What a great time capsule of American history to the life of civilians during the battle in 1863. Ms. Marcia was an excellent guide. My family and I learned so much about the battle that wasn't on the traditional battlefield. The attic was one of the highlights of our trip to Gettysburg. read more

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The house guides set the tone dressed in costume of the 1860s. The house is authentic. It was inhabited by the Shriver family during the Civil War. The dad went to fight and left mom and daughters to care for the house. Our guide not only told the story of the family but what was going on in Gettysburg during the 3 day battle. Each room represented the family, the attic was taken over as a post for Confederate soldiers and basement was the saloon the owner never got to open. A sad story of how a family pays a price during war. Worth a visit. read more

I stopped by here on a whim as it was a museum in town I hadn't been to before, or even heard of. I'm glad I did. My group's guide, whose name I didn't catch, was a former teacher and it showed with her ease in speaking and making it interesting. Very knowledgeable! The house itself is fully restored and every room is included (minus the 1905 addition in back). The building next door which serves as the museum store and start/end of the tour has a nice selection of souvenirs and a display of artifacts found during the restoration of the house. Just watch your head when you go up to the attic! read more

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Great tour. Very informative and the guides were very accommodating of our newborn. House is clean and very well maintained.

I don't know why this place isn't on the National Register of Historic Places. It's creepy, but it's not haunted. Ms. Marcia and Orah are absolutely fantastic tour guides and they do an incredible job at maintaining the historic house. It is quite a shame that this family's dream of opening a bar in their basement never became a reality. When you are there, you should sign their petition to save downtown Gettysburg. There is currently a proposal to bulldoze it and replace it with high-rise apartments and other mixed use developments. Over my dead body will I let developers destroy this irreplaceable piece of history of a town. read more

The history of Gettysburg is multifaceted. While understanding the days events of both armies usually is the focus of the tourist, the impact on the towns' people is certainly worth noting. Imagine a battle being fought in your front yard (literally). This is what the residents of Gettysburg experienced. Imagine what it was like the following days, weeks, and months afterwards. This tour gives an insight into one family's life changing experiences. You will be met by a period dressed hostess/ guide. In my case, a retired teacher. She was an expert in the Shriver family story, able to answer any question I had. She related the Shriver story with an enthusiasm that only could be found in an individual who had genuine interest in this topic. Your tour will take you through the Shriver residence. This will be a period correct home, including the lack of air conditioning. Depending on when you do your tour, it might be hot. If you find yourself getting uncomfortable, I'd suggest that you remind yourself that your guide will most likely be worse off than you as they wear long heavy dresses and head coverings. Also, you will have to negotiate stairs. They are a bit narrow and if you are 6' tall or more, you will be ducking to avoid hitting your head. The tour is not particularly long in duration, yet packed with information. The Shriver home is a worthwhile destination and a story worth hearing. I apologize for not providing my guide's name, though she earned a mention, I simply didn't remember it. read more

Very interesting and Historical building. Our tour guide, Melissa was very knowledgeable about the history of the home. Be sure to add the river House Museum to your schedule. read more

Shriver House Museum - Formal living room - Museums Near Me - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Most guides are very interesting and have a lot of history to offer. Some give just enough to keep you guessing for more. It's a great experience. read more

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We visited here after seeing a YouTube video that is called "the history underground" which the host was visiting Gettysburg during his series. I highly recommend it as you will learn about some things that aren't common knowledge for multiple battlefields and surrounding areas. We were greeted by one of the owners named Nancy. She was so sweet and all three of us booked the tour and she asked how we heard of the house. I told her from YouTube and she commented "that video has given us more business then I could ever pay for" Our tour was a good mixture of older people and even some younger kids (8-12 yes old). Nancy was very informative and made sure to include the children in Q&A going from room to room. The house and history is amazing with the snipers nest and how the house would have looked during the battle. There are also stories of the neighbors that I won't spoil as you'll need to find out on the tour. I can't rave a bout this place enough. It's just sad the original owner and his family never really got to enjoy it and get the business up and running. read more

Shriver House Museum - Gift shop - Museums Near Me - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

A very realistic tour of a civilian family's home that was affected by the Battle of Gettysburg. The tour guide was excellent - she was very knowledgeable and conducted the tour of the house in a manner that you thought you were there during the battle. A definite must see while in Gettysburg! read more

The only negative critique I have is that I wish we had a few extra minutes to gaze in at each room in Shriver House. They've paid so much attention to detail that it's impossible to truly appreciate all of it in the current amount of time allotted! I'd like to return someday to look some more - no doubt, I'd find a bunch of things I missed on this first visit! read more

I really loved the guided tour of this museum. The reenactment actor really made the history of this families struggles come to life. I would strongly recommend this museum. read more

Shriver House Museum - Attic of the Shriver house. - Museums Near Me - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Our tour guide was Melissa. Thankfully we timed it just right to join the next schedule tour. Melissa was knowledgeable and friendly and truly shared the story of a local family during the battle of Gettysburg and even the time shortly after and beyond. The gift shop is a great place to spend before or after your tour. It was interesting to see the renovation photos of the home. Another great tour to check out allowing visitors to have a better understanding of the events that occurred during 1863. read more

AMAZING!!! Best Tour during July 4th weekend Once a year they have a special re enactment. They recreate the confederate sharp shooters with actors in the arctic where you sit and watch them recreate scenes from the civil war. In addition before you start the tour, you can see several posting and artifacts that were uncovered during the renovation. Then you can go in the backyard and actually be immersed in a true civil war period garden area when you will see vegetables growing and a bluegrass /folk band playing in time period costumes. You will also be welcomed by historical society members dressed in full wardrobe and welcome you with facts about how time was spent growing all vegetables , then you start the tour with a great tour guide, ours was KAREN. We visited a parlor where actors portrayed Hattie Shriver and her neighbors and aunt. All actresses are in period wardrobe and act a scene. The tour includes a visit to all rooms in the home including a basement where a saloon and another demonstration of medical doctors showed how soldiers wounds were operated on. We found this tour by accident in a publication and were so lucky to find this tour that happens once annually. Leaving the house and museum we met one of the owners NANCY She explained how her husband and her obtained the house and totally restored this house to period time ...... If you are in Gettysburg I HIGHLY RECOMMEND and ENJOYED THIS TOUR!!!! By far was one of the best and most accurate time period depictions. In addition you will never meet a nicer owner and tour proprietor I will be back when my grandchildren become older to take them on this tour!! If you take only one tour Do THIS ONE!!!!!! read more

this live museum recounting the experiences of the gettysburg townspeople during the civil was a wonderful experience. Actors did a great job met the owner and staff who were very friendly and informative. We definitely would suggest a visit to this establishment. read more

Very informative the guide was amazing stayed in character the whole time must see will not disappoint

This place was a awesome experience. I learned a lot of history about the house and town as well. The staff was great and knowledgeable as well. Even gave us great things to check out after our tour in Gettysburg definitely will be going back again. I loved learning specially the addict not going tell you why you'll have go see and hear that on your own. read more

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This was my favorite thing we did in Gettysburg. The story of this family is very interesting and our guide Marcia was fabulous!!

When visiting Gettysburg, most of the history discussed is the "battle" including military personnel and heroes of the battlefield. Very little is usually taught about civilian life and what was happening in the homes that were so close to the battlefield. When I was in Gettysburg, I found the civilian stories to be so much more interesting than the ones of military maneuvers. Shriver House is a meticulously restored 1860 home. George and Hettie Shriver built it as a residence and business (Shriver's Saloon & Tin Pan Alley). and lived there with their two young daughters, Sadie and Mollie. Every room in the house is frozen in time and furnished to it's 1860's appearance. Tours ($8.95/adults) are provided daily and last thirty minutes. You can also explore the grounds, garden, artifact display, and shop on your own which will take some more time. The guides are in period attire. My guide was absolutely wonderful. During the tour she told the story of the Shrivers, some of their neighbors, and their horrifying experiences during the Battle of Gettysburg. You could not only picture the house before the war, with the family living peacefully there. You could also picture the harrowing times of war when there were sharp shooters in the attic and later, when the house was used as a military hospital. Our tour guide truly literally made the house come to life before my eyes! I would call the house for hours and tour times. Special candlelight tours are done during the holidays when the house is decorated. Shriver House is a great change of pace if you have been spending time touring the battlefields at Gettysburg. I would highly recommend it! read more

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Tour guide was wonderful, loved all of our questions, and got us a discount in the gift shop. An intimate, first-hand account of the Battle of Gettysburg that I won't soon forget, this tour was amazing! read more

Shriver House Museum - The little girl's room, recreated faithfully - Museums Near Me - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

I loved this tour. Our guide Abby was absolutely wonderful. She was very interactive and knowledgeable about the history, and the people that lived in the house. This tour was well worth time and money. read more

Shriver House Museum - Abby - Museums Near Me - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

So glad we did this! Very sobering. Debbie R provided a very informative program. We had read about the battles, but thought mostly about the battlefields. We had not given much thought to homes being taken over by soldiers, that the battles reached the homes, or even to the civilians themselves. Nor had we thought about the fact that when the battled ended on the third day, the small town was left to deal with, not only the destruction, but with the dead and injured as well. read more

I didn't know the story of the Shrivers but went on their tour and was well worth the money. I learned another perspective of a civilian living in Gettysburg during the 3 day battle. I would recommend this even if you have little ones. read more

The Shriver House is a nice little museum to visit when you're in G-burg. The Shriver family were civilians living in town during the Civil war, and their story is pretty interesting. You're able to check their house, literally frozen in time, go on a tour by an informative docent, check out their grounds and garden, and even peruse the hundreds of items that were found during the restoration (such as Civil War bullets, medical supplies, and a child's shoe). This location has been filmed for various networks, like PBS and the History Channel, and when you step inside, you feel as if you've traveled back in time. +guided tour by a docent +museum shop read more

Upon initial passing by, I wasn't too caught up in the idea of going through the Shriver House tour while in Gettysburg. I mean....it was $7.50 to just simply go through a person's home, room by room. However, I am glad that I did. Boasting as the #2 most popular place to visit when in Gettysburg (the Gettysburg National Park and Museum is obviously number 1). this somewhat hidden experience of the residents of Gettysburg should keep it's title. Our tour was conducted by the same gentleman who gave us somewhat of a 2 minute description of what the tour was about - a narrative of family life in Gettysburg before, during, and after the Gettysburg battle, all from the lives of the house's residents and neighbors. The tour guide definitely knew his stuff and kept us quite engaged with his character, wit, and here and there jokes. He provided a civilian account of the war that I am sure we would have never heard had we not visited. If I were to come back with other family or friends...I'd definitely take them back there as well. read more

Shriver House Museum - Museums Near Me - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

I really can't emphasize enough how great of a job the Shriver House does of showing what life was like for the civilians during the battle. The Shrivers had it rough. Dad was off at war, leaving Mom to tend to the kids while the battle (and it's aftermath) raged around (and in) her home. The attic and the rooms that are portrayed as having been ransacked by the rebs are really unique. Worth the visit! read more

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We took a tour here not too long ago and it was definitely a highlight on our trip. The woman giving the tour was knowledgeable and very friendly. She added so much to the tour and we had so much fun here. If you are able to stop by I definitely recommend you do. You won't be disappointed. Thank you for such a great experience! read more

The tour was great and so were the tour guides. Honestly I was here for the ghosts/history. The attic is pretty creepy! Overall a fascinating tour, check it out! read more

We were looking for someplace for our 7 & 9 year old to learn about the civil war in a way that would be interesting. This fit the bill. The tour of the house helped the kids understand how it was to live in the time period and life during the war. They enjoyed the walk and seeing how the family lived. The tour guide did a nice job of explaining how the family lived and her story tied well into the history of the area. I would highly recommend this for people with kids and learning about life during the war. read more

This was a great tour! We spent the time with Ms. Gayle, who took us through the house and went deep into the history through engaging stories about the former occupants and the war. Even my 6-year old daughter listened with rapt attention throughout the experience. They set up the rooms with such care and detail that they tell their own stories. If you're looking for a family friendly tour, you must stop here. read more

Great tour, great staff, very welcoming and knowledgeable people. This tour was very informative and I enjoyed every bit of it. I've been there a few times and it gets better every time. Just did the Christmas tour and it was great. I def recommend touring this house during all seasons. Def 5 stars read more

The Shriver House is a must see in Gettysburg. This is not your typical go-through-the-house-and-see-the-rooms tour, but a trip back in time to the Civil War, through the eyes of a family living in Gettysburg, whose lives were forever changed when the soldiers came to town. Guides dress for the time period, and give you the story of the Shriver's. Every room is a piece to the puzzle. Every item in the house can be explained by the guide as to why it is there, and what it was used for. The Shriver House is especially interesting to females. No offense to guys, but the tour is more relatable to girls because they can understand how the families and local people were affected by the war, more so than they would visiting the battlefield (though I must correct myself and say that the town of Gettysburg was the battlefield.) The story of the Shriver's is touching, and you will feel deeply appreciative to be so lucky. read more

As a history major, I was completely drawn to this location. The tour inside the house literally felt like you were stepping back in time and it was interesting to see the civilian point of view of what the Battle of Gettysburg was like. Our tour guide was excellent and accommodating and didn't rush despite being the last tour time of the day. If you don't have a chance to take the tour inside, be sure to at least take a gander at the south side of the brick house to see the numerous bullet holes. Highly recommend checking this place out!! read more

We toured the Shriver House with our three smal kids to give them an idea of what things were like for civilians in the 1860's. Our tour guide Deb was very informative and kept the kids entertained. The kids keep talking about the information and facts that Deb shared with us. So glad we chose to go there! read more

Well conducted museum and tour. I'd read the history of this house before our visit but seeing it in person really made it more clear. Our guide was Miss Deborah and she made our tour exciting and informative. Excellent stop for an historic telling of a Gettysburg civilians experience during the battle. read more

If you go to Gettysburg, do not miss this tour. I am not a tour person in general, my friends talked me into it after we visited the gift shop and spent a tad there. The tour was nothing short of spectacular. There is very little in the way of information that would really let you know what the civilians endured; the trauma, the loss of life, the horrors that filled their homes and their sweet town for three days. Marcia is a brilliant docent, her voice is perfect, her rhetoric is lively and personable, I was mesmerized by her story the entire time. read more

Shriver House Museum - Docent Marcia - Museums Near Me - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

My husband and I honeymooned in Gettysburg, and we ALMOST didn't go into the Shriver House... And it would have been such a disappointment if we had missed it!! The artifacts and the tour are a fantastic way to learn about some of the more prominent and involved townspeople during the Battle of Gettysburg. Our tour guide, Miss Debra, was as entertaining as she was knowledgeable! We enjoyed our time there, and we are so GLAD we stopped by! Can't wait to go back! read more

this is an excellent place to take anyone who wishes to learn about life during the civil war. they do have a schedule for the tours, so it would be advised to call and coordinate your visit accordingly. very kid friendly, and quite enlightening for adults as well. again, the focus is on the family and the civilian experience during the civil war. another must see, in my opinion. read more

We absolutely loved this tour and the story! We met one of the owners tending to the garden in back and she gave us more inside stories!! This was really a love story for the owners to rstore and bring the house back to life! Great story! read more

I really enjoyed this museum. It tells the story of the war from the civillian perspective. They restored the Schriver house with period furniture similar to that listed on the estate assessment. They take you through the house and tell you the story of the family as you go room-to-room. It is a very interesting story that is detailed enough for you to really imagine what it was like for civillians during the Civil War. It reminded me a bit of Gone with the Wind. read more