National Park Service · Georgia
The site of the Civil War's deadliest prison, now home to the National Prisoner of War Museum and a national cemetery honoring all American POWs.
Field briefing
Andersonville National Historic Site changes fast with season and elevation.
Before you go
The site is free, and it is now both a memorial to the place and home to the National Prisoner of War Museum, which tells the story of all American POWs from the Revolution to today. Plan to start in the museum for context, then drive the self-guided tour road around the open prison site and visit the still-active national cemetery. The open grounds offer little shade, so bring water in summer.
The landmarks worth the trip. Tap any photo to enlarge.
Weather, crowds, and what the season changes about the trip.
Mild and pleasant, the most comfortable season to walk the grounds.
Pack Light layers, sun protection, and water for the open prison site.
Hot and humid with little shade on the open prison grounds.
Pack Maximum water, sun shirt, a hat, and an early or late visit.
Warm, easing days and lower humidity, a good time to visit.
Pack Sun protection, water, and a light layer for cool mornings.
Cool and quiet, with mild days and the occasional cold snap.
Pack A warm layer, comfortable shoes, and a check of seasonal hours.
National Prisoner of War Museum
The site's centerpiece: a museum telling the story of all American prisoners of war from the Revolution to today, a sobering and powerful experience.
Camp Sumter prison site
The open field where nearly 13,000 Union prisoners died in 1864 and 1865, with reconstructed stockade sections and a self-guided driving tour around the grounds.
Andersonville National Cemetery
Rows of headstones marking the prisoners who died here, still an active national cemetery where veterans are buried today.
Put the timed or highest-demand stop first, then keep the rest of the day close and low-friction. For one day in Andersonville National Historic Site, time National Prisoner of War Museum first, then keep Camp Sumter prison site and Andersonville National Cemetery close enough that the visit still feels relaxed.
Turn Andersonville's conditions into water, pack, and sleep-system decisions.
Start with the gear decisions this park changes: footing, weather, camping, and water.
Kit Authority
Andersonville National Historic Site packing list
0 of 11 packed. Check items as you pack, then take this list to the store, trailhead, or campsite.
Pack planning
Use this as a constraint check while you are still shaping the trip. The active checklist becomes useful once your route, dates, and sleep plan are set.
Checklist mode
11 items, grouped for the trip you are actually taking.
The buying guides that match what Andersonville asks of your kit, with our current top picks across budget and use case.
There is no camping or lodging inside the site. The small town of Andersonville is nearby, and Americus, about 12 miles south, is the closest town with hotels and restaurants. Columbus, about an hour west, has the broadest lodging and the nearest airport. For camping, nearby Georgia state parks such as Georgia Veterans State Park offer developed sites.
Camping reservations
Andersonville is a free, day-use historic site with no campground and no lodging. There is no reservation to chase; the planning move is to base in Americus or Columbus and use a nearby state park if you want to camp.
Reviewed June 11, 2026
Booking window
No in-park camping or reservations. Camping at nearby Georgia state parks is booked through the Georgia State Parks system.
Where to book or verify
Official NPS page with hours, the POW museum, and the prison-site tour.
Nearby Georgia state park with developed camping, near Cordele.
Check for federal campground, backcountry, tour, and permit inventory tied to this park.
Campgrounds to know
Plan the handoff from arrival to shuttle.
Parking, pedestrian entrances, and shuttle timing decide how calmly the first morning starts.
Getting there
Arrival note
Andersonville sits in rural southwest Georgia, off GA 49 between Americus and Montezuma, about 12 miles north of Americus.
Car strategy
Most visitors drive from Columbus, about an hour west, or from Atlanta, about 2.5 hours north.
Car strategy
There is no public transportation, so come by car.
Pair this with lodging: sleep where the park transfer is simple, especially if your route needs an early start.
It is free. There is no entrance fee and no pass required to visit Andersonville National Historic Site or the National Prisoner of War Museum.
It is the centerpiece of the site, a museum honoring all American prisoners of war from the Revolutionary War to today. It provides essential context before you tour the Camp Sumter prison grounds where nearly 13,000 prisoners died.
No. There is no camping or lodging at the site. The nearest developed camping is at Georgia state parks such as Georgia Veterans State Park, and most visitors base in Americus or Columbus.
Plan two to three hours to see the National Prisoner of War Museum, drive the self-guided tour around the prison site, and visit the national cemetery. The grounds are open with little shade, so bring water in summer.