Muskegon County – Muskegon Community College Art Instructor Tim Norris and History Instructors Kurt Troutman and George Maniates will offer “The Art and History of Gettysburg,” a special six-part lecture series from Sept. 5-Oct. 24 at the Sturrus Technology Center. Students and community members have the opportunity to join a four-day guided excursion to Gettysburg National Military Park.

Limited to 15 students, the course includes lectures on Wednesday evenings from 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 5, 12 and 19 and Oct. 10, 17 and 24 at MCC’s Sturrus Technology Center, 388 W, Clay, in downtown Muskegon. The first three talks on the Civil War are open to community members for $5 per lecture, payable at the door.

Participants will learn how the Civil War, the pivotal event in American history, changed the course of our country and shaped the work of artists. The lectures will include introductions of various important aspects of the Civil War and the Gettysburg Battle for a more thorough understanding of the era. Topics will also cover how our nation’s memorials and monuments have evolved over time and how the fledgling art of photography came of age in the 1860s to forever change people’s view of war.

Open to the public, the excursion to Gettysburg National Military Park is offered on Sept. 28- Oct. 1 by MCC’s Center for Experiential Learning. The trip is limited to 50 participants.

The cost of the Gettysburg excursion is $325 for students and $575 for community members and includes all six lectures, a four-day guided tour of Gettysburg, chartered bus, double occupancy hotel accommodations, breakfast buffet, battlefield guides, museum admission, and gratuities. A full itinerary will be mailed to all tour registrants.