Gettysburg Foundation Introduces New Cyclorama Photography Experience
New program explores how photography, battlefield study and artistic interpretation
shaped the Gettysburg Cyclorama.
GETTYSBURG, Pa. (May 13, 2026)—Gettysburg Foundation today announced a new program that explores how the Gettysburg Cyclorama was created through battlefield photography, landscape study and artistic interpretation.
From the Battlefield to the Cyclorama: A Photographic Journey examines how French artist Paul Philippoteaux and his team transformed the Gettysburg battlefield into the monumental Cyclorama painting of Pickett’s Charge using photography, landscape study and firsthand accounts from battle veterans.
Led by Licensed Battlefield Guide and Cyclorama expert Chris Brenneman, the program begins in the Ford Education Center at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center, where participants will examine William Tipton’s 1882 reference photographs used during the creation of the Cyclorama.
Guests then travel by double-decker bus onto the battlefield to stand at the same elevated vantage point where the original reference photographs were taken. Participants are encouraged to photograph the landscape themselves before returning to the Cyclorama platform to compare their images to the completed painting and discover how the battlefield was transformed into one of Gettysburg’s most recognizable visual experiences.
Space is limited to ensure a small-group experience. Ticket reservations are required and now available at GettysburgFoundation.org.
“The Cyclorama is often viewed only as the finished masterpiece,” said Chris Brenneman. “This program allows participants to step into the artistic process behind it and see how the landscape, photography and painting all connect.”
The program also includes access beneath the Cyclorama diorama, where guests can examine the structure, lighting and artistic techniques used to create the painting’s immersive effect.
Programs will be offered on Saturdays, May 30, July 25 and Oct. 17, 2026.
All programs run from 3– 6:15 p.m. Space is limited to maintain a small-group experience. Participants are encouraged to bring a camera or a smartphone.
Tickets and additional information are available by phone to 877-874-2478 or 717-334-2436 or at GettysburgFoundation.org.