Spent some time wandering in Aiken, SC yesterday. They were closed when I arrived, but I did take…read moresome memory pics. The outside is well maintained with beautiful flowers surrounding. Across the street is the little train depot, great place for photos and meet ups. They do have train that take visitors around to see some of the sites. Check the schedule online for more details. Seem to be a very cool interactive place for kids. I will update once I actually go inside. I recommend to start your tour here for inside tips from the locals.

Definitely worth visiting. I stopped here on a long lunch break while I was traveling to work in…read moreAiken. It's a great spot to bring the kids, whether it's a stop on the road to other adventures or your main destination.

Aiken is a pleasant moderately sized town, but this museum is bigger than anything one could…read morereasonably expect here. The building is really a complex, a repurposed residential estate, with multiple levels. I arrived with an hour and a half before closing and used most of that time just skimming all the rooms, even though some areas were closed for installation. And it was free! The result is a lot of very specific content, from entries on food to war history to the nuclear facility nearby. Aiken County is surprisingly large and includes not only the town of Aiken but a broad swath of land that stretches to the river across from Augusta, and exhibitions here do focus on North Augusta and other towns in the area. Even one of the bathrooms had some information on military latrines as a sort of exhibit. The museum covers a lot of big historical events from a local perspective, so you'll get a window into the Civil War and a sense of the Colonial era and Native American history. I did not receive a tour as there was only one person working there, but it would likely be an interesting tour.

Spent the weekend wandering around Aiken, SC looking at history. The Historical Museum was closed,…read morebut I did take some pics for my memoires. Hopefully I will go back for the Banksia tour soon. The mansion grounds are well maintained from the outside. Free parking is available. Will update once I actually do the tour.

We have been to imagination station on numerous occasions. My son and I mostly go with the mom's…read moreclub of grovetown but we have also been there for birthday parties. The city calls it a children's museum but really it's more of a play area. They have different sections. One for reading and putting on plays, one for imagination play and one for arts and crafts. My son thoroughly enjoys every visit we make and I love that we are able to partake in pretend play with him as his mind and imagination grow! They have also just installed a brand new playground that is open to the public. The only downfall aside from being ridiculously tiny and feeling overcrowded when there is more than 5 parents in there is that you have to pay for a membership in order to use the facility. If the whole area was open to the public and not just the playground I definitely feel like we would make more trips there. But other than that it's a great place to let your children's minds wander and explore!

From the owner: Discover the wonderland of learning and laughter at Imagination Station! We're an inclusive,…read moremember-run children's museum with interactive exhibits like Sensorimotor Corner, Fixer Upper, Science Corner, Pre-Literacy Room, and Art Studio. Unleashing imagination for ages 0-6 and parents. One ticket, endless fun!

This is one of Augusta's most rewarding museums, a place that manages to tell a 12,000‑year story…read morewithout ever feeling overwhelming. The Augusta Museum of History is the city's oldest historical institution, founded in 1937 and now the only accredited museum in the Central Savannah River Area, which gives it a level of curatorial depth you can feel as you move from room to room. The museum's signature exhibition, Augusta's Story, begins with the region's earliest Indigenous cultures, including artifacts from the Stallings Island people, and then moves through the Colonial Era, the antebellum period, the Civil War, and the city's twentieth century reinventions. You see everything from slave‑made pottery to a 12‑pounder bronze Napoleon cannon tube and an 1869 steam fire engine tied to the devastating 1916 fire that reshaped parts of the city. It's a rare chance to see Augusta's full arc laid out in a way that feels comprehensive. The museum also excels at capturing the city's cultural identity. The James Brown gallery is a highlight, celebrating the life and global influence of the "Godfather of Soul" with photographs, stage pieces, and biographical context that show how deeply he shaped Augusta's modern identity. Several media options to watch him performing and to hear other leading figures discuss his influence. The golf and Masters Tournament section offers a thoughtful look at how the sport became intertwined with the city's reputation, and the medical history exhibit includes an impressive wall of antique medicine bottles that gives you a sense of how local healthcare evolved over generations. One of the most enjoyable parts of the visit is the Transportation Corridor, which brings Augusta's mobility story to life with a 1914 steam locomotive, a 1917 steam trolley, a reconstructed 1930s gas station, and a range of early vehicles. Walking through the restored streetcar and stepping into the rail car for photos adds a tactile, playful element that balances the more traditional exhibits. Upstairs, the museum's radio history exhibit traces the rise of WBBQ, one of Augusta's most influential stations, including a "then and now" section installed for its 60th anniversary. There are also exhibits on local law enforcement and firefighting, as well as a gallery of regional legends that highlights entertainers, athletes, writers, and other notable Augustans. The entire museum is comfortably explored in about two hours, which makes it an easy and rewarding stop whether you're spending a full day downtown or pairing it with the Morris Museum of Art or the Riverwalk. It's the kind of place that leaves you with a clearer sense of Augusta's character, from its earliest settlements to the voices and industries that shaped the city you see today. Don't miss it. [Review 203 of 2026 - 904 in Georgia - 25392 overall]

We were in town for the weekend and decided to pay this place a visit. The admission price was…read moreonly a dollar so you really can't go wrong with that price. The first floor has a pretty extensive history of the city and was very interesting. The second floor has about five other sections including golf, James Brown, medical, and locals.

Kentucky Derby exhibit at the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame. Nice docent. Check the…read morewebsite for hours. https://www.aikenracinghalloffame.com/Gift_Shop.html

Lots of reading on big name Thoroughbreds with Aiken ties. I learned a bit. The building is old…read morebut that lends a sort of charm to the experience. I hate to diss on volunteers and this museum probably couldn't function without them, but the lady that I encountered was plain unfriendly. I'm a big racing fan and would have loved to chat about the Preakness or get some one on one info on Aiken's horse industry, but everything about this women screamed stay away, bitch! She practically barked at me to sign in.

Is it in this building? Yes, despite the "Office Building Parking Only" signs, the Morris Museum of…read moreArt is on the second floor of this otherwise boring office building in downtown Augusta. I don't know about parking. Mrs. K. and I found ourselves lingering longest in the glass gallery, where the craftsmanship becomes almost hypnotic the more you study it. Some pieces feel impossibly delicate, others bold and architectural, and tucked among them was the one name I recognized immediately, Dale Chihuly, whose museum we last wandered through in Seattle. Seeing his work here, in a completely different context, gave the whole collection a sense of continuity across regions and styles, almost like running into an old friend in a new city. Beyond the glass, the museum opens into a thoughtful survey of Southern art that moves easily from landscapes to portraits to sculpture and even furniture, each room offering a slightly different rhythm. The landscapes in particular have that quiet, atmospheric quality Augusta does so well, while the portraits feel intimate without being fussy. Sculptural pieces and period furnishings round things out, giving the galleries a sense of depth and texture rather than a single through‑line. It's the kind of museum where two hours pass without you noticing, and you walk out feeling like you've had a conversation with the region rather than just looked at objects on walls. [Round number review 25400 overall - 211 of 2026 - 912 in Georgia]

Beautiful art museum along the Riverwalk in downtown Augusta. Admission was five dollars a person,…read morewhich was very reasonable. The front desk receptionist gave us a map and instructed us which way to go to see the art pieces in a chronological order. We really enjoyed the newer colorful items. The museum store was also beautiful with a very friendly lady working there.

This was a great experience!! Great tour with a ton of history and information about the history of…read moreDime Museums, circus life and sideshows. Highly recommend if you are in the area. It is literally a "one of a kind" attraction.

Cannot recommend this place enough!! Worth every penny…read more Peter was an amazing guide & talked after with us after our tour and gave us so much good information. If you need something to do in Augusta, make your appointment and GO.

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.

Cool place to go spend some time. They have a nice planetarium show which my son loved. We love to…read morelook at the Megalodon mouth and the Mastodon. They always have different shows or exhibits that come through. I was overjoyed at the Disney Costumes exhibit that came at the end of last year! We have gone to the Children's museum across the street to let the kids get some energy out, then gone to the State museum so they can be a little calmer and more focused. Great to do on rainy or super hot days so being inside is still fun.

We took advantage of the CoolPASS offered by Experience Columbia, SC getting us access to the South…read moreCarolina State Museum, EdVenture Children's Museum, and the Riverbanks Zoo & Gardens and thoroughly enjoyed the weekend! Great dollar value if you're interested in all locations mentioned. The museum was easy to find and offered plenty of parking in a lot shared with the EdVenture Children's Museum. They had many exhibits that our 7 & 12 year old enjoyed but they thoroughly enjoyed the second floor galleries with the dinosaur exhibit and the habitat exhibits. Staff was very friendly and helpful when fielding our questions. They also enjoyed seeing the the history of SC through the years represented through artifacts and the changes from the colony, war, and industrialization of the city with mills and the railroad. They also have a planetarium and a 4D shows offered throughout the day. Highly recommend adding this to your itinerary if you are in the Columbia area! The selection of exhibits were fun to see and educational.