Excellent museum we visited on a whim after Saturday brunch on Market Street. Free admission for Veterans 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. read more

Confederate Museum - Entrance from Meeting Street - Museums Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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

See all

I love this museum and highly recommend it to travelers and local residents. The docents at the museum are very gracious and thoroughly explain the history of the artifacts. read more

Right in the heart of the market place. It's a tiny little museum with a lot of history. You will get to see a lot of uniforms and articles from the war. If you look close enough on the uniforms you could even see bullet holes. The ladies were very attentive and there was a lot of information available at hand. The entrance fee is five dollars however even though at the door it says children 12 and under are free they charged my 12-year-old daughter five dollars but that's OK. I do recommend you check it out. No pictures allowed. read more

Confederate Museum - Museums Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

The ladies hosting were very kind and displayed the best example of "Southern hospitality." The museum is relatively small but well organized and informative with a lot of personal artifacts. Free admittance for vets and serving military members. Five stars! read more

Confederate Museum - General Lee - Museums Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

I came down to Market St with my family (again) and my dad and I were feeling like doing something else, so we went upstairs to the museum for a history lesson. We're both fans of history, so this seemed like a good way to pass the time. They are a cash only business and don't allow drinks inside, as indicated by the table in the entrance full of coffee cups. We spent quite a bit of time in here walking around and looking at the artifacts and reading the stories. My dad was impressed that they had a hair sample from Jefferson Davis on display, and inquired about cloning and crazy stuff like that. Had they not been a cash only business, I may have bought something from the gift shop, because cash was not in my pocket at the time. Other than that, this is a really cool museum, and you should check it out at least twice. read more

I visited this spot on a whim and I'm glad I did - it's full of great pices from the Civil War era. As you read through the descriptions and material at the museum, you really get a sense of what life was like during that period in history. Being that I'm from the "North" and the "West", it's actually great to see a different perspective from the South. Definitely worth a visit! read more

Wondeful historical museum! Great location, unique items on display. Everyone should be paying this place a visit to learn more about our past, as leftist agenda is working 24/7 to erase it. Great polite staff. Informative video. A+. read more

A bunch of little old ladies run this place, and knowledgeable ones will take turns giving you a tour. Second only to the Confederate Museum in New Orleans, there are lots of wonderful, priceless artifacts from the antebellum South as well as from the War itself. Right at the head of Market Street. You can head down to the flea market when you're done :-) read more

I feel like a lot of the other reviews are really hating on this place. It's in the middle of downtown and a great way to spend a few minutes out of the heat. Admission is $5 a person, but when you walk in you can clearly see how small it is so if people feel ripped off it's their own fault for not opening their eyes. I really enjoyed seeing all the artifacts and taking a step back in time. Coming from the south I am proud of my heritage and wish more people would educate themselves on the true reasons for the civil war instead of listening to political agenda. read more

Wonderful collection of uniforms, artifacts, and memorabilia. Thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

This was an excellent collection of Confederate Uniforms and Equipment from the Civil War. However the most impressive thing was their records that showed every Soldier who served in the Confederacy. If you have an ancestor that might have been in the Confederate Military, show up with their full name and State and they will look him up in the books. read more

I like history so I stop at a lot of historic houses and museums. And since I am British and don't know all that much about the American civil war, I thought a place in Charleston called the Confederate Museum would be a good stop. Big disappointment. What's the good news? Only $5 admission for adults. Bad news? The entire experience pretty much is a big miss. It's really just one large room crammed with lots of Confederate artifacts, in no special order or arrangement. There is no paper or audio guide to the collection. Instead, you get to walk around without any understanding of how everything from some uniforms to secession flags to battlefield swords all ties into a cohesive story. It's almost as if you stepped into some collection of memorabilia for which someone decided to charge an admission fee. Another problem is that some of the goods are displayed in glass cases that are so dark it was tough to read the information cards in the case. This could probably be worthwhile if someone took the time to organize the collection and then provide some useful guides to the history. It really seems a missed opportunity. read more

Confederate Museum - Museums Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

See all

The first thing that you see in this one room museum is the pair of very nice old ladies who run the place. They are very friendly. Entrance costs whole Lincoln $5. The second thing that I noticed was the smell. It is the smell of old wood. It reminded me of entering 19th century one-room frontier school houses. It is a rare aroma. There are tons of civil war small objects like uniforms, personal posessions of famous people, swords, pistols, house hold objects, photos and tons of old confederate dollars. A big painting of Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard of New Orleans who ordered the first shot of the war on Ft. Sumter. There was a photo of a confederate veteran who had help carry Gen. Stonewall Jackson after confederate pickets shot him out of his saddle after the battle of Chancellorsville. The only thing from the Union side of the war that I saw was a captured sabre from some New England unit. read more

Seems like an odd place for a Confederate Museum but it was interesting and as a veteran it was free. It is fairly small and only takes 30-45 minutes to go through. It has quite a few interesting artifacts. Its $5 for non-veterans and I would say it is worth the price. read more

Only open on Saturdays now 11-4 the building is filled with just under 2,000 artifacts, including personal letters.

I don't know much about Confederate Civil War artifacts, but I know what I like. The United Daughters of the Confederacy, the conservators of this fine collection, have got it goin' on. Comprised of one large room jam packed with what is left of uniforms, flags, weapons (some rather large), china and cutlery, kid's toys (adult toys didn't really come into their own until the age of electricity), Confederate currency, shoes and boots up the yang (they even found a pair embedded in the walls during a recent remodel), ancient-ass photographs, documents, journals, newspaper clippings, and way, way, way more, the Confederate Museum is a must see for anyone remotely, obliquely, or not even much interested in American history. Admission is six (Yankee) dollars. Six bucks! (Actually, it was five when I was there.) I've paid far more for a poke in the eye and two swats across the mouth. But then I'm from California. If you happen to find yourself in Charleston and you don't check this place out, well then my friend, perhaps you have contracted yellow fever or some other such thing, because there is clearly something seriously wrong with you. read more

I was hoping to find more of a Southern/Confederate perspective on the Civil War, but it is mostly just a random collection of Civil War era stuff. There is almost no explanation for any of the items. I'm sure if I asked the women who worked there I'd get their perspectives, but frankly as a Yankee I was a little scared and was in a bit if a rush to get out of there read more

Visited the museum for this first time out of curiosity (We have been visiting Charleston for the past 19 years). The room was filled with artifacts from the Civil War, but badly organized with no story being told of life especially in Charleston. Our biggest disappointment was the conversation with a couple and the ladies form the Daughters of the Confederate were having regarding the removal of civil war statutes in the south and how that is removing history when in fact many of those statutes were erected during Jim Crowe. Perspective which is factual would be greatly appreciated. read more

I have had the privilege of visiting the Confederate Museum several times, and only wish I could spend more time. My only complaint about it is that you can't take pics, but of course that is typical of most museums. The ladies who run it are special. I remember on one visit one of them answering an inquiry about the "Civil War," with "Ma'am, do you mean the War of Mr. Lincoln's Aggression?" She was dead serious and I loved it. Five or six bucks to see it is cheap. Ill bet they would take Confederate currency if you asked. The artifacts are not arranged in neat orderly rows or time orders, so you have to do a little work yourself; sorry about that. The collection is fantastic in terms of content and insight into the past. The only Confederate museum that beats this one is the Confederate White House in Richmond (if some latter day do-gooder hasn't torn it down by now.) The things in this museum remind us of a past that was run by a very different set of mores, laws and economic realities than we have now. Today we see so many trying to interpret the past through today's eyes. The trick is to be able to see the past in the eyes of the time, not with our current set of prejudices, laws, and mores. I am currently writing a book ("Jeff Davis' Gold" - a squeal to 'Treasure of the Mount.") It is going to feature the Confederate Museum in Charleston as a key to unlocking the mystery. read more

http://thechucktownchatter.com/museum-prefers-accuracy-to-politics/ Surviving multiple wars, fires and other natural disasters, the Confederate Museum stands at the heart of Charleston as an enduring emblem of the lives torn by the forces of war and a bastion of hope for future generations. Once a place for social gatherings and public events it is now held sacred as a memorial to those who sacrificed their lives for a strongly believed cause. Modeled after the Temple of the Wingless Victory in Athens, Greece, this structure is one of the oldest buildings in Chucktown, erected in 1841. Built upon an old creek bed and fallen trees, this hall once hosted a lively and fly-filled open-air market. Underneath the structure, exposed raw beef lay simmering in the balmy heat, while overhead, dances and receptions took place in 94-degree heat. read more

Above the old slave market, but according to the nice confederate lady at the museum no slaves were sold there. The museum was loaded with interesting artifacts including a capture Union Battle flag. These Confederate museum are located in a few places down south and are loaded with many historical items. The ladies really do a great job running this museum and are very friendy..One of my favorite museum's in Charleston. read more

If you like history you will love the Confederate Museum. Lots of great historic items, and building itself is worth a visit.

The Confederate Museum is located on the second floor of the tall building at the west end of the Charleston City Market (Market St. & Meeting St.). As you would expect, it houses many relics from the Civil War, the majority relate to South Carolina. All of this was interesting and educational; it is worth a visit. I had a problem with many of the informational displays -- the print was in small type which made it difficult to read. read more

For $5 it beats out the other museums in town that charge $12 or more. Albeit small and a bit dusty, the elegant UDC gals at the front door are a throwback to yesteryear with hoop skirts and slow Southern drawls. There is a huge collection of peri-Civil War era stuff, from smooth-bore long guns to a rifled cannon; uniforms, knives, trinkets and paintings of famous generals and politicians. read more

Great way to appreciate and learn about the history of the USA. There is nothing better than this place! Wow I have a new appreciation of history. read more

Showed up with 8 adults and 7 children was given a nasty greeting that I should have called ahead, however I just found out about it while walking on market street. The ironic thing was only 2 other people were visiting. As a historian, wouldn't you want people to come in so you can spread your history which is slowly being phased out as new generations come along? The reason I am rating 2 stars is I loved thier collections as I am a historian, but the one woman needs to change her attitude. read more

This museum had a lot of artifacts, but I couldn't quite figure out what their message was, other than, "Hey! We have a lot of confederate stuff!" It was a very incoherent experience, with seemingly random items thrown together throughout the room. Some artifacts either didn't have descriptions or you couldn't read them because they were literally sitting under the items themselves. Props to them for wanting to preserve little-known history, but they need to tell a story. They need to curate their items, maybe rotating them in exhibits, so that patrons can really get a feel for what they're seeing. Otherwise, it's just confusing. read more