The Jennie Wade House is Gettysburg’s oldest museum. It’s located at 548 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and is the only building in Gettysburg where a civilian was killed during the Battle of Gettysburg. This guide covers opening season, admission, tours, accessibility, and practical visitor tips.
Updated May 2026. The house operates on a guided tour-only basis — no self-guided access is permitted inside the building. Every entry is with a guide in period attire. Many visitors arrive expecting a walk-through museum; this guide clarifies the format upfront. Book your guided tour through Viator to confirm your visit in advance.
Quick facts: Jennie Wade House, Gettysburg
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 548 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325 (gift shop entrance, behind the house) |
| Phone | (717) 334-4100 |
| Open season | March–December |
| Closed | January and February |
| Adult admission | $12 |
| Child (ages 6–12) | $9 |
| Children 5 and under | Free |
| Tour format | Guided only — no self-guided access |
| Tour duration | ~45 minutes |
| Group size per tour | 14–16 guests |
| Accessibility | Not wheelchair accessible (multiple staircases) |
| Parking | Free, adjacent to the museum |
| Typical visit duration | 1 hour (including gift shop) |
Jennie Wade House opening season and hours
The house is open March through December. It is closed in January and February. Daily operating hours vary with the season. Call (717) 334-4100 before visiting to confirm that day’s tour times and tour availability — this is strongly recommended, as May and June see high volumes of school groups and tour schedules can be affected. Alternatively, book online to secure a specific timeslot.
Jennie Wade House ticket prices
| Visitor | Price |
|---|---|
| Adults | $12 |
| Children (ages 6–12) | $9 |
| Children 5 and under | Free |
| AAA members | Discount available |
| Seniors (62+) | Discount available |
| Active or retired military | Discount available |
Tickets are purchased in person at the gift shop (located behind the house at 548 Baltimore Street) on a first-come, first-served basis. Booking through Viator allows you to pre-purchase and confirm your tour in advance.
Multi-museum packages:
- Museum Plan: Three general admission tickets usable at any three of seven participating Gettysburg museums. A practical option for multi-attraction days.
- Value Plan: Three museum admission tickets plus a two-hour guided bus tour of the Gettysburg battlefield (available March through November).
Book your Jennie Wade House tour through Viator for confirmed availability without queuing at the gift shop.
Ticket prices were checked against verified 2026 sources and last updated in May 2026.
Why visit the Jennie Wade House?
- 🏠 The only civilian casualty of Gettysburg: Mary Virginia “Jennie” Wade was 20 years old and making bread for Union soldiers when a stray bullet pierced two doors and killed her on 3 July 1863 — the only civilian death during the three-day battle.
- 🕯️ Authentic period furnishings from cellar to attic: The house is preserved exactly as it was in 1863, with original artefacts including the floorboard that still bears Jennie’s blood and the artillery shell that pierced the roof of the house.
- 🎭 Costumed guided tours: Guides in period dress lead small groups of 14–16 through every floor of the house, recounting the Wade family’s story with detail that cannot be found in books or at the battlefield visitor centre.
- 📍 Gettysburg’s oldest museum: The Jennie Wade House has been operating as a museum longer than any other attraction in Gettysburg, giving it a depth of accumulated interpretation and artefact preservation unmatched locally.
- 🚗 Free parking, central location: Free parking is available adjacent to the museum on Baltimore Street, within walking distance of the town square, Gettysburg Heritage Center, and the Gettysburg National Military Park visitor centre.
How to get to the Jennie Wade House
The museum is at 548 Baltimore Street, on the south side of Gettysburg’s town centre. Baltimore Street runs directly south from Lincoln Square (the town’s main intersection). The house is a short walk from the square.
By car: Gettysburg is approximately 80 miles north of Washington DC and 55 miles south-west of Philadelphia via US-30. Sat-nav to 548 Baltimore Street routes to the gift shop entrance (behind the house); this is where tours begin.
By bus: Gettysburg is served by limited coach services from major cities. Most visitors arrive by car. Rideshare services also operate in the area.
Parking at the Jennie Wade House
Free parking is available in the lot directly adjacent to the museum. The car park is accessed from the lane behind Baltimore Street. Parking fills quickly on summer and autumn weekends; arriving before 10am gives the best chance of a space in the museum lot.
How long to spend at the Jennie Wade House
Allow approximately one hour — 45 minutes for the guided tour and additional time in the gift shop. The tour covers every floor of the house, from cellar to attic.
Accessibility at the Jennie Wade House
The Jennie Wade House is not wheelchair accessible and is not stroller accessible. The historic building has multiple sets of stairs between floors. There are no lifts or ramps. Visitors who cannot manage stairs are unable to access the interior of the house. Only certified service animals are permitted inside. Strollers must be left outside the house or folded and stored in the gift shop for the duration of the tour.
Inside the Jennie Wade House: what to see
All visits are guided tours of approximately 45 minutes, led by a guide in period costume. Groups of 14–16 enter together. Photography is allowed throughout; videography is not permitted during the tour.
The exterior and approach are where guides introduce Mary Virginia “Jennie” Wade — 20 years old, engaged to a Union soldier who was fighting at the time of her death — and the circumstances of 3 July 1863.
The kitchen is where Jennie was struck. On the morning of the third day of the battle, she was kneading dough to make bread for Union soldiers when a rifle bullet — fired from Confederate positions to the north — passed through two wooden doors and hit her in the back. She died immediately.
The two bullet holes in the doors are visible and preserved exactly as they were in 1863. Visitors routinely cite seeing these as one of the most affecting moments of the tour.
The floorboard bearing Jennie’s blood is on display, as is the artillery shell that punctured the roof of the house during the bombardment. Both items have remained in the house since the battle.
Upper floors and cellar are furnished to reflect domestic life in 1863, with period furniture, clothing, and household objects. The cellar was used by the Wade family as a shelter during the bombardment.
Practical visitor tips for the Jennie Wade House
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Call ahead to confirm tour times | Daily tour schedules vary. Call (717) 334-4100 before visiting to confirm that day’s times. In May and June, school group bookings fill the schedule and walk-up availability for general visitors can be limited. |
| The entrance is behind the house | Check in at the gift shop at 548 Baltimore Street — accessed from the rear lane, not from Baltimore Street itself. Tours begin from the gift shop. Arrive at least 10 minutes before your tour time. |
| This is a guided tour, not self-guided | Entry to the house is exclusively with a guide. No self-guided access is offered at any time. Plan your day around the tour schedule, not the other way around. |
| Photography is allowed; video is not | You may photograph throughout the tour. Videography is not permitted during the guided portion. |
| Combine with the Heritage Center | The Gettysburg Heritage Center (297 Steinwehr Avenue, a short drive or walk) provides the battlefield context that makes the Jennie Wade story more meaningful. Both sites together make a strong half-day. |
Frequently asked questions about the Jennie Wade House
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who was Jennie Wade? | Mary Virginia “Jennie” Wade was a 20-year-old Gettysburg resident killed on 3 July 1863 — the only civilian to die during the Battle of Gettysburg. She was making bread for Union soldiers when a stray bullet struck her. |
| Is the Jennie Wade House open year-round? | No. The museum is open March through December and closes for January and February. Call (717) 334-4100 to confirm hours for your specific visit date. |
| Is the Jennie Wade House accessible for wheelchair users? | No. The historic building has multiple staircases and is not wheelchair accessible. Strollers are also not permitted inside. |
| Can you visit without a guide? | No. All access to the house interior is through a guided tour only. There is no self-guided option at any time. |
| Is there free parking at the Jennie Wade House? | Yes. Free parking is available in the lot adjacent to the museum, accessed from behind Baltimore Street. |
Things to do near the Jennie Wade House
Gettysburg Heritage Center (297 Steinwehr Avenue, ~5 minutes by car or 15 minutes on foot) is the recommended companion visit, covering the full Battle of Gettysburg through animated maps, artefacts, and 3D productions. Provides the battlefield context that enriches a visit to the Jennie Wade House.
Gettysburg National Military Park (adjacent to the Heritage Center) is the principal battlefield site, managed by the National Park Service. The visitor centre and museum are free (parking fees may apply); the cyclorama painting of Pickett’s Charge requires a separate ticket.
Shriver House Museum (309 Baltimore Street, walking distance) presents life in Gettysburg during the battle from the perspective of a single family, with two floors of original 1860s furnishings and documented battle damage.
Eisenhower National Historic Site (1195 Baltimore Pike, ~3 miles) is the farm home of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, adjacent to the battlefield. Shuttle-only access from the Gettysburg visitor centre; NPS pass accepted.
Gettysburg Museum of History (219 Baltimore Street, walking distance, small admission) is a private collection with an extensive range of Civil War artefacts, presidential memorabilia, and curiosities accumulated over decades.
What to visit tomorrow: Civil War museums and battlefields
Antietam National Battlefield (Sharpsburg, MD, ~1.5 hours south) is the site of the bloodiest single day of the Civil War (17 September 1862), with a well-preserved landscape, visitor centre, and the Burnside Bridge — free with the NPS America the Beautiful Pass.
Monocacy National Battlefield (Frederick, MD, ~1 hour south-east) is a less-visited battlefield where Union forces delayed a Confederate march on Washington in July 1864. A quiet, contemplative site with good driving and walking access. Free entry.
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (Harpers Ferry, WV, ~1.5 hours south) covers John Brown’s 1859 raid on the federal armory — a direct precursor to the Civil War — in a dramatically located town at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.
Museum of the Civil War Soldier (Pamplin Historical Park, Petersburg, VA, ~3.5 hours south) is one of the finest Civil War soldier experience museums in the country — beyond the two-hour range but consistently cited alongside Gettysburg as a must-visit for Civil War history.
American Civil War Museum (Richmond, VA, ~2.5 hours south) covers the war from the Confederate, Union, and African American perspectives in a purpose-built museum on the Richmond waterfront. At the boundary of the two-hour range.
More Pennsylvania travel
Other Pennsylvania travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Visitor guides to Steamtown National Historic Site the Electric City Aquarium in Scranton.
- What to expect inside the Museum of the American Revolution and the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia.
- Discover Benjamin Franklin’s life in the Benjamin Franklin Museum and his resting place in the Christ Church Burial Ground.
- Visitor tips for the Warhol Museum, National Aviary and Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh.
- What to expect at the Flight 93 National Memorial.
