I made a trip down to Charleston with my gold fish's Siberian husky and enjoyed every moment of it…read more My brain was starving for a history lesson, though, so I went downtown to the Culture Center and ballooned it with some of the most interesting facts I've ever heard about the Capitol Building(s). The museum is free, which is a plus. I couldn't bring the dog in though, so cracked the windows and put on some Baha Men for him. I also walked upstairs, looked at the displays and was instantly greeted by a fine young man with a vibrant smile and excellent hair. What a great surprise. The car was gone.

I was in town for work and my flight didn't leave till 6 so I had lots of time to explore the…read moremuseum. Love how you start millions of years ago and progress to modern age. Each room is full of artifacts and information for each era. Easily you could spend a full day looking and exploring everything. And the best part is it's free!

I spent about 2 hours here with my kids on a Sunday and they had a good time…read more The main floor has a water table area that the kids loved, a music room and an area to learn about your body. The body area had some sport activities that the kids enjoyed interacting with. The lower level had a travel wild kratts exhibit that we did not spend much time at, the climbing area, and an interactive city where we spent most of our time. On the top floor there is an art museum with some hands on play area for the kids. They also were able to paint with water colors. Parking was across the street from the building so easy to get to. They did have a cafe but the food was mediocre. I recommend eating before or after your trip.

On a day trip to Charleston WV we stopped by the Clay Center for our daughter. First I always judge…read morethe bathrooms as this is a perfect example of how clean a place is. They have male and female but always love to see a family bathroom so I am not fighting for my life when my kid needs to potty. It was very clean and well kept but we did go as soon as they opened. 5 out of 5 This place is 3 stories tall they do have different options stairs and 2 different elevators to help anyone explore all locations. Play options: They have a waterworks the roof does leak but they have over covers for kids to protect their clothing over all a nice water station. 3.5 out of 5 Outer space was quite lackluster and not very play forward more informative 2 out of 5 One place we loved and spent most of our time was the interactive village too cute!!! Vet, Dr, theater, mechanic, grocery store, garden, fire pit, and so much more this is by far the highlight! 5 out of 5 They did have an open and active maker space with many different options for crafts! 5 out of 5 They do have a cafe with options of food you can buy so you can play longer. 5 out of 5 The front desk was so kind and very helpful with any questions we may have had. But I wasn't sure about parking if it was free or if we had to pay. When calling back I didn't get an answer. 3 out of 5 Last but not least the price for 2 kids and 3 adults total was under $60 and when leaving for lunch we could came back to play some more. So with that it was very worth the money! 5 out of 5 Over all experience: 4 out of 5

This is closed. Closed a long time ago. It was a wonderful place but it did not get the funding it…read moreneeded.

My son LOVVVVEEEED THIS!!! Admission is $15 per person. Some of the "hands on" things were closed…read moredown due to COVID. Usually you can build dinos and dig for bones on sand, etc. They had A LOT more than I thought they would. It took over 45 minutes for us to walk around. I was really impressed. It is a nice addition for Charleston. They also have a dinosaur putt-putt course outside. I told my son that we would try that next time. The customer service lady was a real sweetheart and even gave me a ticket for free admission for our next trip. I told my son after this COVID stuff is over, we will definitely be back! Definitely a must see of you are in the area and have kids. They even have a cast of Sue's skull. I was thrilled because I remember when they found Sue back in 1990. Definitely worth a trip!

**April 2025: Midweek Morning Visit**…read more The Capitol Building itself is really impressive (5 stars for the building itself). It's super grand and beautiful; however, the start of my visit was really rocky, so hopefully this review can make your experience more streamlined. Parking There were many spots for patrons to park; however, you need to scan the QR code to pay for parking and it asks you which parking lot (which there were no signs). We asked a someone who passed by what the lot was called and she directed us to the parking attendant on the other side of the lot. He informed us we were in the DMV lot (which wasn't clearly posted anywhere). After about 15 minutes of trying to figure it out we finally paid. Capitol Building The Capitol Dome is very prominent, but after walking up maybe 50 stairs we found out that visitors cannot enter from the front. There were a lot of buildings so we didn't know where to enter. As we walked around we saw a group of kids from buses and followed them to a side building. There was a small temporary picket sign on the ground that pointed guests to the side building, but even that side building didn't have any markings. All guests go through security and all belongings needed to go through the machine. Tours I did my research on the website and it stated that parties smaller than 10 can come up for a tour. They offer them every half hour from 9am-12pm and 1pm to 3pm. However, on my visit there were at least 300 students visiting that day for a conference/field trip and no tour guides were available. My recommendation is during the week of your visit to give them a call and ask if they have scheduled visitors. I was kind of bummed that we had to miss it, so my friend and I did our own tour. bround 45 minutes later when we were ready to leave, one of the capitol's workers was giving a tour and asked if we'd like to join so that was a plus! Gift Shop The capitol doesn't have a designated gift shop or Capitol merch - which was a bummer. The info desk representative pointed us to the Culture Center Gift shop. I was looking for some memorabilia to bring home to my family and settled on a magnet. I think when I went to the Alaska capitol they had a good assortment so I was kinda bummed. Summary The place is beautiful and I hope on your visit it'll be a smoother process than mine. Cheers!

I travel frequently, but I have never been inside a state capital. They have tours or you can just…read morewalk around common areas. This was one of the most beautiful buildings that I have been in. West Virginia also has a State History Museum that is a one minute walk away.

Yes, a little goofy but this is the site of the original Big Boy's Restaurant at Parkette Drive In…read more It's an outdoor museum so no admission cost and a piece of history. Nicolas Cage would have been proud!! (Google that later). I was doing the Charleston, WV ParkRun and this was right across the street from our path.

Quirky outdoor roadside attraction. It's the site of the first Shoney's restaurant originally…read morecalled the Parkette Drive-In. The use of the word "museum" is a stretch because it's basically just one outdoor structure with four different sides. Each side offers background info on the entrepreneur behind Shoney's. As someone who grew up going to Shoney's with my family , it was a nostalgic stop that's worth a quick detour . Learned some interesting fun facts about the restaurant . Know before you go : Plan to spend 10-20 minutes here. It's outside so check the weather . If you really wanna go full circle there's a Shoney's restaurant less than 10 minutes away from the museum that you can eat at after your visit :-) Plenty of easy parking around

If you're cruising through South Charleston and spot a big grassy hill tucked between antique shops…read moreand quiet streets, that's the Criel Mound. It's worth a stop. It's not flashy, but there's something grounding about standing next to a structure built over 2,000 years ago by the aboriginal people. The steps leading up are wide and gentle, and once you reach the top, you get a surprisingly peaceful view of the neighborhood. It's a quick visit. The mound itself is steeped in mystery and history. Archaeologists found 13 skeletons inside, including a central figure surrounded by others. There's a small park around the mound with interpretive signs that give you just enough context to spark curiosity. Some locals say horse races were once held around it, and there's even talk of burials that might represent alliances between different tribes. It's wild to think about how much has happened on that patch of earth, and how little we still know. The Criel Mound stands to quietly anchor the town. Kids run up the steps, people are walking dogs, and there's me, pausing to read the plaques. There is a sense of reverence here if you feel it. It's not at all a playground. [Review 569 of 2025 - 154 in West Virginia - 24130 overall]

The Criel Mound is a historic and cultural gem nestled in South Charleston, WV…read more The small park which houses it has plenty of street parking available and several interpretive signs around the mound explaining its history, importance, and what archaeologists discovered inside the mound when excavating. The mound is the second largest Adena mound in West Virginia and is believed to have been developed between 250 and 150 B.C. The Criel Mound was originally one of 50 mounds and prehistoric earthworks located in WV but unfortunately most have since been destroyed due to industrialization. It's definitely worth a visit (plan on about 30 minutes) if you're in the area.

I've gotten almost a dozen pictures framed by Art Emporium, and they've never let me down. I used…read moreto cut my own mattes and frame my own pictures, so I know what to look for. They pay attention to detail & get everything right. Yes, it's more expensive than buying a frame at Michael's, but it's a better, quality product.

Fantastic gallery. Reasonable prices on custom framing, nice little selection of art supplies and…read moreone of a kind gifts!

This is the best Capitol gift shop I have ever been to! Located in the museum building (not the…read moreCapitol building). Soft and amazing t shirt designs, plenty of ornaments, post cards - all the kitschy local stuff- just perfect! There are 2 free regular parking spots for the gift shop with a one hour limit in the ADA lot but employees must park there because on multiple days they were taken. Parking is super cheap with the meters, you just have to walk across from the other lot.

Nice gift shop inside the state museum . It's big and stocked with a variety of state themed…read moresouvenirs and local products . Lots of variety from local wines and honey and maple syrup to blown glass , books and candles. If you are a pressed penny collector , there is a machine inside the gift shop with four different designs - the cost is 75 cents + one penny.

We had a wonderful visit at the Craik-Patton house. Well worth stopping. The curator is very…read moreknowledgeable. Enjoy your visit.

From the owner: Designated a "Great American Treasure." We are open for free tours Monday - Friday, and weekends by…read moreappointment. Large tours may require a small fee. Call or email for more information or to make an appointment.