Cyclorama Building at Gettysburg

The Cyclorama Building is a modernist visitor center at Gettysburg National Military Park designed to showcase battle paintings. The structure combines reinforced concrete, glass panels, and aluminum around a central rotunda that frames a large-scale painting.

The building was designed in 1962 by architect Richard Neutra as part of Mission 66, a National Park Service program to modernize facilities across national parks. This project was part of a broader effort to make the country's historical sites more accessible to 20th-century visitors.

The building housed a massive oil painting of Pickett's Charge created by Paul Philippoteaux, giving visitors a direct sense of this battle moment. The artwork was specifically designed for this space and formed the centerpiece of the structure.

The building offers exhibition spaces for artifacts and battle information as well as an auditorium for presentations. Access to the adjoining lawn area and other park sections makes it a good starting point for exploring the battlefield.

The building was deliberately placed at Ziegler's Grove to align the panorama painting with the exact positions that actually occurred during the 1863 battle. This spatial alignment reinforced the connection between the artwork and the site itself.

Location: Pennsylvania

Inception: 1962

Architects: Richard Neutra

GPS coordinates: 39.81580,-77.23410

Latest update: December 10, 2025 16:03