What Gettysburg Foundation does

The Gettysburg Foundation is a private nonprofit organization founded in 1998 that operates as the official private partner of the National Park Service at Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site. Headquartered at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center (1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, PA), the Foundation runs paid visitor experiences, museum operations, dining, and retail while channeling proceeds into battlefield preservation and interpretation. It employs 51-100 staff and governs a portfolio of sub-brands including the Children of Gettysburg 1863 children's museum at the Rupp House and the Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station.

The Foundation's core product platform is the Film, Cyclorama & Museum Experience, which bundles a Morgan Freeman-narrated film, the restored Gettysburg Cyclorama painting, and the Gettysburg Museum of the American Civil War. Add-on modules include Licensed Battlefield Guide-led bus and car tours and the 2023-launched Ticket to the Past cinematic VR experience. It also operates multiple historic sites (George Spangler Farm, Eisenhower National Historic Site, Gettysburg National Cemetery, David Wills House) and recurring programs such as the Sacred Trust anniversary talks, the annual A Field of Remembrance flag installation (7,000 flags; 51,000+ casualties commemorated), and the Foundation Gala.

The business model spans six revenue streams: ticket sales (adults $20.75 for the core experience, up to $43 for a Battlefield Bus Tour), a tiered Friends of Gettysburg membership program ($45-$5,000 annually, with a $1,863 '1863 Society' tier), donations and flag sponsorships ($18.63 per flag), on-site dining (Refreshment Saloon, Battlegrounds Café & Grille), Museum Book Store retail (partnered with Event Network), and group/educational sales. Pricing follows a unit-pricing pay-as-you-go model for tickets and annual subscriptions for memberships. Go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer channels (website, on-site counter, phone reservations), group sales for 16+ visitors, RabbitTransit public-transit partnerships, and event-driven marketing around Civil War anniversaries. Free admission is extended to active military, children under 5, and SNAP/EBT cardholders under the Museums for All program. Customer segments span individual leisure tourists, K-12 and higher-education school groups, and tour-operator-led organized groups.

Name

Gettysburg Foundation

Legal name

Gettysburg Foundation

Website

https://gettysburgfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Gettysburg Foundation is a private nonprofit that operates the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center in partnership with the National Park Service, delivering ticketed historical experiences, battlefield tours, VR attractions, and educational programs to tourists, school groups, and heritage travelers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Gettysburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from admission tickets to Film/Cyclorama/Museum Experience, battlefield bus and car tours, Children of Gettysburg 1863, Ticket to the Past VR experience, and historic site visits.
2. Friends of Gettysburg Membership: Annual membership program with tiered pricing ($45-$5,000) offering complimentary admission, discounts on dining and merchandise, exclusive events, and VIP experiences.
3. Donations and Sponsorships: Donations from supporters, flag sponsorships ($18.63 per flag for A Field of Remembrance), and corporate sponsorships for programs and exhibits.
4. Retail Sales: Museum Book Store sales of books, gifts, memorabilia, apparel, and Gettysburg merchandise both on-site and online.
5. Food and Beverage: Refreshment Saloon and Battlegrounds Café & Grille dining services within the Museum & Visitor Center.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Gettysburg Foundation operates the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center as the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, delivering ticketed historical experiences including the Film, Cyclorama & Museum Experience, Licensed Battlefield Guide tours, the Ticket to the Past virtual reality experience, the Children of Gettysburg 1863 children's museum, and access to multiple historic sites. The Foundation supports preservation of battlefield lands and artifacts through ticket sales, Friends of Gettysburg memberships, donations, and grants.

Product overview

Gettysburg Foundation operates a platform of historical experiences and tourism services in partnership with the National Park Service at Gettysburg. The core product is the Film, Cyclorama & Museum Experience at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center, which bundles a narrated film, restored cyclorama painting, and museum exhibits. Add-on modules include battlefield tours (bus and car) with Licensed Battlefield Guides and the Ticket to the Past virtual reality experience. The Foundation also operates multiple historic sites (George Spangler Farm, Eisenhower National Historic Site, Lincoln Railroad Station, National Cemetery, David Wills House), the Children of Gettysburg 1863 children's museum, and special events including Sacred Trust talks and the Field of Remembrance flag installation. Revenue-generating services include Friends of Gettysburg membership tiers, on-site dining (Refreshment Saloon, Battlegrounds Café), and the Museum Book Store.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center: The main visitor center operated by the foundation, serving as gateway to Gettysburg history
• Children of Gettysburg 1863
• Ticket to the Past—Unforgettable Journeys
• Sacred Trust
• A Field of Remembrance

Products and services

• Film, Cyclorama & Museum Experience The primary bundled visitor attraction combining the film 'A New Birth of Freedom' (narrated by Morgan Freeman), the restored 360-degree Gettysburg Cyclorama painting depicting Pickett's Charge, and the Gettysburg Museum of the American Civil War with rare artifacts and interactive exhibits. Priced at $20.75 adults with discounts for seniors, veterans, and youth, and free for active military and children 5 and under.
• Battlefield Bus Tour Climate-controlled motor coach tour of the Gettysburg battlefield led by a Licensed Battlefield Guide, with stops at iconic locations and hallowed ground. Priced at $43 adults and $26 youth (6-12).
• Battlefield Car Tour Personalized guided tour of the Gettysburg battlefield with a Licensed Battlefield Guide riding in the visitor's vehicle, allowing customization of stops and focus areas.
• Ticket to the Past—Unforgettable Journeys Gettysburg's first cinematic virtual reality experience at the Museum & Visitor Center, transporting visitors to 1863 to experience the historic railroad station, the stories of real historic figures (Cornelia Hancock, Eli Blanchard, Basil Biggs), and President Lincoln's arrival for the Gettysburg Address. Priced at $9.75 adults 13-64, with discounts for seniors, AAA, military veterans, youth, and free for active military.
• Children of Gettysburg 1863 Family-friendly interactive children's history museum at the historic Rupp House (451 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg), telling stories of children who lived in Gettysburg during the 1863 battle through hands-on exhibits and living history experiences. Priced at $9.95 adults with discounts for seniors, AAA, military, and youth; free for children 0-5 with a ticketed adult.
• George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital Historic site tour of a family farm that served as a Union field hospital during the Battle of Gettysburg, presented with living historians and authentic accounts of experiences during the battle.
• Eisenhower National Historic Site Weekend retreat of President Dwight D. and Mamie Eisenhower, offering self-guided grounds tours and seasonal home tours in partnership with the National Park Service.
• Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station Historic station at 35 Carlisle Street, Gettysburg, that witnessed President Lincoln's arrival and served as the first army field hospital during the Battle of Gettysburg; offers visitor information and interpretive programming.
• Gettysburg National Cemetery

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero-incident safety record maintained for over three years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial nonprofit partner of National Parks at Gettysburg. Foundation provides public outreach, private financial support, visitor services, and preservation funding for Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site. Co-hosts commemorative events and programs.
• Seminary Ridge MuseummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Sacred Trust programming on July 2 at United Lutheran Seminary Campus. Partnership brings additional commemorative programming including Great Anniversary Festival and July 2 Independence Celebration.
• Gettysburg National Military ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Battle Anniversary programs (July 1-3) with programming at Museum & Visitor Center. Partner in Highway of Heroes initiative celebrating nation's 250th anniversary.
• American Battlefield TrustsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSupports field trips for public and private student groups reserved through the Gettysburg Foundation, providing educational access to Gettysburg experiences.
• Black History TrailsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMuseum & Visitor Center is a proud partner and first stop on the Black History Trail, promoting African American history in Gettysburg and surrounding areas.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Seminary Ridge Museum: Adjacent Gettysburg Civil War museum and educational institution; co-hosts the annual Sacred Trust programming on July 2 with Gettysburg Foundation. Operates overlapping exhibits, group tours, and Civil War interpretation directly serving the same visitor base at the same battlefield.
• George Washington's Mount Vernon: Independent nonprofit operating George Washington's historic estate with ticketed tours, membership tiers, dining, retail, and educational group programs. Closely analogous single-site historic-preservation operator with diversified on-site monetization and donor society.
• American Battlefield Trust: National nonprofit dedicated to preserving American Civil War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812 battlefields. Supports Gettysburg field trips and shares the preservation mission, donor base, and Civil War education programming with Gettysburg Foundation.
• Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation: Virginia state-affiliated foundation operating Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown Victory Center living-history museums with ticketed experiences, group programs, and membership. Comparable heritage-museum operator with bundled admissions and educational group sales.
• Mount Rushmore Society: Official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service at Mount Rushmore, operating the visitor center, bookstore, and educational programs. Closely analogous operating model — single-site NPS partner running ticketing, retail, dining, and membership tiers at an iconic national monument.

Emerging players

• National Museum of Civil War Medicine: Specialized Civil War-themed museum in Frederick, MD focusing on medical history, with ticketed exhibits and educational programming. Comparable as a niche Civil War museum operator, though smaller and more thematically narrow than Gettysburg Foundation.

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian Institution: The largest U.S. museum and heritage complex, operating multiple sites with memberships, retail, dining, donor societies, and rotating exhibits. Comparable as a museum operator with tiered memberships, group sales, and educational programming, though at vastly greater scale and scope.
• Colonial Williamsburg Foundation: Large nonprofit operating a multi-site living-history destination with ticketed experiences, memberships, dining, retail, and donor tiers. Directly comparable operating model — historic-site museum with bundled ticketing, annual memberships, and a major donor society — at significantly larger scale.
• National Trust for Historic Preservation: Leading national nonprofit focused on historic preservation with a membership program, donor society, and educational programming. Shares the preservation-and-education mission and recurring-revenue donor model with Gettysburg Foundation, though at a portfolio-wide rather than site-specific scale.
• National Parks Conservation Association: National independent nonprofit advocating for and supporting the National Park System. Directly comparable as a NPS-affiliated nonprofit raising private funds for park programming, education, and visitor services across multiple sites rather than a single park.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/gettysburgfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gettysburg-foundation
• Xx.com/visitgettysburg
• Facebookfacebook.com/192281432431

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Gettysburg Foundation