• North HillSide Photomerge

    Andersonville

    National Historic Site Georgia

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  • New Operating Hours for the National Prisoner of War Museum

    Beginning Monday, May 13, 2013, the National Prisoner of War Museum will adopt new operating hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. More »

National Prisoner of War Museum

Prison-like structure of the POW museum
Approaching the National Prisoner of War Museum
NPS
 

Opened in 1998, the National Prisoner of War Museum tells the story of prisoners of war throughout American History. This facility doubles as the park's visitor center and is the best place to begin a visit.

 

Introductory Films
Two films, shown on the hour and half-hour, provide an excellent introduction to the story of the Andersonville Prison and the experience of American prisoners of war.

"Voices from Andersonville"
Shown on the hour, this 28 minute film focuses on the history of the Andersonville Prison.

"Echoes of Captivity"
Shown on the half-hour, this 27 minute film is an introduction to the experience of prisoners of war throughout American history.

 

Exhibit Hall
The first exhibit gallery answers the question "What is a POW?" This is followed by exhibit areas exploring the themes of capture, living conditions, news and communications, those who wait, privation, morale and relationships, and escape and freedom.

Throughout the exhibits there are touchable items and exhibit drawers that may be opened to find out more about prisoners of war. In order to conserve the artifacts on display, the exhibit areas of the museum have reduced or dim lighting.

Did You Know?

Historic drawing of a steamboat explosion

The Sultana was a steamboat on the Mississippi River that sunk on April 27, 1865, after its steam boiler exploded. Of the 2,400 passengers on board, an estimated 1,600 were killed. A majority of the passengers, a little over 2,000, were Union soldiers many of whom had survived Andersonville prison and were returning home. Most of these men had survived the horrors of Andersonville only to be lost in what became the greatest maritime disaster in the history of the United States.