About ACWM

The American Civil War Museum is so much more than a collection of artifacts. We are storytellers and educators. In the battle against the all-too-human instinct to wish the past were simple, we’re exploring the unparalleled significance the Civil War holds to complexities we face today.

The museum gallery.

Our Mission

The American Civil War
Museum explores, inspires,
and promotes the public’s
understanding of the Civil
War – its causes, course,
and consequences.


Our Sites

We maintain three unique sites: The American Civil War Museum – Historic Tredegar and the White House of the Confederacy, both in Richmond, VA; and The American Civil War Museum–Appomattox, in Appomattox, VA.

In 2013, The American Civil War Museum was formed by a consolidation of the American Civil War Center and the Museum of the Confederacy.  Immediately after the consolidation of the two institutions, we began plans to build our new facility which opened in May 2019 at Historic Tredegar.  The new, award-winning museum building encases the original Tredegar Iron Works ruin wall, and features state-of-the-art storage space to protect our unparalleled collection of artifacts.


Awards & Recognition

CandidPlatinum Seal of Transparency 2022
The ACWM organization has earned a 2022 Platinum Seal of Transparency with Candid! Support our work with trust & confidence by viewing our nonprofit profile.
Richmond Times-Dispatch
‘THE BEST’ 2022 – Entertainment: Best Museum – Favorite Museum
The Branch Museum of Architecture & Design
2020 recipient of Virginia by Design Awards: Prize for Public Interest Design: Community Engagement and Participation

This prize is for a creative project that has transformed its surroundings whether a setting, neighborhood, or community. It is for an individual or entity responsible for shepherding the project within Virginia.

American Alliance of MuseumsAccredited Museum
32nd Annual Excellence in Exhibition – Special Achievement in Storytelling Supported by Collections for A People’s Contest
Greater Richmond Association for Commercial Real Estate
Real Estate Award 2019 – Best Cultural Project