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Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center Fees Will Increase in 2017

Gettysburg, Pa. — The National Park Service has approved a proposal by the nonprofit Gettysburg Foundation to increase fees for museum exhibits, the film,...
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Gettysburg, Pa. — The National Park Service has approved a proposal by the nonprofit Gettysburg Foundation to increase fees for museum exhibits, the film, and the Cyclorama painting at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center beginning in January 2017.

Fees for tickets are collected by the nonprofit Gettysburg Foundation, which is responsible for operations of the museum facility. The fee increase provides sustainability for the park’s primary partner, the Gettysburg Foundation, and helps fund preservation and education programs at Gettysburg and Eisenhower parks.

The agreement between the National Park Service (NPS) and the Gettysburg Foundation requires NPS approval of fee increases. As part of best management practices the park conducted a civic engagement process. This process included a park news release distributed to media, partners and the public; briefings with stakeholders; outreach through social media; and a 30-day public comment opportunity during which the park received 19 comments. In addition, the April 2016 meeting of the Gettysburg National Military Park Advisory Commission included a discussion of the proposal and was attended by 55 members of the public

The park received 19 written public comments on the proposal. 21 percent supported the fee increase; with others opposed. Several comments expressed interest in a museum only ticket. At the request of the NPS, the Gettysburg Foundation will better inform visitors of this ticket. Comments also expressed concern that the fees would be too high for the market. The Gettysburg Foundation conducted a price sensitivity survey that determined an adult fee under $20 would not substantially reduce the likelihood of purchasing a ticket for the majority of visitors.

“As with any strong partnership, we expect to continue to work collaboratively on operations at the Museum and Visitor Center, with the shared goal of long-term financial sustainability,” said Ed W. Clark, Superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site. “We thank the public and our stakeholders for participating in a public engagement process.”

The Gettysburg Foundation uses revenue from ticket sales, the bookstore, and food services in the facility to pay for operations and meet its other financial obligations, including an annual donation to the National Park Service that funds preservation and education programs on the Gettysburg battlefield.

Beginning on January 2, 2017, the new fees at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center will be:

• Adult (ages 13) $ 15.00
• Seniors & AAA $ 14.00
• Youth (ages 6-12) $ 10.00
• Museum only ticket $ 9.00
• Child (ages 5 and under) Free
• Active Duty U.S. Military Free
• Group: Adults $ 13.00
• Group: Students (K‐12) $ 9.00

The Park and the Foundation will continue to welcome Adams County residents for free on four “Community Appreciation” days each year on Veterans Day, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, and Ford Family Day in August.

Free Opportunities at Gettysburg National Military Park. Gettysburg National Military Park has no entrance fee. The self-guided auto tour of the battlefield is free. Throughout the spring, summer and fall Park Rangers offers free programs on the battlefield, in the Soldiers’ National Cemetery and in the Museum and Visitor Center. NPS student education programs, Junior Ranger activities, use of the resource room, library and many other activities are free.

Gettysburg National Military Park is a unit of the National Park Service that preserves and protects the resources associated with the Battle of Gettysburg and the Soldiers’ National Cemetery, and provides an understanding of the events that occurred there within the context of American history.

Eisenhower National Historic Site preserves and interprets the home and farms of the Eisenhower family as a fitting and enduring memorial to the life, work, and times of General Dwight David Eisenhower, 34th president of the United States, and to the events of far-reaching importance that occurred on the property.

The Gettysburg Foundation is a non-profit educational organization working in partnership with the National Park Service to enhance preservation and understanding of the heritage and lasting significance of Gettysburg. The Foundation raised funds for and now operates the Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park, which opened in 2008. In addition to operating the Museum and Visitor Center, the Foundation has a broad preservation mission that includes land, monument and artifact preservation and battlefield rehabilitation—all in support of the National Park Service’s goals at Gettysburg.

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