Visited: February 16, 2026…read more The Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon was the perfect blend of history and hustle. From the moment you step onto the grounds, you feel the weight of Charleston's past. Inside, the immersion begins immediately -- postcards, patches, and meaningful souvenirs that make it easy to bring a little history home for friends and family. The highlight, though, was the tour. Our guide was a jolly local with razor-sharp, dry Southern wit -- the kind of storyteller who can pivot from Revolutionary War imprisonment to a perfectly timed sarcastic aside without missing a beat. Equal parts charm and "bless your heart," she made centuries-old history feel present and personal. Down in the Provost Dungeon, those brick walls carry gravity. British occupation. Prisoners of war. Pirates passing through. It's one of those rare spaces where you instinctively lower your voice. You don't just learn history -- you feel it. History hit different here. If you appreciate immersive storytelling, preserved architecture, and a tour that balances education with personality, this is absolutely worth your time.

Fact: Provost Dungeon is older than our country!…read more The British originally owned it and used it as a commercial exchange and customs house. Also used as a post office, prison, and city hall, it is currently a museum. In addition, in 1788 South Carolina approved the US Constitution here. Yet another testament to the rich history of Charleston, Old Exchange, and Provost Dungeon a fascinating places to visit. Built in 1771, it has changed roles countless times: it was a British dungeon during the American Revolution, an elegant hall during George Washington's 1791 visit to Charleston, and a meeting place for the ratification of the Constitution, In 1780 the British occupied Charleston for two years and housed many prisoners in one large cell in this basement making it a provost, or dungeon. Because of the awful conditions here, disease was rampant due to crowding, and no bathroom facilities. Under these conditions, many people died while in prison here. This prison held all types of people, including American and British soldiers, private citizens, and slaves. The first and second floor of the building is home to a museum dedicated to the other uses of the Exchange Building. Fee: Admission to this historic building is only $12 for adults. For a small fee, a guided tour through the lower level and you can learn a lot from the guide.

The Old Mart Museum -- History, Not "His-Story"…read more When we toured the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, we were offered the chance to double down on history -- prepay access to the Old Slave Mart Museum just a few blocks away. We took it. But first? Food. Because nothing says "processing 18th-century imprisonment" like realizing your blood sugar is tanking. After regrouping and refueling, we made our way to the Old Mart Museum. The lesson takes place upstairs -- smaller space, more intimate setting. No theatrics. No dramatics. Just truth. Our guide -- well-groomed, composed, clear-spoken -- absolutely killed it. No sensationalism. No softening. Just facts delivered with gravity. What he described was horrific. Human beings cataloged. Sold. Families separated. Lives reduced to transactions. It was hard to hear. But it was history -- not HIS-story. There's a difference. This wasn't about personal interpretation or modern spin. It was documented record. It was accountability. It was context. Charleston is beautiful. Charming. Architectural eye candy. But layered beneath that beauty is commerce that once depended on human suffering. And standing in that upstairs room, listening quietly, you feel that weight. We walked out quieter than we walked in. Some stops on this trip were fun. Some were adventurous. This one was necessary.

Wonderful time shopping and talking to vendors and other shoppers. We got some excellent loose-leaf…read moretea!

Such a wonderful Children's Museum!…read more My son is only 18 months old so I went in with limited expectations on what he could do while we were here but he enjoyed almost every room! His absolute favorite was being able to paint and the staff was so kind and patient while he made art (and a mess). Second favorite for him was the grocery store. Kids of all ages were loving this room (understandably) and they were able to play together. Some kids posted up at the registers and were excited to check the other kid's groceries out. We had a great couple of hours here and will definitely be returning.

This was a great stop in Charleston with littles! My family went here with our two kids - 3.5 and…read more1.5. Our 3 year old had a blast- he especially loved the grocery store room that's set up to look like a Publix! The museum is a long building with a series of rooms in a straight row. When entering, you walk into the ticket area/gift shop and it's pretty much a straight shot down and then turn back around to go back through the rooms to exit. I wish we could have spent more time at the museum, but we had to leave after about an hour and a half because of our one year olds nap. We could have easily spent the better part of the day there playing! It's priced on the higher end in my opinion, but it is a nice place. Recommend to visitors with littles!

I toured this facility with a group of middle school or's. It is outstanding. First of all they…read morehave wonderful, knowledgeable and very customer service friendly tour guides, who spent all the time we needed answering questions! TTof the articles that they put it inside of the center. They open for us on a Saturday I have to. And they even brought a speaker in to talk about her great grandparents were escaped slaves. Olivia Wallace, Dina (J&J),

I visited the Avery for a talk about the movie Selma that was held in conjunction with Charleston…read moreAlumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Magic 107.3. It was wonderful evening of discussion that had filmmakers and men and women were at the march on Selma and active in the Civil Rights movement in the 50s and 60s. They also had the exhibit on the Orangeburg Massacare. It's a great place to learn about South Carolina and African American history.

A visit to the Gibbes is a great way to get a taste of low country art!…read more They feature a mix of pieces from a variety of time periods. I especially enjoyed the exhibits focused on local artists and the fascinating historical pieces like mini portraits and slave tags. The sweetgrass basketry is a sight to behold. Love that they uplift artists/art that may have historically been overlooked by other museums. The building itself is beautiful on the inside - definitely check out the grand room with the domes! I'd say to give yourself about 3 hours to be able to enjoy the museum. This is a wonderful way to break up a day in Charleston (especially if the weather isn't ideal)! We were able to gain admission for free since we're members of the Mint Museum in Charlotte, and both museums are part of the Southeastern Reciprocal Membership Program (SERM).

This museum is just the right size. Three floors, but not chock full or overflowing. The first…read morefloor is a local exhibit with works for sale. And a surprisingly good gift shop. I really was shocked at how good it was. Thoughtful, interesting books, games, and novelties that I took photos of to research and possibly buy later (I wasn't able to pick up extra cargo at the time). The second floor is a mix of classic permanent collection (think English art and furniture as well as Greek/sculpture pieces). There was also a contemporary section that I really enjoyed, a southern-focused mix that celebrated diversity. The third floor is for special rotating exhibits. This time I enjoyed learning about Harriet Tubman and the local rice fields. It really fleshed her out as a person and leader, while also educating us about the local Combahee River Raid in the rice fields. This exhibit taught me a lot, though it's inspired me to learn a lot more on my own. Cost was like 15 bucks. Close to all the Charleston attractions. Worthwhile stop with something for everyone. Plan for 1-3 hours depending on exhibit and how much you want to read (I glossed over the European stuff cus I've seen a ton).

Excellent museum we visited on a whim after Saturday brunch on Market Street. Free admission for…read moreVeterans so I donated the cost to the museum. Not sure how many artifacts are here but it was substantial. The little information plaques are a nice touch. The staff were very pleasant. I highly recommend visiting if you are interested in the Civil War and the history of the local area.

This was so interesting. There is so much packed into this very small space Well worth spending…read moretime looking at the displays

First class museum. Hope trump leaves it alone. Cover ALL southern histories very well. Proud…read morehistories , & some not. Wonderfully set outs. Would comer again

You have to come here when you visit Charleston. Oldest museum in the United States. I love the…read moreHunley submarine outside. I liked how you followed a course through the place... rather than a bunch of stuff in one big room...

I'm so tempted to give 5 stars because Level Four is the best I've encountered, but two 1 hour…read moreevaluations (1 with their competition) isn't enough experience to provide an expert evaluation. I'm a fan of Level Four, but I don't feel qualified to say they're the best in the business, though they are certainly the best I've encountered in my limited experience. Level Four has actual metrics they use to make their recommendation whereas their competition (specifically: Cranial Technologies, Inc) seems to make their recommendations based on feelings and assumptions. Though my assessment may not be valid, Level Four seems to have a much more accurate and quantitative system of evaluation which provides ratios and percentages and uses fancy math to describe the symmetry of a child's head while the other place took a neat 3D picture and pointed to parts of his skull saying things like; "that looks a little uneven there" and "that probably won't correct as he gets older." Level Four's pricing is almost half of what the other place charges for what appears to be a nearly identical product, but I feel like Level Four does a better job evaluating and they were not pushy at all. At Cranial Technologies, Inc, I felt a little pressured to proceed with treatment though they were very nice. Level Four's office was not as fancy as Cranial Technologies, but it was clean and the office staff was friendly - we felt very comfortable and the man that evaluated my boy was super gentle, very genuine and likable. In the end, Level Four said that my son does not need to use a band - his symmetry is not perfect, but it is extremely good, nothing abnormal and will improve as he develops.

The Citadel Museum is definitely worth a visit if you're already on the Citadel campus. It's only…read moreone small room on the third floor of the library building, so it won't take up too much time! Even though there isn't a ton of room, the museum still manages to pack in a lot of cool information, old clothing and class rings, etc. I liked going through the timeline to see what the Citadel has gone through over the years and how it's changed (i.e. women being allowed to attend). Definitely stop by on your visit to the Citadel.

I was disappointed to find that the museum is much smaller than it once was due to a move to new…read morequarters sometime in the future. The employees at the library had no idea when the new museum would be available. I will be looking forward to a new museum sometime in the future but it is not worth a visit unless you happen to be on the campus and want to waste some time. I was able to wander the rooms of the library and see cases that had other memorabilia, so that made the trip a little better

Great tour! Very knowledgeable docent. And perfect length...30-40 minutes…read more Good price...$15/person. Beautiful historic home, 80% of items/furniture are original to the home. Family descendants still occupy the third floor! Some scenes from the Outer Banks Netflix show are filmed in the house. The porches are incredibly beautiful. Great views of the ocean. I do wish we could have seen more rooms. There were a total of about 7 rooms, plus staircase/foyer and the 2nd story porch on the tour. A very cool artifact that hangs on the wall...the South Carolina secession ordinance (of 100 that were originally printed in 1860). Definitely a good way to experience one of the mansions from that period.

Interesting old house right across from the bay. Reasonably priced at $15 a person. Our tour guide…read morewas great and super knowledgeable! A lot of the furniture is original to the house, which means some really cool pieces. Lots of history! Worth it.