There have been some interesting discussions and debates going on around the blogosphere in regards to the new Gettysburg Visitor's Center and the decision to charge an admission fee. Several bloggers have queried members of the 'Friends of Gettysburg Foundation' to see if they were informed of any planned admission changes. I have been a contributing member of the foundation since January of this year and wanted to share a brief insight on my experience.

Traditionally, my family does all of our charity giving (when we can afford it) through our church. Gettysburg’s revival was the one ‘secular’ cause that I felt I could participate in and I still feel good about my decision to do so. The foundation does a great job of keeping members informed of the goings on at the museum and we do get special treatment for certain events.

I was very honored to have my engraved name and a mini-flag posted at the new VC with other members in appreciation of our support and I have received some nice newsletters, bookmarks, and a 2009 calendar in the mail. I will continue to be a standing member for as long as I can because I already see the long-term rewards that are being reaped by the public. I myself will be visiting the new location for the first time later in the fall.

I am not aware of any time that an admission fee was mentioned or alluded to in any mailer or email communication from the 'Friends of Gettysburg’ since January of this year. Personally, I never minded paying for the Electric Map and I won’t mind paying for the Cyclorama and exhibit hall either. (In fact, I never mind paying a fair fee at any battlefield or museum as I recognize that it requires funds to maintain them.) Therefore I don’t understand all the hoopla on this. How could anyone expect the development and renovation of the area to be 100% free?

Specifically in regards to the G’burg VC, where else on earth can you see the one-of-a-kind exhibits that they have there? Each year, vacationers pay hundreds of dollars for admission to theme parks where the thrill of a roller coaster ride fades before they even make it back to the parking lot. (Civil War buff or not, the new Gettysburg museum experience has to have a larger impact on a visitor than funnel cake and a water slide.)

That said, the lack of mentioning any fees and the giant administration salaries that some bloggers have quoted do bother me and I am also disappointed with being ‘sold out’ on a charity leads list. As soon as I sent in my initial donation form to the 'Friends of Gettysburg Foundation,’ I began receiving weekly matching petitions from every museum and historical foundation on the planet.

This includes the WW1 and WW2 Museum, Korean Museum, Slavery Museum, Lincoln Museum, Tuskegee Airman Museum, War of 1812 Museum, and on and on and on… This bothers me in principle, as it was obvious my name was added on a public donor list. I don’t even open these mailers anymore because I can’t afford to and frankly I feel like I’m being heckled by these organizations.

Gettysburg is a national treasure. Fredericksburg (where I live) is a national treasure. All of these battlefields are national treasures, and I would rather see my money going to support these hallowed grounds than any other ‘secular’ cause. And if paying a ticket price is required to visit the newly restored Cyclorama and state-of-the-art exhibits that present the conflict in bigger and broader terms, so be it.

I have a family of 6 and will gladly 'bite that bullet.'

Still, it would have been nice to have been informed up front of a possible admission fee as much of this 'shocked' reaction from the public may have been avoided. (Additionally, most of us have friends in the NPS and want to see them keep their jobs. By financially aiding these battlefields and museums, perhaps we are also helping them stay employed by the government in a dire economy.)