An Evening with the Painting

Join the Gettysburg Foundation at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center for an “after-hours” program on the Gettysburg Cyclorama. Area residents and visitors are invited to experience An Evening with the Painting for an exclusive, close-up look at the historic painting, a presentation combining history, art and preservation. Licensed Battlefield Guide, author and historian Chris Brenneman is your host for the behind-the-scenes program.

Painted in the 1880s by French artist Paul Philippoteaux and a team of artists, the Gettysburg Cyclorama is an immense piece measuring 42 feet high and 377 feet long, making the Cyclorama one of the largest, free-standing paintings in North America. The painting is a rendition of the famous “Pickett’s Charge” on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Suspended in-the-round from the ceiling, this massive work of art creates a spectacular 360-degree, three-dimensional illusion when viewed from the platform.

An Evening with the Painting explores the history of the genre of cycloramas and the history of the Gettysburg Cyclorama. The presentation covers the fascinating creation of this historic piece of art, the rich symbolism found in the painting and an interesting discussion on the extensive conservation effort. Guests enjoy additional time on the viewing platform to observe in full light the remarkable, close-up details and distant battle scenes of the painting. Program ticket holders have the opportunity to journey under the diorama to see exactly how the three -dimensional illusion comes to be. Time is provided for Q&A.