American Civil War Museum
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
EXHIBITIONS AT THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR CENTER, TREDEGAR
The current American Civil War Museum exhibit A People’s Contest: Struggles for Nation and Freedom in Civil War America is located at our new museum building at Historic Tredegar. The exhibit exhibit places less emphasis on battles and military strategy. Instead, Museum visitors experience stories of how the Civil War affected Americans across the divides of race, gender and nationality with added dimensions.
EXHIBITIONS AT THE WHITE HOUSE OF THE CONFEDERACY
On one of the daily guided tours at The White House of the Confederacy, visitors will learn about this meticulously restored National Historic Landmark that was the executive mansion for Jefferson Davis, his wife and children from 1861 to 1865. However, many more people lived and worked in the house besides the Davis family. Learn about the enslaved and free African Americans, European immigrants, and personal staff who worked in the home, as well as house visitors like Robert E. Lee and Abraham Lincoln.
EXHIBITIONS AT ACWM-APPOMATTOX
“Appomattox” is one of a few place names that is not only shorthand for an historic event—the surrender of General R. E. Lee’s Army and the end of the Confederate States of America—but also a metaphor—for the end of the war, a new beginning as a reunified nation. ACWM-Appomattox’s permanent exhibit explores stories using more than 400 artifacts, photographs, and documents – including the uniform coat and sword that Robert E. Lee wore to the surrender, the Appomattox parole lists, and a dozen audiovisual stations that bring rich human stories to life. A new temporary exhibit “Local Stories, National Struggle” takes you to Appomattox and Lynchburg as the communities encountered the tumult of the Civil War. The many paths of life that locals followed are represented here by nine ordinary individuals. Through them, we catch a glimpse of the scope of the national conflict through the lens of those who experienced it.
ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS
ACWM has extensive educational programs that span all locations and take ACWM’s programs out into the community: • Book Talks: Authors discuss their latest works. Attendees learn more about the American Civil War and its legacies while engaging with authors in Q&A. • Bottimore Lectures: Visiting lecturers explore the Civil War. • Civil War Conversations: This casual monthly program explores the Civil War and its legacies through talks with local, regional and national historians. • Foundry Series: A social evening with a brief talk and Q&A session. • History Happy Hours: Features history’s lesser known stories of the Civil War at a local watering hole. • Symposia: A day-long deep dive into topics around the Civil War and its legacies. • Annual Teacher’s Institutes: A week-long Teachers Institute and a 3-day Civil War 101. • Online Resources: Educator Resources, Searchable Collection, and Program Video Recordings
STUDENT EDUCATION PROGRAMS
ACWM provides school field trips that include customizable guided tours of three crucial Civil War museums—ACWM’s Historic Tredegar and White House of the Confederacy locations, and the Richmond National Battlefield Park’s Civil War Visitor Center. Students become historians, exploring primary source documents and artifacts to delve deeply into human stories of the Civil War. Field trip programming will allow students to analyze facts, evidence, and situations surrounding a problem or choice so that they can work together to develop solutions. Lesson plans, field trip itineraries, and wrap-up activities are provided to teachers for preparation before the field trip and follow-up afterwards. ACWM also provides a shortened version of the same programs in classrooms. The Museum maintains a “scholarship program,” from funds given from generous donors, to provide access to these programs free of charge to classrooms with financial need.
Where we work
External reviews

Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsTotal dollars received in contributions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Contributions and grants, In kind contributions, Memberships
Number of website sessions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The American Civil War Museum aims to use its resources to provide state-of-the-art, authentic, interactive and emotionally compelling experiences to the full range of contemporary visitors: from school children, scholars and Civil War enthusiasts, to family tourists. The ACWM seeks to tell a larger and more inclusive story for a larger and more inclusive audience and aims to engage an increasingly diverse audience who expect more nuanced, complex, and inclusive storytelling. Our goal is to connect people to a collective past that is at times contentious but also revelatory about the United States as a nation and as members of the global community.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The American Civil War Museum is taking a multi-pronged approach to achieve the goal of sharing the many perspectives of the war with the world. We are building a new 28,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility at the Historic Tredegar site which will hold a permanent exhibit, as well as space for two temporary exhibits which are being developed through a grant by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The Museum continues to hold educational programming such as History Happy Hour and Teacher's Institute, as well as educational community days such as Civil War and Emancipation Day in April of every year. We also hold more academic focused events, like our annual Symposium, which bring together a variety of experts to discuss a theme relating to the war. These various approaches provide every type of visitor an experience that is on their level and can enjoy.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The American Civil War Museum is uniquely capable of achieving these goals. In 2013 the Museum of the Confederacy (MOC) and the American Civil War Center (ACWC) joined forces to form the American Civil War Museum. The vast collection of the MOC and the multiple perspective mission of the ACWC provide a distinct and unique set of stories for students, visitors, educators, and academics. Our advisory historians are well-regarded Civil War historians and provide exemplary guidance. Our location in Richmond, Virginia and our shared campus with the National Park Service's entrance to the Richmond Battlefields allows us to tell the stories of the war in a way that focuses on real places and real people.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The consolidated museum has accomplished a great deal in the three years that it has existed. Annual events like Teacher's Institute and Civil War and Emancipation Day allow us to reach out to a broad and diverse group, including families and children. We continue to make progress in introducing the stories of the war to a wide array of people, allowing them to rediscover their interest in history and the war. Our main goal for the future is to open the brand new facility for the Museum at the Tredegar Iron Works. We hope this opening will bring a more diverse visitor base that are ready to hear a wide range of stories and feel a personal connection to a pivotal time in our history. The new building will also provide a new cultural location to our local community and will reinvigorate the area along the James River, making it a spot for the many tourists who are coming to Richmond to experience the food, history, art, and culture of the city.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
American Civil War Museum
Board of directorsas of 04/11/2023
Mr. Daniel Stoddard
Dominion Energy
Term: 2019 -
Claude Foster
Universal Corporation
Bruce Gottwald
NewMarket Corporation
Monroe Harris
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons
Donald King
McGuire Woods
Walter Robertson
Sterne, Agee, & Leach, Inc.
Randy Rollins
Drive-To-Work
Daniel Stoddard
Dominion
Ruth Streeter
CBS News
George Freeman
Universal Corp
Lewis Powell
Hunton & Williams
Leigh Schell
Community Volunteer
David C. Gompert
Retired U.S. Diplomat
Gordon Beittenmiller
CEO - Triplepoint MEP
Hans Binnendijk
Distinguished Fellow - Atlantic Council
Audrey Davis
Director - Alexandria Black History Museum
John Nau
CEO - Silver Eagle Beverages
Rob Havers
President & CEO - The American Civil War Museum
Richard Johnson
Chairman - The Wilton Companies
William Piper
Partner - Rassieur, Long, Yawtiz & Schneider
Ken Ruscio
Senior Lecturer - University of Richmond
Tom Saunders
Ivor & Co.
Julie Sherman
Optum Pre/Post Sales Team
Rod Stanley
Mario White
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 03/09/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.