Amazing find in Columbia to learn about history that's more centralised around South Carolina's…read morerich military heritage! There is a huge emphasis on the Confederate side when it comes to their civil war exhibits and it is truly unique to learn and see this part of American history! Also they have exhibits for Revolutionary War, Spanish-American War, WWI, WWII, Vietnam, and the global war on terror; Not as exhaustive as the civil war exhibits but still very awesome to see! I would definitely come back!!

I love museums but confess I have trouble loving this one. It just reminds too much of all the…read moredeaths and struggles of the Civil War with problems we are still forced to confront today. However, we must maintain history and for that purpose the Confederate Relic Room and Museum does a decent enough job of it. Surprisingly the museum has all kinds of drawings of Confederate naval ships which naval operations were far more extensive than I had thought and are near completely overlooked within the museums of Gettysburg. They also have a gun, saber, sword and uniform collection, the labeling of some of which I would question such as what is clearly a sabre being as a sword. The pride of the museum however seems to be its flag collection. Indeed it is said to have the most inclusive battle flag collection of any museum within the United States, though however, it is focused mostly upon the regiments & etc. of South Carolina. Though I can't exactly say I'm a fan of it, as a museum it is unique with well set up displays; hence Four Stars.

I love that my kiddos love history and learning as much as I do. They are always ups for an…read moreadventure. We went and enjoyed the Revolutionary war visitors center, we had the best time. I love the interactive activities and learning new things. We spend a couple of hours here walking around and learning the history of the area as well as exploring the architecture. I don't think I will ever get over the ingenuity and craftsmanship.

The Revolutionary War Visitor Center still has that new car smell . I'm told it debuted in 2021…read more The property features three main buildings : the Public House which features an exhibit space and gift shop , the Market Building meeting space available for rentals and Liberty Hall which houses public restrooms , offices and additional meeting space . Inside the Public House you can learn how South Carolina's quest for independence turned the tide of the American Revolution. The interactive exhibits are interesting and feature lifelike wax figures , historical artifacts and easy to read text . The gift shop is small and retails local products and books . Make sure to spot the state animal , the Boykin Spaniel throughout the property . You can pickup up a pamphlet titled the Boykin Invasion as apparently there are 11 Boykin statues around the town at notable historic spots . There is no cost to view the exhibit space and there is plenty of free parking . The visitor center should definitely be your first stop if you are visiting Camden to learn more about its interesting history !

Great for a day trip. The museum has a gallery of lots of artifacts and displays for viewing on a…read moreself guided tour. They also have a few rail cars that you can walk through. During the summer they have open-air train rides on Saturdays. I noticed that they also have some special seasonal events and evening train rides with dinner served at a banquet hall.

Finally went to Winnsboro to check off another site for South Carolina. I actually really love…read moretrains stations and the history. I picked the open car due to Covid and wanted some fresh air. Tickets can be easily purchased online for approx $15 depending on the car you choose. The bathrooms were clean and the customer service was good. Once you check in they give you a ticket, just wait outside until your party is called for seating. They did a good job at social distancing and have things in place to keep everyone 6ft apart. They do have some free train books inside, I grabbed one for my memories. The Blue Granite Express train ride was only 10 miles round trip, but it was just enough to see a few sites via train. The staff are all volunteers except the office staff. Once you get on the staff gives you all the history about the train and the sites along the way. I actually learned quite abit about Winnsboro on this adventure. Education is a valuable tool for all, especially your children! Check the website out and support them, they have themed train rides and host parties thru out the yr. Enjoy!

super interesting museum and the staff were beyond friendly and knowledgeable! Learned alot about…read morehow cotton is made and harvested and they also have a nice small military museum next door to check out

I totally agree with what was said about the owner and displays…read more From the time we paid to get in, he was educating us about cotton. I really can't believe how well everything was laid out, pictures, information and more. We spent a little more than an hour in the museum. Then he took us into the large room where he spoke to us about all the displays from the different wars. There was a map on the wall from Nam and I showed my wife where i was. I discussed with the owner and he told us some stories about the vets that go there. They raise money to help vets and have meals there. My wife and I bought a couple of things from their store. Plenty of parking for all sizes of RV's and I would recommend going here even with children. Look up and see a Cessna crop duster hanging from the ceiling. If you are a vet or not make sure you see his displays and hear his stories.

HC does a really awesome job in the community taking care of the houses, gardens, and history for…read morefuture generations. They have events for all to get involved in, lots for the kiddos also. Ive attended quite a few houses in the area, all the guides are amazing. They give tours almost daily, check the website for tours and events. All the houses are Gems. Im actually glad that I finally slowed down enough to get involved with the community more. The houses don't have handicap ramps, lots of stairs, but you can enjoy the gardens for free. Great opportunity to learn the history of the USA, you will not get this info in high school. Never to late to educate.

Historic Columbia has a great tours and garden walks of the historic homes! I didn't attend a tour…read morebut I would still recommend stopping by to enjoy the garden and homes from the outside.

I will start off by saying that it's very small. Just one room with two antique fire trucks and…read moreother antiques behind glass. But I do highly recommend it! We were the only ones there and Fireman Ricky (a very sweet gentleman) gave us his undivided attention. My kids are 5, 3, and 20 months and they all enjoyed it. They got a fireman badge sticker and had so many questions about the equipment. We spent just under an hour there. Admission is free. There's a fire station next door and they watch from the side as the fire trucks left and returned. I highly recommend!

THE CITY'S HEROES DESERVE BETTER…read more This museum is located at the Columbia Fire Department Headquarters. It is not so much of a museum as a collection of items and antiques that have just been tossed together. They have an original steam engine from the early 1900's and a beautifully restored 1929 fire truck on display. But here is where I almost lost my mind!!!: The fire engine had chairs and tables leaning against it and it had a flat tire. That classic steam engine is accessible, you can actually lick it and touch it. Now, I am of the belief that such precious and priceless antiques should be protected and incased in glass. The general public should be able to appreciate these items from afar so that they will endure for generations to come. I had hoped to see a hall of fame dedicated to all of the fallen heroes and while there were some plaques, there were no photos or descriptions of their time in service and death. Basically, our fire heroes deserve so much better and city officials need to find a way to gather the resources needed to create an appropriate museum to display all of those items that are gathering dust and that just need more care and appreciation shown. These items should definitely be displayed in a more dignified manner. At the very least, perhaps a group of volunteers could work to find a way to better organize the space and to display the many great items in this museum. Surely, someone has to share my concern!

WELL DONE! This Hall…read moreof Fame Museum is part of the South Carolina Law Enforcement complex. It is a great museum for the entire family but especially for those who might be interested in a career in law enforcement. The museum is very well done and chronicles the history of law enforcement in the state, with a variety of displays and written information. Some of the displays you will see include a display of law enforcement uniforms for different areas, such as city vs sheriff's and correction uniforms, antique rifles and pistols, a replica of an actual jail cell complete with toilet and sink, a massive display of different badges used over the years and more. The Hall of Fame Room consists of plaques for all of the officers who have lost their lives in the the line of duty dating back to the first officer who was ambushed on his way to court in 1797 up to the most recent officer, (2014) who died of injuries when he suffered a heart attack and crashed his car. I was actually surprised by the number of officers who died by heart attack. My next favorite space was the display of the antique weapons from different countries. It was quite a collection and many of the items had been owned by one private collector and some were custom made. Some of the rifles were so long that it was hard to imagine that one person could actually hold them without assistance. They were often beautifully crafted with ornate handles. The pistols were interesting because of their design and size as well. Some of them were small enough to actually be carried in a pocket or bra. For me, the single most exciting item in the museum was the restored classic '55 Ford that had been used by highway patrol officers. It is impeccably restored and encased in glass so that it is well protected. There is just so much to see in this museum, so take your time and walk around a couple of times to be sure that you don't miss anything. Surprisingly, there is no charge for admission but donations are accepted and a very appropriate gesture. If you love history and appreciate having it available to you, you get to express that appreciation with your dollars.

Website says it was open, Facebook said it was open, even the phone line said it was open...we get…read morethere (on a Friday afternoon) and the door is locked. No sign saying "Sorry, we are closed." Very disappointing since we drove out of our way to visit

Very cute small museum on the campus of University of Columbia. It's free and open to the public…read more Great way to escape some of the heat and take a break in the ac while learning some history.