HARRISBURG, PA July 15, 1999 - The remaining loose string is finally tied as The National Civil War Museum receives over $16 million in funds from the state of Pennsylvania to go towards the construction of a two-story, 65,000 square foot structure in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The Legislature approved the project several months ago as part of the state's capital budget.

The structure is to be situated atop Harrisburg's highest point in Harrisburg's 92 acre Reservoir Park and will contain an estimated 27,000 square feet of exhibit space. Additionally, the museum will house a 2,200 square foot museum shop as well as a cafeteria and two multi-purpose rooms for meetings and private functions. Two of the planned galleries will present rotating displays.

With the collection of artifacts amassed by the city, Executive Director George E. Hicks said that Harrisburg is in a position to cover all aspects of the war and become a national destination. "We want it to be a tourist destination and an educational facility. We want it to be entertaining and to provide insight into the humanistic side of America's greatest tragedy." Eventually, the museum plans to install "a full-fledged research and reference library" in the museum.

Key among the museum's features will be displays that focus on slavery as a root issue that helps cause the Civil War- an important aspect of the conflict that Harrisburg's Mayor, Steven Reed and the museum's director George Hicks said have been largely ignored by other museums.

"We're not out to glorify war ­ We're going to tell the story of the common soldier, of the women, blacks, and immigrants who fought and died, suffered and endured the American Civil War," Hicks commented recently.

The $16.2 million from the state matches the value of Harrisburg City's collection of Civil War artifacts, a portion of which is slated for display in the new museum by the fall of 2000. Both Mayor Reed and Mr. Hicks are keeping details about individual artifacts to themselves for now, though Mr. Hicks stated that displays would would feature some personal effects of Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, U. S. Grant, George McClellan, Joshua Chamberlain and George Pickett among others.

About The National Civil War Museum

The National Civil War Museum is a permanent, nonprofit educational institution created to promote the preservation of material culture and sources of information which are directly relevant to the American Civil War of 1861-1865 and the aftermath period of the war as related to Civil War Veteran's service organizations including the Grand Army of the Republic, United Confederate Veterans and the Daughters of the Confederacy to 1920.

The National Civil War Museum
1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park
Harrisburg, PA 17103

Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm
Saturday & Sunday 10am to 5pm

Admission
Adults . . . . . . . $7
Seniors . . . . . . $6
Students . . . . . $5
Families . . . . . $20

Contact Information
Debra Lavelle
Director of Marketing
The National Civil War Museum
1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park
Harrisburg, PA 17103
(717) 260-1861 ext. 1201