American Civil War 1861 – 1865

There is more to the Civil War

Exploring the unparalleled significance the American Civil War holds to complexities we face today.

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Peake Series

The Peake Series pairs highlights from our award-winning exhibit with special virtual programs for an unforgettable experience for students. Join us throughout the months of February and March as we explore lesser-known stories & some familiar ones with fresh perspectives.

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Free Educator Admission

ACWM is pleased to provide Virginia public school educators and students free admission to all three of our sites. Made possible by a generous contribution in support of history education.

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Our Locations

Three sites, one mission.

1
The American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar
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2
White House of the Confederacy
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3
The American Civil War Museum at Appomattox
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Experience the Museum

We look forward to welcoming you! Please review our COVID-19 Policies and Procedures to ensure the safety of visitors and staff while you’re at the Museum.

ACWM COVID-19 Policies & Procedures

Events

Join us for engaging events that connect history to current culture. Ranging from intimate discussions with authors and historians to symposiums, we have events for everyone. Now offering web programming!

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HomefrontEd

No school got you scrambling for lessons? Check out the new HomefrontEd section of our website where we will update with book readings, daily activities and educator resources for the students at home!

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#OTD in 1863, the Confederacy blew up its recently captured ship, USS Indianola, to avoid its recapture by an old coal barge. The U.S. had been forced to surrender the vessel after Confederate gunboats attacked on the 24th. It responded with one of the most successful hoaxes of the war, building a dummy ironclad on a coal barge, complete with logs for guns, and floating it toward Confederate forces during the night. The Indianola was eventually resurfaced in January 1865. You may have seen the story about the Mississippi teen who lost his Civil War-reenacting chicken, Peep, outside of a Cracker Barrel. After they were reunited, the boy explained that Civil War soldiers had animals with them on the battlefield, so he takes Peep along to reenactments. (Shout out to @thebananaspodcast for first making us aware of this story!) #OnThisDay in 1863, the USS Indianola was attacked at close quarters by four Confederate vessels. The U.S. gunboat was rammed repeatedly before Lieut. Com. George Brown surrendered the "partially sunken vessel." For this #MotleyMonday, we have three images from our Motley Collection of thousands of items relating to African American military history. As you can see below, these items range from the Civil War up through the Gulf War. Our 2021 Symposium, “The Most Pivotal Decisions of the War,” starts tomorrow. Join a panel of leading Civil War historians to explore the unexpected events and deliberate choices that decided the conflict. Learn more and buy your tickets at the link in our bio! #CivilWarDecisions "Another snow. Hardly has the ground been bare of snow."