Fall Festival at ACWM-Appomattox
2024-10-26 10:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | American Civil War Museum – Appomattox, 159 Horseshoe Rd, Appomattox, Virginia, 24522, United States
Mark your calendar for October 26th and Fall Festival at ACWM-Appomattox! Join us for a fun-filled day of local music, pumpkin painting, dancing, wood carving, blacksmithing, hearth cooking, and of course, cannon firing demonstrations throughout the day. Food, vendors, history partners & programs.

11am program: ‘The Battles of Appomattox: The Final Fury & the Last to Die’ with Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park historian, Patrick Schroder

2pm program: Award-winning poet Lisa Samia shares poems and historical accounts from her series ‘The Nameless and Faceless of the Civil War’.

Virtual Book Talk - "Dranesville: A Northern Virginia Town Caught in the Crossfire of Battle"
2024-11-07 18:30 - 19:30
This small Union victory is often overlooked, but it was emblematic of the fighting that was to come. At Dranesville, civilians were caught up in the spreading Civil War, and officers, who would become household names, gained early experience.

Ryan Quint, a native of Maine, earned his degree in history from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. He has worked in the field of public history, including at the George Washington Foundation, Colonial Williamsburg, and the National Park Service.

"Now We Stand By Each Other Always" - a performance in three acts.
2024-11-14 18:00 - 20:00 | American Civil War Museum – Appomattox, 159 Horseshoe Rd, Appomattox, Virginia, 24522, United States
Rudely Stamp’d Historical Impressions presents “Now We Stand by Each Other Always” November 14th at the American Civil War Museum at Appomattox Court House.

This three-act play features a series of conversations between Genls. Grant and Sherman over the course of the Civil War. These conversations take place at key moments in the war and demonstrate the evolving friendship between the men – Vicksburg, MS in 1863, Cincinnati, OH in 1864 and City Point, VA in 1865.

Heroes of the Union war effort, Grant and Sherman were unlikely friends with dramatically different personalities. Grant, ever stoic, was quiet, reticent and almost shy. Sherman, on the other hand, was manic, nervous, fidgety and intense. Despite these differences, the men forged a friendship in the fire of war and led the Union’s armies to ultimate victory.

Tredegar History Tour
2024-11-17 11:00
Take a guided tour of the former Tredegar Ironworks site every Saturday & Sunday at 11am and 3pm with Musket Firing Demonstration at 1pm!

Annual Tredegar Tree Lighting!
2024-11-21 17:30 - 19:30 | American Civil War Museum, 480 Tredegar St, Richmond, Virginia, 23219, United States
Join us at the popular Tredegar Tree Lighting when we officially illuminate the 20ft tall tree in the museum lobby! A Richmond holiday event favorite, the lighting of the Tredegar Tree features live music by the Joe Sarver Trio, holiday cheer provided by Virago Spirits, is family friendly and free to the public. The Tredegar Tree is decorated with hand-crafted 19th century era style ornaments and hundreds of lights. A great way to start the season! This event is sponsored by The Wilton Companies.

ACWM is pleased to be an official Toys for Tots collection partner and encourage guests to bring an unwrapped toy to donate at the Tredegar Tree Lighting!

Virtual Book Talk "Union General Daniel Butterfield"
2024-12-05 18:30 - 19:30
General Dan Butterfield played a pivotal role during the Civil War and introduced practices still in use by the U.S. Army today. He was a Medal of Honor winner but was also controversial, not well-liked, and tainted by politics. Join us as award-winning author James S. Pula separates fact from fiction to offer a detailed look at Union General Daniel Butterfield.

James S. Pula is a professor of History Emeritus at Purdue University Northwest and the former editor-in-chief of Gettysburg Magazine. Dr. Pula is the author or editor of more than two dozen books.

Register

Holiday Open House in Appomattox!
2024-12-07 10:00 - 16:00

Winter Wander
2024-12-08 12:00 - 16:00
A nice walk through the historic neighborhood of Clay Street in Downtown Richmond. ACWM is pleased to open the first floor of The White House of the Confederacy for free guided tours. Winter Wander is an annual event with our Richmond history community partners.

Santa Visit!
2024-12-21 10:00 - 14:00 | The American Civil War Museum – Historic Tredegar, 480 Tredegar St., Richmond, Virginia, 23219, United States
Santa is coming to Tredegar! Save your space today for this free event that is back by (very) popular demand! Visit with Santa for any last minute requests, enjoy some holiday cheer, and children’s crafts. This event fills up fast so register today!

Virtual Book Talk 'Kidnapped At Sea: The Civil War Voyage of David Henry White' with Andrew Sillen
2025-01-30 18:30 - 19:30
David Henry White, a free Black teenage sailor from Lewes, Delaware, was kidnapped by Captain Raphael Semmes of the Confederate raider Alabama on October 9, 1862, from the Philadelphia-based packet ship Tonawanda. White remained captive on the Alabama for over 600 days, until he drowned during the Battle of Cherbourg on June 19, 1864.

Rosenwald Schools
2025-02-08 14:00 - 16:00 | ACWM Appomattox, 159 Horseshoe Rd, Appomattox, VA, 24522, United States
In partnership with Appomattox for Equality, Carver Price, and the Robert Russa Moton Museum, ACWM presents this special program with a presentation by Andrew Feiler about his book A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools that Changed America, for which he photographed 105 schools and interviewed dozens of former students, teachers, preservationists, and community leaders in all fifteen of the program states. The event includes a panel discussion featuring area experts delving into the history and importance of education to Black Virginians.

Panelists: Leah Brown, Associate Director of Education & Collections, Robert Russa Moton Museum: Joetricia Humbles, Lead Agent, Appomattox for Equality; Lew Longenecker, CumberlandMiddle School Educator; Monroe Preston, Glade Spring (Rosenwald) School pupil 1957 – 1964; Darlene Reed, Vice President, Carver Price Alumni Association.

2025 Symposium: 'On the Battlefield' *this event is now only on Saturday 2/22/25
2025-02-22 09:00 - 17:00 | ACWM – Historic Tredegar, 480 Tredegar St., Richmond, Virginia, 23219, United States
2025 ACWM Symposium: On the Battlefield includes:

Saturday, February 22nd – Esteemed historians discussing the course of the Civil War

Find out more!

Virtual Book Talk 'Freedom Was in Sight!' with Dr. Kate Masur
2025-02-27 18:30 - 19:30
As part of the ACWM celebration of Black History Month, we present this virtual program with Dr. Kate Masur, a leading historian of Reconstruction and Pulitzer Prize-finalist, as she shares from her most recent book, Freedom Was in Sight! This graphic history, vividly drawn by award-winning artist Liz Clarke, uses the words and experiences of Black Americans in Washington, D.C. and surrounding areas to tell the story of the post-Civil War era, exploring how people worked to reunite their families, build communities, and claim rights long denied them.

register

Death & Mourning in the Civil War
2025-03-13 18:00 - 19:00 | American Civil War Museum – Appomattox, 159 Horseshoe Rd, Appomattox, Virginia, 24522, United States
The American Civil War brought a previously unimaginable level of carnage to the country. Modern scholarship puts the soldier death toll at 750,000 over the course of the four years of struggle. Join us as living historian Betty Shideler explores the way that women, both in the North and South, sought to cope with death during and after the Civil War.

Nature's Civil War: Common Soldiers & the Environment in 1862 Virginia
2025-03-24 18:00 - 19:15
In 1862 Virginia, Civil War soldiers endured punishing environmental conditions, which increased disease and harmed morale. In response to their natural enemies, they forged informal networks of health care and adopted self-care habits, from boiling water, to eradicating insects, to constructing elaborate shelters. As they fought to regain their health, they frequently struggled, testing the limits of army discipline.

With KT Shively, Associate Professor of Civil War history and Reconstruction at Virginia Commonwealth University. Their book, Nature’s Civil War, won the 2014 Wiley-Silver Prize for best first book on the Civil War. Shively is currently the Mark and Ann Persun Visiting Scholar at the Penn State Richards Civil War Era Center, while they complete their second monograph, History Wars: Jubal A. Early and the Confederate Origins of Modern American History. This month their co-edited volume, The Second Manassas Campaign, with Caroline Janney, will be released from UNC Press. Shively is also Co-PI with Paul Quigley (Virginia Tech University) of a digital battlefield and plantation site tour, “Experiencing Civil War History Through Augmented Reality: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Environment at Pamplin Historical Park.

Member Reception 5:15 – 6:00 PM

We Shall Conquer or Die: Partisan Warfare in 1862 Western Kentucky
2025-03-27 18:30
Virtual Book Talk with Derrick Lindow.

Join Derrick Lindow, an award-winning history teacher and Civil War expert, as he explores the little-known story of guerrilla warfare in Western Kentucky during 1862. This intense, personal conflict, fought behind the front lines, pitted neighbor against neighbor and had a devastating impact on both lives and Union efforts. Lindow, a Kentucky native and passionate historian, brings fresh insights into this crucial yet overlooked chapter of the Civil War.

Mornings at the Museum! (Mar 31st, Apr 2nd, Apr 4th)
2025-03-31 10:00 - 2025-04-04 12:00 | ACWM – Historic Tredegar, 480 Tredegar St., Richmond, Virginia, 23219, United States
Each day from 10 AM – 12 PM, we will focus on one person from the Civil War with an Artifact Investigation! This hands-on activity lets students explore artifact reproductions to learn about the person of the day.

Mon, March 31st: Elizabeth Van Lew

Wed, April 2nd: Johnny Clem

Fri, April 4th: Susie King Taylor

Kids will have a blast decoding secret messages, drumming to Civil War beats, and racing to unroll bandages in a fun-filled history adventure!

(Suggested age K-5)

Donations Appreciated

Donate and support our education department, so we can continue providing programming like this in the future!

Times Too Hard: Single African American Women in Post Civil War Virginia
2025-04-03 18:30 - 20:00 | The American Civil War Museum – Historic Tredegar, 480 Tredegar St., Richmond, Virginia, 23219, United States
In Richmond, Virginia, Emancipation Day arrived on April 3, 1865, marking a historic moment of freedom. We are pleased to partner with The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia to commemorate this historic event.

This presentation examines the experiences of single Black women in Virginia after the Civil War. Despite significant challenges, they actively sought agency through petitions for support and compensation. Their efforts influenced the responsibilities of federal and local agencies and played a key role in shaping concepts of freedom, welfare, citizenship, and womanhood in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Arlisha R. Norwood is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. She earned her Ph.D. from Howard University, specializing in 19th-century African American history, gender, and the Civil War. Her research focuses on single Black women in Civil War and Reconstruction-era Virginia, and she is currently working on a manuscript titled To Never Truck with No Man: Single Black Women during the Civil War and Reconstruction.

A recipient of multiple fellowships, including from the Mellon Foundation, Virginia Humanities, and the National Archives Foundation, Norwood is committed to making history accessible. She has contributed to projects with the National Women’s History Museum, the National Park Service, and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History, using innovative approaches to engage the public with the past.

Tredegar History Tour (11AM/3PM Sat/Sun)
2025-04-05 11:00 | The American Civil War Museum – Historic Tredegar, 480 Tredegar St., Richmond, Virginia, 23219, United States
Step into History at Tredegar!

Join us for a Tredegar History Tour—an engaging journey through the story of the former Tredegar Iron Works, right in the heart of downtown Richmond.

Tours take place every Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM, and are included with your museum admission.

Explore one of Richmond’s most iconic historical sites, discover how cannons were made during the Civil War, and check out our current exhibitions!

The Surrenders of the Confederacy
2025-04-10 18:00 - 19:00 | American Civil War Museum – Appomattox, 159 Horseshoe Rd, Appomattox, Virginia, 24522, United States
The Confederate surrender at Appomattox featured the stacking of arms, the surrender of colors, and the review of troops—a noble and orderly ceremony that has captured the American imagination for 160 years. But Appomattox was only the beginning of the end. Beyond Virginia, the Confederacy surrendered in bits and pieces, in a series of scattered events marked by confusion, chaos, and controversy lacking all of Appomattox’s romance and reconciliation. The last flag down wouldn’t even come until November. Join us for a trip to places American history has forgotten: Bennett Place, North Carolina; Citronelle, Alabama; Galveston, Texas; Doaksville, Oklahoma; and more.

Presented by Dr. Chris Mackowski, co-founder of Emerging Civil War

Surrender Commemoration & Freedom Day Celebration
2025-04-12 09:00 - 2025-04-13 17:00 | American Civil War Museum – Appomattox, 159 Horseshoe Rd, Appomattox, Virginia, 24522, United States
The American Civil War Museum is hosting a series of activities and programs as part of the regional celebration of the Commemoration of the Surrender & Freedom Day. Visitors can look forward to a fun-filled day with cannon firings, interactive sessions with living historians, and informative sessions about the lives of soldiers, civilians on the homefront, and enslaved and free African Americans during the Civil War.

We hope you will join us on April 12th and 13th at ACWM – Appomattox!

Saturday:

9:00 AM – Federal and Confederate Encampments Open

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM – Cabin Open: (Interpretation provided by the Pallas Athena Ladies Aid Society)

11:00 AM – “In the nick of time”: U.S. Army of the James Arrives on the Field

Location: Cabin Field

2:00 PM – “Boys, get up, the rebs are on us”: The Fate of the 11th Maine Infantry

Location: Cabin Field

4:00 PM – Stacking of Arms

Location: The Garland Gray Terrace behind Museum

Sunday:

9:00 AM – Federal and Confederate Encampments Open

10:00AM – 3:00PM – Cabin Open: (Interpretation provided by the Pallas Athena Ladies Aid Society)

10:30 AM – Civil War Sunday Service with a USCT Chaplain

11:00 AM – Cannon Firing Demonstration

11:30 AM – “Hold the enemy in check”: Captain Wilson Jenkins Makes a Last Stand

Location: Cabin Field

12:30 PM – Life of a USCT Chaplain with Joseph Feaster

1:00 PM – Cannon Firing Demonstration

Location: Portico off the Robertson Family Education Center

1:30 PM – Stacking of Arms

Location: The Garland Gray Terrace behind Museum

2:00 PM – “A King’s Cure” Lecture with Michael Vorenberg, Ph.D.

Separate registration needed or included in Museum ticket!

Location: Robertson Family Education Center

3:00 PM – Cannon Firing Demonstration

Location: Portico off the Robertson Family Education Center Location: Cabin Field

3:30 PM – Life of a USCT Chaplain with Joseph Feaster

A King’s Cure: Abraham Lincoln and the Thirteenth Amendment
2025-04-13 14:00 - 15:00 | American Civil War Museum – Appomattox, 159 Horseshoe Rd, Appomattox, Virginia, 24522, United States
On February 1, 1865, the day after Congress passed the resolution for the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery, a group of celebrants urged President Lincoln to speak on the occasion. Calling the amendment “a King’s cure for all the evils,” Lincoln saw it as essential not just to ending slavery but to truly concluding the Civil War.

Michael Vorenberg is the author of Final Freedom: The Civil War, the Abolition of Slavery, and the Thirteenth Amendment—a finalist for the Lincoln Prize and a basis for Spielberg’s 2012 film, Lincoln. He has written extensively on legal and constitutional history and teaches at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

He has lectured widely on the Civil War, Lincoln, and the U.S. Constitution, with writings in major publications like The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Virtual Book Talk – Hell by the Acre: A Narrative History of the Stones River Campaign with Dan A. Masters
2025-04-17 18:30 - 19:30
As 1862 drew to a close, the United States faced a low point in the Civil War, suffering major defeats at Fredericksburg and Chickasaw Bayou. With the Emancipation Proclamation set to take effect on January 1, 1863, Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans and the Army of the Cumberland were tasked with securing a decisive victory.

Join historian Dan Masters as he delves into the strategy, tactics, and key command decisions behind this crucial moment. Using archival and firsthand accounts—many previously unpublished—he brings to life the experiences of the soldiers who fought on the battlefield.

Daniel A. Masters, a University of Toledo graduate, is a historian specializing in the Civil War’s Western Theater. Known for his blog Dan Masters’ Civil War Chronicles, he has authored ten books and numerous articles. His 2017 book, Sherman’s Praetorian Guard, won a local history award, and his latest, Echoes of Battle (2022), was co-written with Larry M. Strayer.

Tredegar History Tours every Saturday & Sunday at 11am and 3pm
2025-04-19 11:00 - 12:00
Take a guided tour of the former Tredegar Ironworks site with a museum historian! The tour is included with museum admission and available every Saturday & Sunday and 11am and 3pm. ACWM Tredegar – 490 Tredegar Street, Richmond VA. 23219

Jefferson Davis & Robert E. Lee
2025-04-24 18:00 - 19:30
Davis and Lee were two proud, contained, but otherwise very different personalities. In normal times it is unlikely they would have been friends. Yet somehow from 1862 through the end of the war they evolved a working relationship that produced almost a model commander-in-chief-general-in-chief team, achieving seemingly impossible things, even if ultimate victory eluded them.

Member Reception 5:15 – 6:00 PM

Virtual Book Talk with Paul Brueske
2025-05-15 18:30 - 19:30
After the brutal battles of Franklin and Nashville in late 1864, Union forces expected Mobile’s Confederate defenders to retreat without much resistance. But they were wrong. Despite being outnumbered, 33-year-old Brig. Gen. Randall Lee Gibson led a determined and skillful defense that shocked his Union adversaries.

Join Civil War historian and author Paul Brueske as he explores the dramatic siege and battle of Mobile, Alabama, in 1865. Discover the tactics, leadership, and resilience that defined this final stand on the rugged bluffs of Mobile Bay’s eastern shore.

Paul Brueske, a lifelong Gulf Coast resident, is the founder of the Mobile Area Civil War Round Table and author of The Last Siege: The Mobile Campaign, Alabama 1865. He regularly lectures on Gulf Coast Civil War history and brings deep insight into this often-overlooked chapter of the war.

Abraham Lincoln & George McClellan
2025-05-22 18:00 - 19:30
This lecture examines General McClellan’s reputation as a skilled organizer but hesitant commander, leading to his clash with President Lincoln. It will explore how their political rivalry shaped the course of the war. Supporters, critics, and the lasting debate over McClellan’s legacy will all be discussed.

George C. Rable is a renowned historian, former professor at the University of Alabama, and past president of the Society of Civil War Historians. He has authored several award-winning books on the Civil War, Southern history, and Reconstruction. His latest work, Conflict of Command, examines the relationship between George McClellan and Abraham Lincoln.

Member reception 5:15pm – 6pm

Tredegar History Tours every Saturday & Sunday at 11am and 3pm
2025-05-24 11:00 - 12:00
Take a guided tour of the former Tredegar Ironworks site with a museum historian! The tour is included with museum admission and available every Saturday & Sunday at 11am and 3pm. ACWM Tredegar – 480 Tredegar Street, Richmond VA. 23219

Wine Down Wednesday
2025-06-25 17:30 - 19:00
Unwind after a long workday with stunning views of the James River at Wine Down Wednesday! Join us for an evening of relaxation, live music, and light refreshments inside the American Civil War Museum – Tredegar.

Enjoy a drink in hand, great company, and a laid-back atmosphere surrounded by history – all exhibits will be open!

Museum Members receive a complimentary drink ticket — just our way of saying thank you!

What to Expect:

Wine and other beverages available for purchase

Live local music to set the mood

Light refreshments provided

A scenic and historic setting right by the James River

Perfect for history lovers, museum-goers, and anyone in need of a midweek break.

(Mark your calendar: Wine Down Wednesday returns July 30 & August 27!)

(This is a 21+ event)

Resistance and Freedom in Richmond’s Court End (June 6, 13, 20, 27)
2025-06-27 10:00 - 11:30
Every Friday in June! 10am-11:30am

Step into Richmond’s Court End and uncover the powerful stories of urban slavery, resistance, and resilience. This guided tour begins at the John Marshall House and continues to the White House of the Confederacy, offering a glimpse into 19th-century life and the fight for emancipation. A first floor exploration of both houses will be included.

Tour starts at The John Marshall House:818 East Marshall Street Richmond, VA 23219
