This museum is dedicated to understanding the life of the Civil War soldier. It is a well designed and beautiful facility featuring an interactive gallery covering all aspects of a soldier’s life from enlistment to training, from camp life to battle, from armaments to the importance of mail call – all explained through an audio program. An added touch is that you are able to select one Civil War soldier that you would like to follow. The program then explains each aspect of a soldier’s life and gives specific quotes from “your soldier.” This is an outstanding learning tool that keeps your interest. The information is accurate and detailed but not at all tedious. It is self-paced so if you want to move on to the next topic, you can do so seamlessly. The program is well worth the 45 minutes to one hour involved.
The one thing I was a little disappointed in was that they would not let me take a picture inside the gallery. I explained that I would not use a flash and that I was going to use the picture for the Fort Worth Civil War Round Table website. This would be free publicity and a good link from our site. Not only was I told that I could not take a picture but I also received a lecture on the fact that I could not take a picture. Perhaps a more enlightened view would have produced a better explanation of why I feel this is a must see for visitors to this section of Virginia.
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