Gettysburg Beyond the Battlefield Museum shares the stories of the townspeople who lived through that fateful fight, including civilians who rushed to feed, tend to, and bury soldiers.
The museum is dedicated not just to the significant Civil War battle, but to the entire history of Gettysburg, spanning from prehistoric times to the present. Run by the Adams County Historical Society, its 12 exhibit spaces are packed with artifacts from dinosaur prints to cannonballs.
The museum also focuses on the stories of Black and Indigenous peoples, and women. Photos help share the stories of the many local people affected by the battle, including Martha Devan, a Black woman whose home, due to proximity to the battle, was almost entirely destroyed by it.
Teenager Matilda (“Tillie”) Pierce, a Gettysburg native and daughter of a local butcher, recounts her experience during the battle in a memoir, now considered to be one of the most detailed wartime accounts.
Perhaps one of the most intense exhibits is the 360-degree “Caught in the Crossfire” experience that immerses you in the battle. This visceral experience, simulating booms and blasts, recounts the story of one family that was overrun by invading forces and trapped behind enemy lines.