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Gettysburg
Things to Do in Gettysburg
Shriver House Museum
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Shriver House Museum

See all things to do
See all things to do
Shriver House Museum
4.5
894 reviews
#3 of 84 things to do in Gettysburg
Historic Sites • History Museums
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Saturday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
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About
You may know what happened on battlefield . . . but what happened to the civilians? During the Battle of Gettysburg, George Shriver was serving in the Union army. When Confederate soldiers filled the streets of town, Hettie Shriver worried about the safety of their daughters, Mollie (5) and Sadie (7), as well as their home. She sought safety at her family's farm by Big Round Top, where some of the fiercest fighting took place. Her empty house was seized by Confederates who set up a sharpshooters nest in the attic where at least two soldiers were killed. Tour guides in period attire recount the Shrivers harrowing story as you walk from the bloodstained sharpshooters' nest in the attic, through the finely appointed home, to Shriver's Saloon in the cellar. The house was abandoned for nearly thirty years before being painstakingly restored to its original appearance in 1996. The Shrivers' story is a most intriguing stories when it comes to the civilian aspect of the battle.
Suggested duration
< 1 hour
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
894 reviews
Excellent
695
Very good
162
Average
33
Poor
3
Terrible
1
Adams’s family of 4.
14 contributions
Family 60th birthday trip with several stops at local bars and historical sites.
Mar 2023 • Family
Excellent historical records as told by Mrs Martha our guide. Huge impact on the lives of the town’s people from the war. This is a definite worth while visit while in Gettysburg
Written March 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kate Illinois1
Illinois4,313 contributions
Impact of war on the family unit
Sep 2022
The Civil War was extremely difficult on the family unit. Families suffered great hardship when husbands left home to fight. The Shriver House will take you through the daily struggles, see and feel what is was like when the battle entered your home. Wonderfully preserved home and excellent tour. Never felt rushed walking through the home....ample time to ask questions. A must see while in Gettsburg.
Written January 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
AvgJoe3
Audubon, PA211 contributions
Excellent 30 min tour, see how the Civil War impacted townspeople
Nov 2022
Very interesting to see the private side of the war. A bit pricey for 30 min, but this is a privately funded museum. Miss Deb R gave a great tour. She was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. And she made sure to answer all our questions, even after the tour while talking in the gift shop/entry area.
Written November 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Joycerich
washington twp, nj65 contributions
Snapshot of family life during the Battle
Oct 2022
Our guide was both well informed and personable. Was a good balance after the Battlefield tour. Seeing the house and hearing the story of the family gave us a more complete understanding of how the war affected this town.
Written November 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
DanandJoyce
Northport, AL206 contributions
Great Guide & Information
Oct 2022
Very interesting, guided tour. Our guide was dressed in period and very informative. Answered questions and didn't rush us through. Definitely a must do while in Gettysburg.
Written October 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Debbie L
Middletown, DE19 contributions
Wonderful experience
Oct 2022
We really enjoyed our visit to the Shriver House. Our guide took into consideration our mobility issues, which was fantastic for us.
Written October 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
susank040183
Pickens, SC24 contributions
Wonderfully Restored Home
Sep 2022
We enjoyed our tour of the Shriver House. I learned of it when reading about Tillie Pierce and the Shriver family so googled it and found out that it is now a museum. Watched a video of the couple who bought the house and lovingly and painstakingly restored it. It is just as it would have been back in George and Hettie's day.

It definitely helped you visualize what life would have been like during July, 1863 when there lives were totally disrupted and changed forever.

Didn't care for the "theatrics" of the tour guide. Just an informative tour would be fine. If you asked a question, it got her off script and she had to shift her voice infections back to the script.

Bought two books in the gift shop that I knew I wanted before coming to the house so was glad that they had them.
Written October 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Margaret Gariota
Arlington, TX5 contributions
Personal and moving history
Sep 2022
Beautifully researched and restored Civil War era home. Excellent details about the original owners and their war experience. A great tour to take to understand life during and after the occupation of Gettysburg. Often overlooked aspect of this conflict and important to deeply understand our nation's history. Ms. Marsha made us feel like we were back in 1863. Thank you for perserving the house and story.
Written September 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
burly94
Houston, TX31 contributions
Informative tour!
Sep 2022
We showed up just as a tour was about to start. It was just the 2 of us. We had Marsha as our guide. I love touring old homes and seeing all the furnishings for the time period. But what I love more is learning about the people who lived there. Marsha knew a lot of information on the Shriver family and their actions during the battle. We were also taken up to the attic where snipers to residence. You can also walk around the home and see bullet holes from the battle. Very informative tour of civilian life during the battle.
Written September 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
A Lynn
Oxon Hill, MD24 contributions
Loved this learning experience!
Sep 2022
I learned about the Shriver House from the History Underground on youtube. We had initially planned a one day trip to the Battlefield, but decided to go a day early. We loved visiting the Shriver House! Our tour guide, Gayle, was great! We were so happy to see her, dressed in period clothing, sitting outside on the porch when we arrived. (We thought they closed at 5:00 and we were running behind.) She told the story of the Shriver family and how the battle affected them as local people in the town. It's another side of the story and we loved this learning experience!
Written September 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Shriver House Museum (Gettysburg) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Shriver House Museum
Shriver House Museum is open:
  • Sun - Sun 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Sat - Sat 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Shriver House Museum tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 3 Shriver House Museum tours on Tripadvisor