The Rhode Island Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Museum and its associations (The 1st RIVI & Battery A) are a 501c3 nonprofit organization supported by public and private contributions and foundations. We are not completely open for scheduled tours at this time, because portions of the museum are currently under construction. However a limited schedule is planned to begin in April 2009. When we fully open our doors to the public we will post our hours and weekly schedules on this Website. The Museum is located on the grounds of the Rhode Island Civil War Governor William Sprague Mansion in Cranston.
Starting in 2009, in part to commemorate the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial as well as the Centennial of RI SUVCW Governors Elisha Dyer Camp No. 7, we will open pilot version of the museum. A small portion will be opnen to the general public and public schools by appointment for pre-arranged tours.
The second phase (the primary phase) will be a grand opening, or the official opening of the museum. It is timed to coincide with the official start of America's Civil War Sesquicentennial (the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War). At that point larger portion of the facility will be open from noon to 5 pm two days a week or more if possible. The date date to establish a more perminant schedule is planned for April 2011. It will follow a Grand Opening Ceremony scheduled for Thursday, 2 pm, April 14, 2011, the exact moment in time when U.S. Army Major Robert Anderson ordered the lowering of the United States Flag surrendering Fort Sumter, beginning the American Civil War. The official opening will therefore symbolically commemorate America's Sesquicentennial observance of the beginning of the Civil War together with the official beginning of the museum, both at the same exact moment in time.
Our goal for the final phase planned for full operation is targeted for 8:30 pm, Monday, August 22, 2016, the official end of America's Civil War Sesquicentennial. The completion of the museum is targeted to symbolically coincide with the official end of the war, when President Andrew Johnson appeared before a joint session of the United States Congress and formally declared the Civil War was over and urged passage of the 13th and 14th Amendments to the United States Constitution ending slavory in America forever and guaranteeing equal rights for all Americans, thereby giving the Civil War its true meaning and purpose.
The primary mission of the museum and its programs is planned to convey history to the public in a "Living History" format. All tours will be conducted by our docents greeting all visitors in Civil War Period, civilian and military attire, making the experience unique to anything else like the museum throughout the Southeastern New England Region. For more information please click to our Museum Profile Webpage.
You can E-mail all inquiries about the Museum Project, our outreach School Visitation program and/or your support or donations to: RIBatteryA@verizon.net
The RI GAR Civil War Museum and Library is located at:
762 Dyer Avenue
Cranston, Rhode Island, 02920
You can also leave us a message at The Governor Sprague Mansion at:
(401) 944-9226
The museum Board of Governors consists of representatives of the following separate hereditary and historical organizations: The Rhode Island State Commandery, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, The Rhode Island Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War-Elisha Dyer Camp No.7, The Rhode Island Auxiliary to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War-Elisha Dyer Auxiliary No.2, The Rhode Island Civil War Re-enactors Assoc., and the Cranston Historical Society, perpetuating the legacy of the State's Civil War Veterans and its Civil War History. Battery A, 1st R.I. Light Artillery Unit Assoc. and the 1st R.I. Volunteer Infantry Unit Assoc. are entities of the RIGAR Civil War Museum. |
