitors with videos scattered throughout and some very interesting artifacts and mementoes (including one of Lincoln's hat boxes!). There's a large store and the museum sits atop a hill which provides splendid views towards downtown Harrisburg. There's plenty of free parking.

The Museum was very informative and really captured the events that took place during that period. It really brought to life what the soldiers endured on both sides. It gives a insight to how the country was divided.

We planned our trip to Gettysburg to see the museum and Battlefield, Doing research we found this museum was about an hour away, It is a MUST SEE. The Civil War story is told from both sides from start to finish. With many interactive narrations, the presentation was amazing, I would recommend this museum to anyone who wants a real history lesson. Please do not rush through - take your time - my thought about any museum is "If it was important enough for someone to write about it, it important enough to read". This is truly one museum worthy of your time. I am so glad we took the time to visit.

Closed for renovation 2/7/22 for a week. Website not updated with that information. Notice on door not placed until after the published open time on Monday. Disappointing staff work. Rated average just to warn others.

The facility is nice and the exhibits are thoughtfully constructed and easy to follow. Given the complexity of the conflict, they did a nice job highlighting key battles and incorporating the human element.
One suggestion: mark the maps of the states on displays so that people know where in each state the battles occurred. Simply listing the name of the town is not enough given how many battles occurred in out-of-the-way areas.

If you are into the history of the American Civil War, this is the place for you! The museum staff do a great job in displaying the many Civil War items they have available to them. The displays are done up to cover areas of slavery, making of the armies, medicine and soldier life. The staff is more than qualified to answer any question you may have regarding the Civil War.

A coworker and I traveled here after spending a week in Harrisburg. The museum gives a good overview of the whole war. A bit disappointed in the lack of a "Women of the Civil War" section. There is a panel dedicated to the women but it leaves a lot to be desired. The staff was all very nice and friendly.

It was a rainy day in Harrisburg, so I chose the National Civil War Museum. The price was a little high ($14 with AAA discount). I spent about 2 hours going through the exhibits and learned a lot. My favorite artifacts were the textiles--they had a lot of uniforms and Civil War-era clothing!

I visited this site about 2004, and again in 2019. I thought it was excellent in 2004, and was glad to see it had changed by 2019. Keeping the same exhibits year after year makes things stale. Maybe 25% of the exhibits were there in 2004, so they have changed things and made it fresh. I'd highly recommend doing this museum before or after visiting Gettysburg.

This was a very interesting museum. I liked how you start by watching a video about several people before the war and throughout the museum you find out what happened to them. Beautiful views from the observatory!

For all opinion leaders and political commentators this is a great way to learn about what you will be talking about

Visited Saturday, Mar 14 with our school kids. Was very impressed with this museum esp when they displayed both sides of the war. Very well documented and facts presented well.

Had a blast walking through the museum with my husband. It’s a take your walk through tour at your own pace which is really okay with me. I guess it depends on your preference. Still I enjoyed the experience. It was reasonably priced and something different to do 👌🏼

We stopped and spent the day in Harrisburg-- looked for something interesting to do and found the National Civil War Museum. We were incredibly impressed. It is a very professionally run museum with a large number of interesting and diverse exhibits. The information was outstanding and very well presented. The museum is comfortable and the people who work there were ultra-friendly. We weren't sure what to expect when we arrived, but when we departed, we were really happy that we stopped. It was an outstanding visit and we would highly recommend it for others who are visiting the area. If you have any interest in history, you should also enjoy your visit.

We enjoy the history of the area, so while we are back visiting it was another great stop. We arrived shortly after it opened, so for a short time the place was all ours. Even though we have been here before, still so much to take in. Enjoyed the short films that are shown through out the museum. Plenty of artifacts to be seen also.

Well-done museum, bringing both sides of the conflict and points of view to life; less than an hour from Gettysburg. Plenty to read and listen to here, so allow several hours. The one thing that was challenging about this musuem is that most of the galleries have some overhead sound effects or narration in the background, and they are generally very loud and play repeatedly. They were audible from gallery to gallery and were very distracting with each other and with what you were trying to read and look at in the gallery you were in. Consider taking earplugs along to filter some of this out.

The museum is filled with information, mostly plaques on the wall that are pretty small print. There are many artifacts as well. The lighting is in the ceiling but it is behind people viewing the information causing shadows on the the words in the descriptions. Many of the stories are right-to-left rather than left-to-right the way most Americans read.
The Gettysburg battles (1 through4) start on the left with battle 1, then stories continue about other battles. Then behind the viewer and right to left are Gettysburg battles 2 through 4.
There is a theme of “firsts” which is very interesting and appear throughout and again at the end.
The maps could have been reproduced to be larger and clearer and might have helped the understanding of the battles.
Good effort just not comparable to museums like National WWII museum in Mew Orleans.

I believe this museum is best when viewed as a companion to Gettysburg (but if you can do this one first, you should as visiting it gives you a discount at Gettysburg). Civil War buffs must visit! I found it to be very informative. There are videos that play on a loop throughout that feature some characters that show up multiple times. Some of them are a little hokey, but it's a cool way to put a through line in their museum. I learned plenty of things I did not know before and got some nice extra information on things I had a little knowledge of. All in all, it's a great trip. It is literally all we did in Harrisburg, so I cannot speak to much else in the city. This is worth the trip if you are passing through as we were.

This is a very well organized museum and has a nice flow from one area to another. The people working at the front desk were friendly and very willing to help in any way they could.

They covered the entire history of the Civil War and gave a well balanced presentation of both the Union and the Confederate causes. I'm more of a visual person when it comes to museums (my husband is the reader of everything) and they had many awesome displays giving both me and my husband the type of museum we enjoy.

I highly recommend stopping by if you are in the area. And be sure to check the website for all their special events (like reenactments, lectures, etc).

Beautiful facility staffed by very friendly knowledgeable people. Large collection of Civil War artifacts, photos and film clips.

This was a wonderful museum. We have been to Gettysburg and others. It is a beautiful spot high up on a hill overlooking the capital city.

Museums can be lots of reading ... or like this one: offer a great combination of reading and short movies. Learned about causes of Civil war, effects on people/families, specific battles and finally how it ended. Spent a rainy 3 hours realizing we haven’t changed much 😞

First thing, the view from the museum of Harrisburg is wonderful. It is situated on a large hill and the mountains and valley around the museum are breath taking. The museum itself is in great condition and very clean. The men at the ticket counter were helpful and polite. I am used to not paying for museums or exhibits. The price to enter is 16 dollars. Yes, it was well worth it because it is done well, and I learned allot. I believe every aspect of the conflict was addressed and in a way that everyone can understand. Also, the models and displays are very real. Sound is also with many exhibits.

Some exhibits go more in depth than others. For example, the battle of Gettysburg has a room dedicated to it. The battle of Atlanta and Vicksburg not as much. The institution of slavery is addressed in depth as well as President Lincoln. For me the best part was at the very beginning where a large display shows the events leading up to the war and divides them into slavery issues, states' rights or a combination of both. I find there is a lot of confusion here among people when asked about the reason for the outbreak of the civil war.This display made it clearer, and I believe now that slavery was the main reason for the southern states rebelling .I mean ,states' rights is a nice way of saying that a state (southern) has a right to ignore Washington and keep their slaves.

I spent 5 hours here and could have stayed much longer. Also, there is no cafeteria here that I saw or vending machines. Eat before you come.

Great museum. Start on second floor and start with causes and ends bottom floor post war.
Very balanced presentations (North vs South)
Excellent overview of entire war.
Some overlap in sound from one exhibit to next but really not a problem as you get absorbed in each exhibit

Good presentation of artifacts. Moderate in size and collection. “National“ is slightly misleading especially when you can do it in less than 2 hours. National, but privately owned. Beautiful location and view of the mountain range.
Discounts for seniors, military and AAA!
We went at 11:30am and it was full of noisy school group kids. Go after 1:00pm.

We were in Harrisburg for a couple of days and looking for a way to spend a few hours. We learned about this museum here on TripAdvisor. We spent a good couple of hours there and were able to cover the self-guided tour on the two floors. It was a good history lesson. The exhibits were well organized and well displayed. There were lots of authentic artifacts like articles of clothing, guns and swords, and even games. Several videos gave an excellent summary of the history. Definitely recommended.

The museum is great; everything you'd expect. The gift shop sold recreations of the battlefield maps. I framed one and in my office. Dozens of times a year people comment on it and the detail. We've visited several times over the years. We now sign up for a one-on-one guide to drive us and show us the battle from a soldiers point of view or a general, or a several day recap. Amazing how much sticks with the children. A wonderful place to visit, stay, shop, and experience history.

inside the museum, you can learn the history of America during the civil war time, you can know how it looks like back in that time and you can see how hard they fight! a very good site to learn about civil war.

This place has great meeting rooms and you get to visit the museum. Lots of civil war artifacts. Great location in Harrisburg

We planned a stop here on our way to Gettysburg. Not sure the price of admission is really worth it though. Nice enough museum however we spent approx an hr there.

This museum is a true hidden gem. Visited with my husband for a few hours. I highly recommend you visit with teenagers or adults who love history. Not a good place for young children or those not interested in the Civil War. There is a lot of reading. However, as a history loving couple, we really enjoyed our time at the museum. Very informative. Lots of love and work went into the building and displays.

We were unaware of the museum until we planned a visit to Harrisburg. We enjoy civil war history and were amazed at the number and significance of artifacts. Definitely worth the visit.

Very interesting Civil War Museum. There are two floors and it is suggested to start on the second floor. It took us a total of 6 hours to go through the museum (3 hours on the 2nd floor and 3 hours on the 1st floor) and I don't think we read everything. The Civil War was a "War of Firsts". I took away more of an admiration and respect for Abraham Lincoln with everything he went through during the Civil War. With all that he endured during the war, he gets assissinated 7 days after the war ends:( It is a must see for any history buff or even just a casual person who enjoys history.

Some museums dive into the details, others just scratch the surface. The National Civil War Museum found an excellent balance in its well-designed galleries: a broad look at the causes, experiences and effects of the war—and some of the details that connect you to the soldiers and civilians wrapped up in the conflict.

Also well-balanced: The different perspectives the museum lays out. They strive to not take a side—focusing on facts and the story told by the two sides’ similarities and differences—yet the museum still presents a compelling and complete narrative. In many spaces, turning left will take you through the Confederate side and turning right will take you through the Union side... paralleling and mirroring each other. It’s poignant and interesting.

While I believe young children would likely not engage with the story or (sometimes rare and impressive) artifacts, anyone who’s been through an American history class at some point in his or her life will find moments they recognize—and history buffs will eat it up.

From the outside, it is a nice facility and the parking is free. We visited this museum and received a discount for having AAA. For two adults and two children, we paid $42.00. The AAA discount applied to the adult admissions, only.

The galleries have a great number of interesting artifacts from the war. What I found disappointing was the exclusion of Oklahoma from the museum. There were a number of Civil War battles fought in Oklahoma, such as the Battle of Honey Springs and the two separate battles of Cabin Creek. Union forces took control of the Arkansas River, to in turn, take back possession of Ft. Gibson and Ft. Smith, AR. In fact, a number of the Native-American tribes fought for the side of the Confederacy. I find this to be a major oversight for an institution that has “National” in the name.

One other aspect regarding Native-Americans that is missed by the museum is that many tribes were owners of slaves. This was one of the driving factors for many tribes to side with the Confederacy.

There are impressive exhibits in the museum. The artifacts depicting the treatment of slaves was particularly sobering. Today, if you treated your dog that way, you would go to jail. Back then, the cruelty was common.

The uniforms of the soldiers make you wonder how someone could wear them outside of the months of winter? How about going into battle with no shoes? I know I get crippled by a stray Lego when I step on it. Medicine was brutal during the Civil War and there are exhibits to share why that was.

Despite some omissions at this museum, it is a nice facility to visit. The admission price isn’t terrible and it is good to educate the kids.

Unlike other museums, this one has story telling monitors throughout that walk you through the lives of various people on both sides of the civil war. The settings and captions throughout the museum are captivating. Our group of 8 people rated it a 10 for museums in this time period.

Took my two teens to this AMAZING Museum. They found this to be very interesting and educational they are ASKING TO GO BACK. There were a lot of video's presentations throughout the museum. As well as a lot of information that you can read on your own as you work your way through the museum. If you have teens that are in middle or high school you should take them here. They will get a better understanding of the Civil War and the issues that everyone was facing. Go and enjoy a day with your children they will love it here.

Extensive exhibit of the civil centered mostly on battles, guns and ammunition, and soldiers. Some insight into the civilians such as video presentations by women and farmers, but have liked even more about political opinions and debates.

Had area where Lincoln answered 100s of questions about himself, politics, the war, and more. This was very good and would have been interesting to hear others’ views.

There was lots of info well presented, but almost overwhelming .

Amazing museum! Gives very important context to the war and does not sugarcoat how destructive it really was. It also begins the exhibit where it should- slavery. A must see!

This is the finest Civil War museum we've visited in years. Much better than the recently renovated museums in Gettysburg and Ford's Theater. This museum values Civil War artifacts as much as sight and sound displays, and had a good mix of each. This museum is a "hidden gem." Highly recommeded.

The Civil War remains controversial in some quarters, and this museum tries to address this by presenting the views of both sides. Hence, the first parts in this chronologically disciplined exhibition discuss both slavery and states' rights perspectives. But the bulk of this massive collection of artefacts concerns the military side of the war. Crisp video commentary complements the more traditional displays.

For me, it was an overdose of battle details, but I felt that the socio-economic context of the war was well framed.

What a beautiful location on top of the hill! The exhibits were so well done and so informative. The gift shop had an amazing collection of books for sale.

Terrific place. So much to see. This is my second time going here. Easy to find, lots of parking and great view since it is up on a hill.

This museum tells about the Civil War in a very excellent way. There are screens with many different tales about the Civil War. They follow certain characters both before and after the war. I was very impressed with the information and the way it was presented. This is a must see for anyone interested int the Civil War.

This museum was very interesting. It covered the events leading up to the war straight through the resolution. So many artifacts that were amazing to see. Videos describing many key points in the war as well as figures depicting slave auctions, clothing, and war camp scenes. Excellent informative museum accessible for all.

Traveled there while visiting Gettysburg two weeks ago. After visiting, I would have preferred to save the gas for the trip there and back. Museum is not that easy to get to from the interstate. The grounds and landscaping are in horrible shape. The grass needs to be mowed, weeds pulled, mulch spread, lights fixed, pigeons and poop clean from the front entrance, trash picked up on the grounds and in the parking lot and sever water damage inside the museum building itself. The collection of artifacts inside were so-so. Dust and dead flies were inside many of the displays! There are smaller ones in Gettysburg that are much better. Also, why was Harrisonburg picked as the site for this?

Terrific museum with tons of artifacts and visual presentations. Plan to spend a few hours here to experience everything. Plenty of free parking, and the place is spacious enough that you will not feel cramped by other visitors.

Having visited most of the Civil War Battlefields, we decided to pass on this museum but were interested in the grounds. Near the entry, the red brick "Walk of Honor" featured each participating state with # of military and # of deaths. Its all located in the 85 acre Reservoir Park where underground sits the city reservoir of 30 M gallons built in 1872. Above, now the highest point in Harrisburg, there is a view looking down on the capital, and off to the north, the gap in the Blue Mountains containing the Susquehanna River.

Our group decided to visit the museum after lunch, and were surprised to find a museum of this size and magnitude in Pennsylvania. One would assume that this museum would be located in one of the Southern states.
The museum is located on a ridge in a park with scenic views of the valley below. There is a brick walkway leading to the museum, with information about each state that was involved in the war. It listed the number of troops from that state, and the number killed during the war. The large building consisted of two floors, with exhibits on each. Admission was paid upon entering, and we were given a pamphlet which guided us through the museum.
The self guided tour was arranged somewhat chronologically and consisted of murals, photographs, artifacts, and short video presentations. You could spend as much time as you liked in each area. There was an outdoor demonstration with actors dressed in uniform, which included marching and firing of their rifles.
The museum gift shop had an extensive selection of books, gifts, maps, and other items of interest. The museum hosts special events, which, on the day we visited, were authors of some of the books offered for sale.
We spent about 2 1/2 hours there, and probably could have stayed longer. This is a top notch museum for everyone, not only Civil War buffs.

Exceptionally well done museum dealing with many important topics. We thoroughly enjoyed it, probably spent two hours walking through the museum and absorbing the experience. A definite place to visit.

I was traveling with my mother in her 80s and she uses a walker. This place is very handicapped friendly. It was refreshing to see the Civil War told from both sides point of view. The dioramas were very realistic and the video re enactments were spot on. My one complaint was that when we were viewing some of the videos we had a hard time hearing them because of the audio being played in the dioramas was too loud. Another thing, which I am sure cannot be fixed, is how hard it is to get to this place. I used mapquest but found it easier to also use the directions from my iPhone audio. Lots of turns on small roads up a hill and then you reach it on the top of a hill. Plenty of parking and very easy to follow the war from start to finish. We were lucky to have the place mostly to ourselves when we went but there is tons of floor space and plenty of places to sit along the way. Going to this museum was the high point of my trip to PA. One of my favorite parts was the video shot of the 50 year anniversary get together by men that survived the battles of the war. Amazing.

August 2020

We spent a little more than two hours here and really enjoyed the visit, being history buffs and having a desire to see as many museums as we can, while out and about. It had quite a few exhibits and some interesting artifacts in the collection, but I was just a tad bit disappointed it didn't offer a lot more in terms of bigger items from the Civil War, like cannons, pieces of ships and buildings, etc. Being this is a national museum for that war, you would expect a mind-blowing display of everything for that period, but it fell a little short in that regard. I'd give it 5 stars if it was just another Civil War museum, but being the National Civl War Museum, it fell a little short, and also, numerous exhibits were closed down because of the freakout over Covid, so that put a damper on things.

My husband and I, along with our daughter, her husband, and three children, visited this wonderful museum this morning. We were very impressed with their expansive collection of artifacts and information, as well as their dedication to presenting a balanced discussion of both sides, instead of just focusing on one or the other. We also had the opportunity to speak to one of the developers of the museum, who was very helpful and informative, as well as being an all around nice guy. I would strongly recommend this museum to anyone interested in Civil War history.

The building itself is a gorgeous, commamding presence. The museum is arranged chronologically, beginning with slavery and then moving throughout the war. There are exhibits of various battles, an exhibit on uniforms, (room divided with Union on one side, Confederate on the other). The Museum notes a lot of "firsts" about the Civil War, such as it being the first time that clothing was made in standardized sizes. There is much much more. I spent about 3.5 hours here.

I had a great time here. I thought the exhibits were very well done, and offered a lot of variety and ways to learn about the Civil War. I walked through it twice. Then, I got lucky because they had a re-enactment group serving as a Maryland artillery unit doing a 1pm demonstration. Very informative and interesting, and fun to have their field piece give off several shots. This will probably be my highlight visit to Harrisburg.

On our way back to VA auto train stayed in Harrisburg. Always found the Civil War very interesting so was determined to visit this museum. Did not disappoint. Several video shows of re-enactments, excellent exhibits including many many actual artifacts. Very handicapped accessible and has wheel chairs to borrow if you need one. Beautiful grounds and lovely bronze statue. Very worthwhile.

Give yourself at least 2.5 hours to tour the museum. Numerous relevant, interesting artifacts. Lots to read...

This museum had a lot of interesting and interactive exhibits. Working in the medical field, the coolest displays contained all the medical equipment used during that time period. The location of the museum is awesome, being on top of a hill within Harrisburg. On a clear day you will get some great views of the surrounding area/river.

Good fun and lots of historical artifact and information in regards to the civil war. We even got to see a live cannon artillery .

This is one of the better Civil War museums that we've visited. It's located on a hilltop, affording great views of the surrounding area. However, we found it impossible to avoid driving through sketchy neighborhoods in order to reach the destination.
Parking was plentiful, and the museum wasn't crowded. The displays are laid out in a logical sequence, and there were more artifacts than in many of the other Civil War museums we've visited.

One of our stops along the way to Gettysburg was the National Civil War Museum. Now our gps got us here but i admit it took us a bit to find the building itself ontop of the hill. The signage either was poor or we just missed it. But after finding it the view from the top was incredible. Really nice well manicured property. Now were Canadian so the civil war doesnt have that kind of effect that Americans would feel and the scope of the war is overwhelming. So I thought visiting here would provide some answers and general knowledge. It couldn't hurt. It is a beautiful clean well cared for museum. You could spend hours after hours here all depending your fascination with the war. The exhibits were very interesting especially the ones that explained medical treatment during the war and slavery. Truly a fascinating place to learn.

Newer museum with many well done dioramas. Traveled to Harrisburg specifically to see this museum. Went during the day on Friday and it wasn't very crowded. Well worth your time to visit!

Stopped here as we were in Harrisburg for one night. Easily found. Lovely surroundings, nice ambience. The lady on reception was helpful. We spent a good couple of hours wandering the whole place. My wife enjoyed the video portrayals of the 'players' in the Civil War. Some authentic artefacts to keep ones interest. Only draw back was there was no cafe. We were hoping to have lunch here but no. I recommend this museum.

This museum does an excellent job of explaining a little known aspect of the Civil War. The exhibits are very well done. Plan on spending an hour or two and it's worth the time. It is close to downtown Columbus and highly recommended for anyone interested in history and certainly the Civil War.

Very interesting, it shows both sides of the war and had so many interesting artifacts. I also enjoyed the little movies showing different personal perspectives and who folks from various walks of life. It took us a couple hours to do the full museum

This is the only American Civil War museum that I have visited which gives an unbiased review of who, what, when, where, why and how this American tragedy affected the families of both the northern and southern cultures throughout that war. The tour begins with video clips of a mixture of northern and southern families of varied economic strata and progresses with those families personal experiences throughout the galleries as the war progresses. For the Yankees, it is at times an hypocritical abolishonist agenda of righteousness. For the Confederates it is both a matter of states rights and an economic necessity for southern plantation prosperity. To the slaves it comes down to survival, freedom, and the most basic needs of family stability. Then lastly, there are those who are at best uncertain of where they stand and why. The galleries are on two floors and filled with full sized and miniaturized dioramas with plenty of artifacts, maps, informational bulletins, narrations, and photographs of the era. Most visitors are unaware of this museums connection with the Smithsonian Institution and the fact that it is less than an hour's driving distance east of Gettysburg. I highly recommend you visit this museum.

Loved the layout and presentation of the information and artifacts, thorough but not overwhelming. Also, video presentations of re-enactors are chronologically presented as they tell their stories through time. This place is a must for any and all history or Civil War enthusiasts.

We were visiting the Capital of PA and found out the this museum was in the city. It was a real treat to visit a war museum that just gave the facts. They did not give opinions on why the war started or who was the correct side to back. All facts and no opinion.

While searching for attractions to see in PA, there were many good reviews written about the National Civil War Museum.
During our family trip in Hershey we took a drive to Harrisburg to visit this place.
Situated in a very nice area overlooking a park. The displays were pretty awesome and a lot of history is told here.
Our family consists of 7 adults and 2 nine year old girls. My Mom was with us and she is 93 years young. Whether young or old, we all enjoyed our visit here.

This is a well-planned museum with a pamphlet-guided self-tour that takes you from what was happening before the war, influencers and causes, both sides points of view, during the war, and afterwards. Fully comprehensive, with explanations, actual artifacts/relics, dioramas, life-sized displays, as well as audio and motion-picture vignettes. Affordable, too - we used a Groupon 2 tickets for a total of $17; regular adult entry is something like $23/per person (you can find prices on their website).

This is an great museum for anyone interested in the civil war. There was a great mix of reading, video, and artifacts. Beautiful place. Very friendly staff too.
We were there almost 3 hours. We will certainly be back again.

What a gem of a museum. So much history that has been well preserved and exceptionally presented. A place you must visit even if you are not a history buff. Excellent highlights of the Civil War. The grounds are beautiful too and the magnificent US Flag is one of the largest I have ever seen.

Went here to kill a few hours while in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Not a buff of museums or the Civil War. Quite honestly I was bored. If you like history and museums this is for you. Rating...fair

I am a 12 year volunteer with the National civil war museum it is a good place to learn about the American civil War we get 45,000 visitors a year plus we hold wedding receptions, business organization events and other events at the so be sure to check the museum out for tours

So many excellent artifacts and information about the Civil War. Very balanced with information from each side.

The statue, Moment of Mercy, in front of the museum is worth the trip. The humanity of those fighting needs to be remembered!

The museum strives to stay relevant and meet today's concerns. That is obvious as they have taken pains to portray slavery and it's effect on those subjugated by it. There is toning down of information and presentation of the Confederacy. However, there remains respect for the courage and sacrifices made by the individuals who endured and fought on both sides. The muted lighting heightens the terrible sadness the fighting brought not just to the battlefields but to a ripped apart nation. I hope when we return we do see more attention paid to the women who lived through those time and afterward. Women were forced to cope w/o men in so many areas for several years. Society was changed when wounded men came home and when they never returned.

What a wonderful museum, very interesting, very well explained in chronologically order.
A great place to visit not to be missed by all. You need plenty of time to go through all the rooms.

My husband and I were there last summer. We thoroughly enjoyed what we could see. We are in our sixties and we can only walk around for so long til we get tired. there is a lot to see and read there. I could go again and take more time. Great for the next generations to learn about American history.

This is very good place to bring elementary school on up for a history lesson on the Civil War. There are many videos about the was not just the local history, Very well done. You need to take your time in order to read the information at all the displays We attended here because our granddaughter is in her 2nd year of college with history major

The museum is a must for any Civil War buff. The museum is quite inviting as you walk in and you have two floors to explore. The museum truly does give a balanced portrayal of the Civil War without taking sides. There are a number of short videos to watch that enhance the experience. Interestingly, they profile a number of different individuals and if you stop at the different video stops, you can follow along to find out how the Civil War affected these different individuals. The gift shop offers a nice selection of books related to the war and era. Allow yourself several hours to mosey around the exhibits. There is a vending room available but you may wish to time your visit to eat before/afterwards your visit.

The tour is extremely thought provoking and well presented for the entire period of the civil war. The employees and staff including the volunteers are very knowledgeable and helpful.

My wife and I went here from Gettysburg on a Sunday Afternoon during a soaking. This was a nice dry museum and retelling of the Civil War from start to finish. It showed in subtle and powerful ways that the US Civil War was all about slavery and its extension to the new states, from start to finish. It starts off with John Brown, who was NOT crazy, who lit the fuse to start the Civil War. The big band which resulted was the Southern attack on Ft. Sumpter. All else is history and you can see the compact well told history here. It is worth the trip, the time, and the modest cost of the tickets.

Beautiful location with a lot of information. The only reason we didn't give it the highest rating is because our son is in a wheelchair, and once inside it was hard to navigate certain areas. His chair is medium sized, so if you are in a larger wheelchair, there are going to be areas you cannot get into or navigate. The snack area was closed which wasn't the end of the world, but it shouldn't have been.

This is a wonderful museum. It is top notch from top to bottom. You will need at least 2 hours to fully enjoy the entire museum. This is the best Civil War museum outside of Gettysburg. The collection on hand was fantastic.

If you know your history and you care what kind of utensils the troops were using or who drew the first shot. Than it is the place for you.
The museum has 2 floors and is a self guided visit. You have to read all the info or wait for the video clips to restart t know what’s going on.
If you doo all that, you are looking at about 3-4 hours visit.
My wife is still confused and can’t understand why the war has started in the first place. It is hard to believe that white people went to war just to free the black who really didn’t full rights anyway...

Being a scholar of the Civil War and born and raised in Upstate NY I was shocked that this could have been put together by any scholar of history. Nothing to add to Motoman172s review. He nailed it. Read his review. Wish I had first. Those from the North who want to feel good about yourselves with moral superiority that is based in untruths, this is the museum for you!

This museum is, overall, a balanced view of the war from both “sides.” Many sections, for example, have equal space devoted to Union and Confederate experiences, such as recruiting, arms, uniforms, camps, etc. In addition, there are obligatory areas covering slavery, Lincoln, and other broader issues related to the conflict. For an introductory exposure to these topics, the museum does a laudable job, but it doesn’t dive too deep on any one area. Moreover, much of the content looping on video monitors was produced nearly 20 years ago; while the facts are accurate, it appears rather dated, and for the most part, the acting is uniformly atrocious. In any case, it’s a worthwhile museum, especially if, again, it is one of your first exposures to the Civil War.

I visit American Civil War Battlefields whenever I can, to include various museums and dedicated facilities. I found the NCWM to be a top ranked museum with artifacts that surprised me from both the common solider as well as the leading generals. It makes me pause and reflect on the sacrifice's made during that time as well as the pointless loss of life over ideology differences. I spent the entire time they were open browsing through the museum and still missed out on a few sections at the end. If you really wish to take in the details, I would plan on making it an entire day event. You can shorten the day by moving through much quicker than I did.

I absolutely loved this place .It was so emotional reading all the artifacts. It is very clean and informative. I highly recommend this place

This is a great place to visit. One of the best museums in the area. After this I would head to Gettysburg to enhance your trip. Or HERSHEY to have some fun.

One of the best museums in the country (their Smithsonian affiliation is evident). Certainly the best civil war museum in terms of even-handedness, artifacts, layout, understandability and solemnity. A must-see in Harrisburg and arguably, worth the drive from Baltimore, DC and Philadelphia. Very useful to stop here pre-Gettysburg.

We learned a lot about the war, especially about things that are somewhat obscure in the obvious history of the Civil War. They had video of people talking about various people and happenings/battles, plenty of written descriptions a information about individuals involved. Lots of artifacts. We spent about 3 hours and could have spent more. We had never heard of this facility until yesterday; it is a a true hidden gem. Very worth while.

We stopped here on a rainy day and spent about 2 hours , and we didn’t get a chance to watch the film they had . There is so much to see, we especially liked the list of firsts that happened during the civil war' first Medal of Honor for example. If you don’t know anything about civil war history, this museum will help you understand from the begining all the factors that contributed to this terrible war. Price was reasonable and well worth it,, stop by.

The museum has wonderful artifacts,photos and displays and it I see presented as a narrative, before, during and after the civil war.
Excellent photographic exhibits. And concise accounts of the battles.

I donated a bunch of baker family civil war letters to the museum with a promise that they would send me a copy of each after they were transcribed ( they were hard to read because of the penmanship and the slang or terms they used at the time) -never received anything and now wont answer my e-mails

Visited the Museum and surrounding park overlooking Harrisburg on a beautiful day. The exhibits begin on the second floor and are presented in a chronological story from the causes of the Civil War through President Lincoln's assassination and the beginning of reconstruction. Many artifacts presented in informative displays, mixed with models, recreated displays, and informative videos. Admission fees paid on entry through the gift shop - no fee if just shopping. Ample parking on road circulating the museum, with short walks to the entrance.

This is an exceptional museum, having achieved the perfect balance of being educational and fascinating. Attention has been given to presenting a fair view of the Civil War from both northern and southern perspectives. It is expertly laid out to facilitate the visitors' ease of progression throughout the chronology of the war, and the exhibits and research are very interesting. Don't miss the final exhibits about war veterans which give a moving conclusion to the story told in the museum. Very worthwhile!

Kinda pressed for time when we were there.....But I was very impressed with the self guided set up on two floors that just seem to never end.....just a fantastic place if you are a history nut, a museum goer, or just a casual walk through to see what it was like in the era, during the civil war.....I would love to return and watch more video stories and read more about the history and significance of of its role in defining our counrty.....next time I'll plan half a day to really enjoy this wonderful olace

I have a great love of history but sadly a cursory knowledge of the Civil War. My teenage son and I decided we would add this to our summer vacation and we were not disappointed. The exhibits offered an informative, engaging, and thought provoking look into a very difficult time in our nation’s past. We both found our visit to be quite moving and are already planning on returning next summer.

This is another of the great museums we have seen on our trip.

The staff was very welcoming and helpful.

Plan on a good 4 hours to see the museum properly.

I was facinated by all of the character storylines used to present various aspects of the Civil War. It helps you see from various peoples points of view.

This museum is outstanding!! It is so well laid out with excellent displays and descriptions. It includes video presentations that really bring the time period and the events to life. Very moving and thought provoking. Highly recommend!!!

We stopped here for an hour or two on a journey from Philadelphia to West Virginia and it provided both a welcome break from the journey and the most fascinating insight into such a devastating period of history. The museum is the perfect length so as to tell the story of the civil war in enough detail without an information overload, combining real artefacts with photography, waxworks, film and text to create a variety that holds your attention - so it would be suitable for teenagers or children too. Definitely a period of history we should all know something about and hope to avoid repeating!!

Provides well-curated in-depth coverage of the causes, conduct and consequences of the Civil War. Excellent selection of artifacts. Interesting exhibit on Camp Curtin, military a training camp in Harrisburg during the war. Thanks for an educational, enjoyable afternoon.

This is one of the best civil war museum (indoor) we have seen besides Gettysburg, A lot of scenes and dioramas, artifacts, videos and replicas. Is a must see for any civil war buff.

We didn't know what to expect, but this museum far exceeded our expectations. The displays are excellent, lots of information available and videos are available also. Very well done. We spent almost 2 1/2 hours there. We thoroughly enjoyed it and so glad we stopped

Visited this fine museum today, covers the Civil war in chronological order from the causes to the aftermath. Lots of good displays and information. Discount for veterans.

Fantastic museum with Civil War History and Displays produced in conjunction with the Smithsonian Museum. This is a must-see stop for those Civil War buffs who happen to be in the area or make it a destination- it is so worth it. If you can, please allow a minimum of at least 3 hours to take in all of the features this museum has to offer. We will definitely return. Sophisticated presentation, wide range of topics, situations and facts regarding the war are featured- highly recommended for families with children of appropriate age.

This museum exceeded all my expectations. Wonderful exhibits covering all aspects of the Civil War from battles and leaders to equipment, accoutrements, and personal effects of the soldier. Video presentations are very professionally done. They follow several men and women from multiple backgrounds throughout the course of the conflict. Dr. James Robertson, a superb historian, provides an unbiased and concise description of every major battle throughout the museum. This museum is a must-see for anyone interested in the Civil War, whether a beginning student, interested enthusiast or veteran teacher.

I am glad we went. I learned a lot about the Civil War. There were volunteers walking around who were very helpful. If I had to choose between this museum and Gettysburg, where we also went, I would choose Gettysburg. If you are in the area of Harrisburg it is worthwhile.

National Civil War Museum did a great job explaining the Civil War, participants, battles, slavery as it related to the Civil War. There are original clothing from slaves which I found very interesting. The other fascinating thing - the exhibit of Civil War firsts, ie., first successful submarine attack, first ambulance corps, first use of paper money, first black Army staff officer, first awarding - Medal of Honor, the beginning of income tax and other first. I receive updated information on special speakers, new exhibits so there is always interesting programs/new exhibits every month.

the museum was educational and contained a good mix of artifacts, displays, and things to read. it did a pretty good job of balancing the confederacy and the union. I learned some interesting historical tidbits that I didn't know. the medical tent and surgeons' instruments were really interesting but rather sobering to see what all of these men endured- from both sides
my only complaint was that this museum is in Harrisburg rather than somewhere that has much more historical significance to the war. Harrisburg is in terrible shape and you have to drive past a lot of boarded up houses that are falling apart. shame on Harrisburg. as a Pennsylvanian, I'm embarrassed that people from all over come to this wonderful museum and see the mess it is surrounded by. but by all means, as with Gettysburg, you need to see this museum

We had a LOVELY trip to the museum!!! In fact, we went on a day where we had almost the entire museum to ourselves. An employee named Winn Jones is an expert in artillery, and he took a considerable amount of time to speak to us personally. He didn't rush us, was willing to share his wealth of knowledge with us. His commentary made the trip so memorable.

The exhibits were great. Our only major complaint is that the vocals weren't well timed for the exhibits with sound. The poor timing made it very difficult to focus on what you were looking at.

Perhaps, it would be better to have them set with a motion detector or a button. So when people walked into the room, they could start the display, instead of having to wait around idly till it decided to start again.

The facility is mostly clean.

This is a very fine museum. The galleries are arranged chronologically from beginning to the assination of Lincoln. Their artifacts are nice with some rare items but they are more mearningful as they are labeled them with the people who had used or worn the item. There was a video which overlaid the displays that showed how the war affected the home front. The stories were true accounts of the people in the video. This is a must see if you have any interest in the civil war.

Very, very informative, beautifully displayed Union & Confederate artifacts, videos, stories, photos, history...very much worth the time to visit in Harrisburg.

Pretty good museum at $16. It's a little odd to have this situated in Harrisburg, and it's not a big place, but I don't know of a better civil war museum.

They do a good job contextualizing the war, and have particularly good exhibits surrounding Fort Sumter and Gettysburg, but the timelines for the rest of the war get a little confusing (do I go clockwise or counter-clockwise around the room to go in the right order?). They have a nice weaponry collection, and some interesting artifacts (a Lincoln hat-box, Pickett's hat, a gun belonging to Governor Curtin, and a few others).

Overall, not bad, I just think they could do a little better with presenting the timelines and geography of the war - like, when they discuss Sherman's march to the sea, it would be nice to have a map alongside it.

It's a big, beautiful building and some nice exhibits. A good experience but I would have thought since the title is National Civil War Museum and the place is huge, that there would have been more "stuff".

Nicely done however and the folks there are very pleasant, especially in the gift shop.

The surrounding area should embarras the folks of Pennsylvania. You'll get through it ok. Just don't stay anywhere near the museum. Don't eat near there either. It's a shame. Old and run down. Slums to be descript.

But the museum is worthy of a visit if you're traveling nearby. Then get back on the road and scoot the heck outta Harrisburg.

This museum offers an excellent and extensive history of the Civil War. It is filled with remarkable remnants and artifacts. Our two and one half hour visit included listening to accounts and historical commentaries of the war.

I'll share the Good first: many interesting and rare artifacts from the period; facility takes COVID 19 seriously; well organized; lots of info (for those who like this sort of thing) on specific battles and generals.

For me, the Bad aspects were: videos blaring with actors portraying fake slaves and slave owning women (real documentation from the period is compelling enough; missed opportunity to educate on certain information. Clara Barton is just a footnote - there is certainly no mention of Eliz Van Lew and Mary Bowser as women of note. I particularly did not appreciate the photo of Black Confederate "veterans" that lacked context on their role (servant/people doing dirty work more so than full soldier) or lack of choice - this seemed to support a "lost cause" narrative and was very disappointing to me.

I had an hour and a half to kill so I decided to go into the Civil War museum. I was amazed at how well done it was. I loved the mannequins that were used, the videos, and the organization of it. Next time, I will allow 3 hours as an hour and a half was not enough.
If you like history, you will like this. If you like the civil war, you will love this.

A true gem worth the visit. The balanced presentation of "both sides" is an enlightening lesson of history. The setting of the building is appealing, offering a wide vista of the surrounding hills and a limited view of Harrisburg. The displays are exceptionally well done and the accompanying narratives are educational.

This museum is a wealth of information! We were in here 3 hours and I felt I missed a lot. So have plenty of time to absorb what this wealth of information.

Offering an informative, glance into America's history. Do not pass this up! Well thought out, organized displays. The artifacts acquired are phenomenal. Full of education - covering all sides or the war and history of that time period. The flow of chronological progression is well worth the visit.

Quality display. Very informative. Heart wrenching factual exhibits. Affiliates with the Smithsonian, which is obvious as you tour each section.

As Australians with a limited knowledge of the civil war we were very impressed with the quality of artefacts and displays and the presentations that tied the sequential display together in a magnificent building. The lady on the front desk (Cyndi) was very helpful taking her time with us to ensure we got the best out of our visit. She also provided advice and ideas for our visit to Gettysburg. The museum was easy to find with lots of free parking and very clean bathrooms.

If you're in the area and have any interest in the Civil War, make this a stop. It's only about an hour north of Gettysburg and well worth the visit. There's quite a bit of information on the war and a significant number of artifacts. The museum is located in a great location that lets you look out over the city of Harrisburg.

Nice place for people into civil war history, ton of information artifacts , paintings is a fee for the admission but that day I don't pay nothing because I had a pass from the local government. From the parking lot you can have a nice view of the Harrisburg city.

Very well done museum from start to finish. The exhibits were excellent and informative and both sides, the Union and the Confederacy, were each fairly represented. It was an easy walk through with brief explanations that were to the point but enough information was given to give you a realistic idea of what was going on in the country with the Civil War and the people who fought it as well as the political climate and the politicians of the time. Excellent museum; very well done.

Nice place with lots of unique information.
Follow the lives of several people in the time period as the War effects their lives.
Exhibit scripts have several spelling errors.

Worth the visit. There’s more here to see than you’d think. A very well-thought out exhibit. The Confederacy, the Union, and the cause of slavery are well presented. There are a few dioramas that will appeal to young boys — a battlefield surgeon sawing off a leg (ewwwww!) and some poor soul being shot while arming the cannons.

A very impressive building on a height overlooking the river and surrounding forests shows the strategic importance of the location historically. The museum is not too big and is comfortable to get around. It could be improved with maps that identify the battle sites and the key locations of the war. We found it difficult to get our bearings on where the various engagements occurred and their location relative to each other. This is especially relevant when troop movements, marches and encampments were key to the outcomes to many events.

Great historic info, loved the paintings and antiquaties. Would definitely bring visitors again.....

This is a very large, newer museum with plenty of event space, parking, and a great view of the surrounding area. It's quite impressive. Most people will want to allow 3 to 4 hours to see everything. The museum is fully accessible, and prices are fair. It is open daily. I personally find excessive noise in a museum unwelcome, particularly when it is very loud and repeats. This was the case in this museum. When you enter a section of the museum, a narrated story begins. Multimedia presentations and interactive displays are distracting. I do not want to be immersed in the sights and sounds of individual stories. I do appreciate a film available to view in a room that does not interfere with traditional exhibits. That's just my opinion, and I realize many people prefer a sensory experience and some do not care to read. Speaking of reading, I could not help but notice many of the signs detailing exhibits contained misspellings, particularly on the first level. I counted seven and wasn't really looking.

After a weekend at Hershey park we decided to check out this museum as it wasn't far from our hotel. The museum had a very large collection of Civil War artifacts. It was very cool to see all of this along with explanations of all of these things. The park that the museum is in also has great views of the surrounding area and mountains. Recommended for people that are in the area or history buffs.

This is a fascinating museum. The museum does a great job presenting viewpoints, artifacts and the impact from both sides of the conflict. You would think that being less than an hour from Gettysburg there might be a northern bias, but there is sufficient exhibits from the North and the South. There are interactive displays that provide visual and audio exhibits which further enhance the tour. The greater appreciation one has for history, especially the Civil War, the better experience one will have. There is a lot to see and read about, so the amount of time spent depends upon how much reading is done. The grounds are beautiful, and the view of the Harrisburg valley is sensational.

This museum should be located in Gettysburg. Former Harrisburg mayor had it built in one of the worst neighborhoods in Harrisburg.

This place is loaded with a ton of artifacts (guns, uniforms, personal belongings) and it's very impressive. My only concern is that if you're affiliated with the Smithsonian, that your information be correct. Robert F. Lee? Batter instead of battle? Saver and not saber? Someone needs to go back through the displays and fix these.

A very well arranged museum about the Civil War. They talk about slavery, Abraham Lincoln, and life as a soldier of the north and south. There are a lot of sad stories to tell. There are even people dressed in that period whom you can ask questions about the era. You can truly understand the struggle families went through.

This museum covers the politics, social aspects, and issues of the Civil War from both viewpoints. It was very even handed.
Plan to spend two hours. The exhibits have a good flow through the stages of the war and offer a nice mix of things to reading with artifacts to view.

Wow! The movies along the way are not to be missed. You get the perspective by "real" people of that time period: Slaves, slaves wives, slave owners, Northern boys, Southern boys, farmers , war widows, and more. Great visuals and artifacts, a bit of reading, but my daughter and I read different things then summarized for each other . The woman at the gift shop was exceptionally lovely and pleasant. My daughter plans to return and soak up every detail as we were on a schedule that required a time constraint. You'll be amazed at what you didn't know!
PS. Category says Family, teens. It was Mom and adult daughter!

First class. Worth it to anybody who wants to see a balanced view of the Civil War and the impacts of that war on families on both sides, as well as on the economy of our country.

Coverage of our Civil War very impressive. several different exhibits very interesting. Highly recommend.

I would compliment the gentleman from the UK who pointed out the noise in the museum. I think it is a very legitimate concern.
My wife and I just left the museum and found many of the auditory inputs to be overlapping and confusing. Perhaps toggling the noise level down or as I saw in one exhibit a parabolic speaker that projects only downward might be the solution.
On the other hand I disagree with those criticizing the museum as being negative toward the south.
I would never call myself an expert on the Civil War but I’ve been reading a great deal about it and we did not come away with the impression that this museum “hates the south”.
Very good collection of artifacts and because there is such a huge amount of information (I have no idea how someone from another country would be able to sort through all the battles of the Civil War),It can be confusing.
The solution would be to visit and revisit this museum because it is so well done.

The National Civil War Museum brings together displays, videos, and personal stories is a way that makes you feel the passion of participants in the war. Exhibits are well done and take you through the war from beginning to end with commentary on what was occurring at each stage.

We have travelled all over the world and have seen many museums. This museum is among the best we have ever visited. Superbly designed with concise information. Easy to follow from beginning of the War to the finish. Highly recommend!!

We were taking our grandsons to Gettysburg and this museum provided a great introduction to the Civil War. The issue of slavery is not ignored and told very well, as is most everything. The history of the war is told accurately and the collection of items on display is great. With videos and interactive stations, the boys were not bored. The admission price is fair and the gift shop offered quality merchandise.

Took the "grands" ages 5, 8 & 11 to this museum while on vacation in Harrisburg. I was pleasantly surprised at how wonderful this museum is. It is clean & modern & had lots of interactive exhibits for the children for hands on learning. My 5 yr old was troubled by the auction exhibit, my grandson got to handle a real rifle, bullets & bayonette & my oldest got to sit in a box that she had read about in school which a slave "mailed" himself to the North to freedom. We were all moved at the statue in front of the museum which showed a soldier giving aid to a wounded soldier from the other side of the war. Plenty to see & do & learn about without leaning to one side or the other of the war. The grands want to "bring Mommy & Daddy here" & go themselves again. I do too.

Excellent. Highly recommend. Displays are professional. Harrisburg should be proud!!!! In summer there are encampments on certain weekends.

Museum is nicely laid out and is very inviting for all ages! We really enjoyed following the human stories that helped us better understand the impact of the war on people!

I very well put together display from an objective point of view of the civil war. Narrations were outstanding as were videos, wax figures and all the paraphernalia they had on display

detailed exhibits from prewar thru reconstruction with short videos that gave different points of view. You could sit and listen to them and hear details without having to rush. It was very quiet the MOnday of Spring Break week and cost of 12.00 per person was very reasonable.

We went to the museum for two hours, but you could easily spend much more time than that if you look at every single thing it has to offer. The exhibits, readings, videos, and artifacts are amazing and plentiful. This museum truly brings history to life, and you don't want to miss this, even if you are not a huge history fan. You will learn something!

We were travelling around Pennsylvania and stopped for lunch in Harrisburg, we got chatting to two lovely chaps in the cafe and they recommended a visit here. What a find, lots of free parking, (unheard of in the UK). We loved the museum, the staff were so friendly, there weren’t many people so we had the place almost to ourselves, the exhibits are very impressive, well looked after and beautifully presented. There’s lots of details and interesting information.
We were enthralled at the speeches and videos and absolutely loved our visit, would highly recommend it to anyone who’s interested in history. We just loved it!

Very attractive building and grounds. On a very high hill with a great 360 view of the local area. The displays and settings were well done. The narrative had just the right tone. It told the story in a factual way. I would like to visit again when I’m in the area since it’s hard to see everything the first time. I needed a wheelchair for my mother and the staff not only loaned us a wheelchair they took us to the back elevator which is the easiest way to go. Not a huge museum, but just right. The staff is great.

We had just visited the American Civil War museum in Richmond, and were pleased to visit this one. First, the building itself and the views are stunning. We went on a quiet Friday afternoon. The staff are friendly and helpful. Veterans receive a discount. The museum starts with videos introducing a family and following them through the Civil War. Throughout the exhibits stop and view the updates and how the Civil War is effecting each one. The exhibits were large, some were interactive. Countless artifacts from weapons, to clothes, to diaries, to the chains worn by the enslaved fill each room. There was a good display of a field hospital also. The museum moves in a chronological order. A prof recounts most of the major battles on video also. He is interesting and helps to give the big picture. Realizing the subject, the museum is rather dark in places. For those of us with eye problems it's a bit difficult. Overall we learned a lot. Following the family's story also helped to pull the Civil War together. Also, for Pennsylvanians, there's good information about Gov. Curtin. A well done, moving experience and worth a couple trips. Don't rush through and check out the well stocked gift shop.

What a gem of a museum. The knowledgeable staff made it a very special experience. An excellent choice of books on the Civil War in their onsite shop.

Road trip from Michigan to Harrisburg/ Gettysburg area on a weekday in June. Saw a Groupon for this museum so we bought the admission for two option. When we arrived we were stunned by the grounds outside the building AND THE VIEW. They were very beautiful.

We walked inside and were stunned on how amazing this museum looks. We walked into the gift shop and redeemed our Groupon. We toured the museum which was laid out beautifully. The artifacts were presented very well and the exhibits were easy to follow. It took us about two hours to get through and we were beyond impressed. It was, truly amazing!

It was an excellent museum. The scavenger was perfection. It really got you to pay attention to every last detail. My teen in the picture is so silly! She thought the boy was "so smashable".

wonderful Museum. Represents the Civil war in chronological order. They do a really good job of trying to present the North and the South perspective at each stage. There are a lot of items to give you and understand of what it to took to wage the war. A terrific museum in what would seem like an unlikely location. But it is just 45 minutes from Gettysburg and an hour north of the Mason Dixon line. Good discount for AAA or Seniors.

We were a group of 8 who visited on Saturday. The museum sits atop a hill and there is plenty of parking. For admission, we did receive the Military rate. The 4 men in our group are history buffs and Army vets. They thought it was outstanding! The movies were particularly compelling, as the period characters appeared in so many exhibits. The lectures on each phase were excellent and well-presented. Hubby suggests that the towns mentioned be labeled on a map for easy reference.
The museum is easy to navigate and there are restrooms on both floors. The gift shop has a wonderful selection for all ages. We would love to visit again.

Fun and historical! We even got to hold a replica musket and bayonet! Staff were funny and knowledgeable. Highly recommend!

Visited with elementary and high school kids. They both enjoyed it as the display was very interesting. It was very educational and with lot of facts that were unknown to us parents as well. Few hours well spent when passing though Harrisburg. The location and the view of th surrounding is a bonus.

An unexpected pleasure of information and much more interesting than it may look on the surface. I never had a great fascination with the civil war, but this place laid out the background and elements of American society of the time to give me a much more broad and enjoyable time learning than I ever had in school about the subject. Lots of displays, video interviews on screen, paintings/images to bring the people to life and rooms full of display items make it hard to actually see everything in even a few hours. Was impressed to find that this place is not federally funded, but by private donation and volunteers. When I discovered a significant error in the grammar/wording of one of the explanation placards, I had a very positive conversation directly with the C.E.O, Jeffrey Nichols, who addressed my concerns.
Very much worth the time to see, especially for those who have an interest in history!

First time to this Museum and all of the positive reviews are extremely accurate. We spent about 2 hours (that's all we had available) and was able to see most of the displays. Really enjoyed the 20 minute video in their theatre room. Wished we had more time to read more and listen to the video's that were at the individual displays. We left the museum understanding so much about the civil war, from both sides of the conflict. Definitely recommend to anyone interested in this time period.

Found this from a hotel brochure, so glad we stopped. This is a great museum that deserves more publicity. Absolute must see if you are in the area.

Located on the top of a hill with a stunning panoramic view in the unassuming reservoir park, the National Civil War Museum is one of the nicer ones I have ever been too, rivaling that of Gettysburg and Richmond. Does cost some money but worth it.

The exhibits were captivating and brought you back to that period. Plan on spending a few hours here and start at the top floor.

Multiple levels of displays showing you everything from Pennsylvania's history to the prehistoric animal past as well as current native animals. Something for everyone from historical buffs to artists to hunters.

I hadn't been to Harrisburg since I was a child, so this was a new museum for me, and I was pretty impressed. Interesting content, and a fairly unbiased presentation. It covered a lot of years, starting prior to the war and going thru the post-war period, but the museum did a good job of sharing such a massive amount of information. Besides the usual dry facts you sometimes find in history museums, there were some humorous tidbits, and also a lot of facts that personalized the war, and really brought home what it must have meant to be a soldier in the Civil War. When we visited, they had a Living History Encampment going on, and they did demonstrations of loading and firing cannons. Because they were blanks, the reenactors explained they were quite a bit quieter than real rounds, but even that sound made you jump....it must have been absolutely terrifying to be on an actual Civil War battleground with cannons firing all around you. All in all, worth a visit!

Found this museum to be very interesting! It's kept very well. Good place to learn more about the Civil War & see all the fascinating artifacts.

The mix of videos, models, historical equipment and documentation on wall boards were a clear way of understanding the reasons for the war and how it panned out. I sometimes find with museums that it’s difficult to follow and take in the details. This was easy to follow. We spent around 90 mins at the museum and it improved my knowledge and understanding why this terrible war happened.

Well done!!! This museum has volumes of information and I always choose to experience what is offered. It is a self guided tour, so it's your choice on how you want experience this wonderful museum. It actually took my husband and I about 4hrs to go through the entire museum, taking advantage of all the videos and reading about the displays. The experience was well worth the admission fee.

This museum gives a thorough examination of pre-civil war, the many facets of fighting the war, and the aftermath. I could easily have spent another hour there but it was an unscheduled stop for me. The exhibits were well done — very realistic — and full of wonderful artifacts. I especially liked the exhibits about medical tools and how they were used and the room about the horses in the war. There was also information about Harrisburg’s role in the war and a wonderful battle display with miniature soldiers. The movie in the theatre was extremely well done and there were short videos throughout the museum.

They should have spent a bit less on the lovely building and instead hired a better design firm to create the visitor experience.
Lighting was incorrect throughout. In fact, the stairwell back down to the first floor was very dark - looked like emergency lighting.
Sound was awful, too loud and on continuous loop. Narrations interfered with each other and should be on a "demand" system - turned on when a visitor wants to hear it and only loud enough for that specific area, not the whole room. Loud narrations interfere with visitors reading the material posted, as well.
Labeling - absolutely ridiculous. 20 items might be displayed in a case, and instead of just labeling the item, it is numbered, so one needs to walk 20 feet back to the index to discover the item identity. There was plenty of room to just label the items.
Positives-There is some very interesting material. There is a well balanced and fair approach in the entire museum. Great siting of the building on top of hill with 360 degree views. Friendly staff at ticket counter in gift shop.

This incredible two story museum is attractively filled with verbal descriptions, excellent artifacts, and wonderful videos. I was highly impressed with the amount of information and material that is presented. This is must see museum for those interested in the Civil War.

While visiting family in the area I decided to visit this museum and I am so glad that I did. It was excellent, and so interesting. Be sure to watch the short videos at the very start of it to learn more about how people in the North and the South viewed the upcoming war. At the very end of your visit, you can watch updated videos from the same people at the beginning that talk about their lives after the war ended. It really was powerful.
The displays, articles, antique guns, all of it, is really terrific. I was able to see it all at a leisurely pace in 2.5 hours. The parking is terrific too.

This is a hidden gem in our State Capitol. We took a group of 35 Seniors from Shannondell to the Capitol Building first and then spent a couple of hours here. We all felt that we could have spent a couple more hours enjoying all of the wonderful exhibits, movies and artifacts that this museum had to offer from arguably one of the most important events in our nation's history. We will plan another visit here someday in the near future for sure.

Recommended for elementary age children - adult. It covers the facts regarding the Civil War, completely. Depicts the emotions expressed by the North and South sides, very well.

The museum has a commanding location with a handsome building. Unfortunately, the execution of the displays doesn't rise to the opportunity.

The suggested route through the public areas is well designed and sufficient. Since the facility is less that 20 years old, it has a good flow and feel. Upon stepping into the first room, one is immediately exposed to the limitations of the museum. While it has some very interesting individual items (flags, weapons, uniforms, and equipment in particular), the displays are nearly all static in design. Very little - other than a wilingness to read numerous postings - engages the patron.

A couple of notable limitations:
The coverage of slavery - either as an institution or as a contributor to the war itself - is hurriedly contained within the first few displays and then seems to mostly disappear.
The presentation of the key battles was poor: The timelines were mixed, the descriptions generally unenlighting, and lacked any useful visuals. Particularly sad was the three panel Gettysburg display.

I came away from the place a bit smarter about some bits and appreciative to see a number of items of equipment and gear of the conflict. Unmet was the opportunity to gain a stronger sense of the what, how, and why.

There isn't the same sense of reverence feit at Lincoln's Tomb. Nor the appreciation for the epic staging at the Gettysburg Battle sites. Nor the majesty of the soaring words carved into stone at the Linclon Memorial. Alas.

Whether you are a Civil War buff or not, this is a really cool museum! Plenty of free parking, a large gift shop, and a friendly staff. To visit has a marginal fee that is well worth the price. So many neat artifacts, well laid out, and tells a powerful story.

As a Canadian I wanted to learn more about the civil war and this museum was awesome. Well organized from start to finish of the war and shared both sides perspectives. Amazing how relatable this time was with that of today from our perspective.

I've visited the Civil War Museum a number of times, both for events and as a visitor. It has lots of interesting history!

Not sure if it was due to the fact that we went on a rainy January day or not, but the museum had a nice vibe to it - almost reverent. The other visitors shared our interest in moving slowly through the museum and absorbing information, speaking quietly and respectfully. The seriousness of the subject matter appeared to affect the experience.
There is a lot to lean here, although if one becomes overwhelmed by the details or the volume of information, it is possible to skim more quickly through.
Everything was well-organized, neat, clean and clear.
There are monitors throughout the museum which show a serial of stories about a handful of characters as their lives progressed through the war. I was grateful for strategically placed benches so that visitors could rest their legs while they watched.

The exhibits were very informative. Done in a way to engage the visitors with films and reenactments.

Very well done displays, gives a run down on the whole conflict from pre-war, thru the war and post-war. Excellent layout, brilliant .

The National Civil War Museum tells the story of the war in chronological order, so you can follow the history from beginning to end (and beyond). It is committed to telling the story "without bias," so it is a factual account told from both sides. There is an impressive collection of artifacts, including General Lee's Bible and a crate owned by Ulysses S. Grant. The building is an elegant two-story structure on a hill with a beautiful view. The tour is self-guided, and you do have to read a lot of text to understand what you're viewing. If you are a history buff or have an interest in the Civil War, this is well worth the visit. If not, you'll probably find the museum pretty mundane. I'm not sure how much kids would enjoy it. The gift shop has a nice selection of items. The biggest challenge is actually getting to the place. It's not exactly right off a main road, and the route is not intuitive (and the directional signage is less than stellar). While the museum is generally impressive, it does make one wonder why it's not located in Gettysburg, where it would be a more natural fit.

Lots to learn. Done in chronological order so you can follow the war over the time frame. Lots of artifacts to see.

Was a well balanced display between North and South . Enjoyed the tour,,, great for the entirefamily - not overly gory for youngsters.

It was hot and humid, and this was our last day in Pennsylvania (7/2), so, we decided since we had driven through so much Civil War country, that this Museum would be a good finale to our trip. And it was.

Took only about 10 minutes from our Hotel, however, with the large leafy trees partially blocking the sign (plus this huge monstrosity sign about Apartments for Rent), we missed the narrow road we were supposed to turn into. Made a U-turn before we had gone too far.

The Museum sits on this lovely hillside, overlooking the City of Harrisburg. What a beautiful place! Just to wander around outside is a treat. But, it was hot and humid, so we lingered just long enough to appreciate the beauty of the setting.

We were really impressed with this Museum and the way things were exhibited. We felt that the Gettysburg Museum (run by some Foundation) was very one sided. We don't take sides, but we expect both sides to be represented, as both sides lost so many lives, and both sides sincerely fought for causes they believed in. We did feel that this Museum accomplished that. There were areas where on one side there were exhibits of Union artifacts and historical items, and on the other side were those of the Confederate Army. Equal space allotted to both.

This Museum does not become tedious, as there is a great variety of exhibits. Also, just about in every room, you can sit down and watch a video. It is airy and spacious. There is a nice room to sit down to snack or eat, but it's either vending machines or bring your own. Ample parking near by. The Gift Shop has all sorts of things, and I did make some purchases. We were very satisfied with our visit here.

I enjoy visiting the Civil War Battlefields and Museums. While visiting the Gettysburg National Battlefield we took a trip down to the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, a 50 minute drive effort well worth it.
The museum exhibits are of very good (actually excellent is a better description) quality and present the Civil War in chronological order making a complex historical sequence of events very understandable. The presentations are in significant depth at the stations and very well explained with tv monitors providing expert presentations and walking the visitor through the events and circumstances. The tour took us 3 1/2 hours, we could have stayed longer.
Excellent experience.

Love Civil War History and have been to the National Civil War Museum several times; this trip to take my almost sixteen year old nephew. Most of the Museum is read the narrative and look at the object. Could be more engaging, more creatively displayed, and/or more interactive so as not to be mundane. Great display of firearms. We were there on a weekend; was not well attended.

Well done. You must see the elevator even though the stairs are impressive. Well kept and full of information, some a surprise.

So enjoyed the visit to this lovely museum. So much to see. Exhibits were well done. Enjoyed the videos that linked character’s thoughts through the museum. Be sure to see the first video in the second floor to meet them. Very nice and helpful staff members. Very neat and clean too.

Suggestion…due to poor lighting in a few of the exhibits, we could not read some of the information provided.

Also, located in an interesting area. Would have thought it would be in a more rural setting.

Nicely done!

Covers the whole war but isn't overwhelming. A nice combination of reading and merely looking at artifacts.

Uncrowded and spacious.

I was very happy to see this museum I have been to a good number of civil war museums and this one is one of my top 5. Very nice pictures and exhibits. Go see this one very nice.

The beautiful building is filled with memorabilia of the Civil War. Excellent presentations. Ample parking for autos and RVs.

Very interesting review of tragic times in history. The self guided tour was well designed. The only negative comment was the lighting made it hard to read sometimes.

It takes about 2-3 hours to get through the museum and it is self guided. But it gives a great overview of the Civil War and the issues involved. Plus, it had a lot of interesting facts posted throughout the museum.

The museum itself is fine, but it’s not in the best of neighborhoods, so you should drive or take a taxi/Uber/Lyft. And it’s at the top of a hill, so walking to it is not recommended. But there is plenty of parking at the museum.

I haven’t been to the other civil war battlefields, so I can’t compare this museum to other civil war museums. However, I really enjoyed my visit and I would go back if I found myself in Harrisburg.

Very well done. Informative with great displays and some unique items. Don’t rush through - a lot to learn. If you don’t mind reading, this place gives you a great experience.