After traveling to Philadelphia for a crash course in the story of our nation’s beginning, we once again took advantage of Lancaster’s central location to learn more about the Civil War with a day trip to Gettysburg.

Our visit started at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center. “A New Birth of Freedom” film narrated by Morgan Freeman set the stage for the historical significance of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Next we went inside a beautifully rendered Cyclorama ("...360-degree, hand-painted canvas longer than a football field...") building to view a presentation of Pickett's Charge which took place on the decisive third day of battle.

Originally created in 1883, according to the Gettysburg Foundation “the painting survived years of exhibition, multiple moves, vandalism, fire, cuts and neglect” before undergoing a multimillion-dollar restoration completed in 2008.

The Museum is filled with exhibits, artifacts, and information. We could have stayed there a...