The Gettysburg Foundation is a private, nonprofit educational organization working in partnership with the National Park Service to enhance preservation and understanding of the heritage and lasting significance of Gettysburg.
Objective
To preserve, honor and protect the natural and cultural resources associated with the Gettysburg National Military Park, the Gettysburg Campaign, and the Eisenhower National Historic Site.
To excite visitors about the past, inspire them to want to learn more about the events that have shaped America and prepare them to become better citizens.
GOALS
Return the battlefield, to the extent possible, to the conditions that existed at the time of the Battle of Gettysburg so that visitors may better understand the soldiers’ experiences in one of America’s greatest battles.
Preserve the battlefield, including its monuments and cannon carriages, unimpaired, for future generations.
Preserve, protect and acquire key parcels of land related to the Battle of Gettysburg.
Preserve, protect and acquire key artifacts and documents related to the Battle of Gettysburg, the Gettysburg Campaign and the Eisenhower National Historic Site, helping to ensure a tangible link between visitors and the soldiers and civilians who struggled at Gettysburg.
Build and maintain a state-of-the-art museum and visitor center to provide for the orientation, comfort and education of visitors.
Present exhibits, programs, services and activities (on- and off-site) that enhance visitors’ understanding of, and will excite and inspire new generations about, the causes of the Civil War, the significance of the Gettysburg Campaign and the consequences of the Civil War for all generations of Americans.
Provide exhibits, programs and activities that will emphasize the importance of visiting the town as well as the battlefield to ensure that visitors have the fullest Gettysburg experience possible.
Enlighten and encourage people of all ages to understand and support the importance of preserving and interpreting America’s historic sites and their collections.
Provide all Friends of Gettysburg, through membership in The Gettysburg Foundation, with the opportunity to join us in achieving these goals, with their time, their talents and their gifts.
Guiding Principles
The Gettysburg Foundation will inspire people to recognize the historical significance of Gettysburg and the importance of preserving, enhancing, honoring and protecting the natural and cultural resources associated with one of America’s most important places.
Exhibits, programs and activities will be designed to appeal to the broadest possible audience in terms of age, learning styles, objectives and physical abilities.
Exhibits, programs and activities will meet the highest standards for historic preservation, conservation and curatorial care of the collections, and will be designed and developed with maintenance requirements in mind. They will take full advantage of scholarship, technology and learning techniques.
The Gettysburg Foundation will excite and inspire visitors by making personal and emotional connections to what happened at Gettysburg. Recognizing that this may be the only visit to a Civil War site for many, the Foundation will use the Gettysburg experience as a lens through which the broader issues of the era can be understood.
Through its exhibits, programs and activities, The Gettysburg Foundation will encourage visitors to experience everything that Gettysburg has to offer.
