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    South Carolina State Museum

    4.0 (74 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

    South Carolina State Museum Photos

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    April H.

    I am going to be honest, I never would have driven here from Charlotte if they didn't have the Disney costume exhibit happening. The museum itself was ok, the other exhibits weren't that exciting. The planetarium was cool though, definitely watch a show while you are at the museum. The Disney exhibit was awesome, the costumes are beautiful! And since they do timed admission there aren't a ton of people there at the same time which makes it very enjoyable.

    Heros & Villains Costume exhibit
    Kris G.

    Everything is well laid out and leveled nicely. It is handicapped accessible and kind to hose delish disabilities. The staff is friendly and the prices are reasonable. Right now they have a traveling Disney Heroes & Villains Costume exhibit (separately ticketed but worth the journey down the visual delightment). There was a nice selection on various topics-- four floors with many things to learn on each level. There's even a planetarium and a 4-D learning movie (both additional). They offer family and ondicialbpackages too. It's a nice day trip or fun for a couple trips spread out through the year.

    Sam Jacob D.

    This was not our planned visit on our way to our home. This museum had lots of stuff for us and for kids to see it through. We learnt a lot of stuff that was in South Carolina. It was nice to see all the old stuff. They also had an observatory. Loved how they had setup the different regions of South Carolina inside to go explore outside.

    John B.

    This museum was full of surprises, good and some bad. The majestic post-industrial building is actually shared with a military museum, and a children's museum also lies nearby, all of these being separately administered with separate tickets to get in. Substantial parts of the building were closed, partially due to flooding. And yet, I still spent more than an hour and a half getting the overview. It certainly does a good job of capturing the state. The range of environments, the geologic history, the many natural pleasures of the states are well covered. There is a lot of controversy about the way that Southern states cover their history, but here you get substantial coverage of the Native American history, the colonial period, and the massive slave-based economy that once supported the state. An exhibit discusses the removal of a confederate flag from the nearby statehouse. There is an abundance of information. Despite the way the museum captures the state, I couldn't help but think of all the fun places in South Carolina I'd rather be than this museum in Columbia (and probably would have been, if the weather had been better). But for those who haven't been up and down the state, it'll give you ideas.

    Appliances through the years
    Lorren P.

    My youngest and I had a lovely mother/son day at the museum. We explored the exhibits and learned about the state history. I loved all of the different examples and displays of how South Carolina has come to be. We loved all the exhibits and learning. We loved going to it the dome and exploring space as well. It's well worth a visit. I do wish they offered discounts for teachers.

    Zoé R.

    Super neat!! We did the planetarium show with the northern lights. There are so many exhibits for all interests!

    Wooly Mammoth
    James R.

    As someone who was waiting in line on the opening day years and years ago with my grandfather, this place holds a special place in my heart. Being the first, real, HUGE museum I had ever been to, my grandfather and I would come almost every other week. However, it's 2023 and this museum has lost its soul it feels, or maybe I have lost my childhood. As of today, (July 7th 2023) the Lipscomb Gallery is closed until 2024, and a bunch of the smaller exhibits have been removed or closed (the dino dig, the train, the earthquake simulator) and none of the big exhibits on the first and second floor have changed. The original location of the gift shop has shut down, and now exists in a small corner in the back of the second floor. There are newer exhibits on the 3rd floor, mainly about sound, forests/wood and space! which are cool! I paid $13 for admission plus a Planetarium show, which isn't bad. Considering this one of Columbia's biggest, most interesting things for all ages, the whole thing is just kinda lackluster. Exhibits are dusty and some are covered up or blocked off. Staff isn't doing much. I can see how this museum would be fun for younger kids who have never been before, but you'd thing there would be new things added often, wouldn't you? I'd say the best parts of the museum are the Planetarium, the animal/taxidermy exhibits, the telescope, and confederate stuff. I'll say this: there is something for everyone here. I've never been to the military museum though. Maybe that's next. Also I thought we've moved on from the term "Indians" when referring to Native Americans...

    From 4th floor looking down on the 3rd
    Crystal O.

    Wow! We could've spent a couple more hours there! And we spent 3 hours there! There was simply so much to see & do! We bought the Sherlock Holmes exhibit addition- I had researched it ahead of time & I love puzzle solving and mysteries. I was so excited for that! We started on the top floor & worked our way down. American Furniture through 1700's through 1900's was more interesting than I would've guessed- although I did appreciate antiques. My favorite was the shoo-fly chair, an ingenious invention of a chair with a pedal that worked a long stick above the seat to wave back and forth creating a breeze & keeping the flies away you work. The telescope museum & observatory were so cool! I looked at the Sun! Wish I was there for a nighttime viewing. 4th floor also had plenty of exhibits of revolutionary war, civil war and plantation life. 3rd floor- while lot of everything! Transportation, textiles, agriculture, forestry, industry & communications. And! The Apollo exhibit- oh yes! Love love love stuff like this! 2nd floor had the Sherlock Holmes exhibit & solve the crime /scene area. This is where hubby ditched me to go downstairs to the separate military museum. His theory was he wouldn't like the "game" and he assumed I wouldn't enjoy the military. Wrong on both accounts. It took me longer to solve the mystery since I was slung it by myself- everyone else flung through had in average- 4 people. However- they groups were cutting corners. The layout was out of order because of the space, but I loved the exhibit. Hubby showed back up in time for the blood splatter science- which he thought was so cool. You're welcome! 2nd floor also had dinosaur exhibits- wonderful fun. 1st floor had the planetarium- we didn't participate- but that's cool, and art exhibit & the massive museum store. Off the main museum is a separate military museum for a small extra charge. This museum was worth every penny & could've been an all day event! Thoroughly enjoyed & highly recommend.

    History exhibit
    Jennifer J.

    It's a great place to spend an afternoon in Columbia. It has a great planetarium; the state's only permanent 4D movie theater (so you get the ability to experience smells and feel vibrations in your seat); an observatory; history, science, and art exhibits; and an outstanding gift shop featuring goods made in SC. There are additional fees to see the planetarium and movie theater that you can bundle with museum entry fees.

    Marqus R.

    South Carolina State Museum is, as a state museum all about the state of South Carolina, with the possible exception of the planetarium. There is a strong emphasis on South Carolina agriculture, early industry, and wars. On the war count it seems that South Carolina has been involved in all of them and there is a separate Confederate Relic Room dedicated almost exclusively to matters involving the Civil War. It's a beautiful building with everything about it appear new, bright, well planned and done right. I usually fall in love with museums but for whatever reason I couldn't get excited about things here. However, though I can't say I'm a fan, it does rate Four Stars.

    Shannon D.

    I have two reviews for the museum. One is for the actual museum and he second is for he Oz event. I have been when there isn't an event and for Oz. The museum has plenty of parking and offer a military discount. There is also a cafe. The museum is clean and mostly well maintained. A few displays had broken buttons but for the most part everything is intact. The displays are interesting and cover local history, dinosaurs, ocean animals, wars, etc. On average we spend 2-3 hours here. The Cotton Mill Exchange store is awesome! From SC gifts to books to clothing. I'm sure you'll find something to as a memento. Now for Oz- Well, I have two opinions on it. If you don't frequently visit the museum, then yes stop by. If you're strictly going for the Oz, it may be worth passing over this year. We had a blast because 1. My sister is a diehard Oz fan. Borderline problematic; in a good way. 2. We just moved back home so everything is exciting to my boys. 3. My sis said it wasn't comparable to other years (no outside vendors, no music, no beer) 4. The 4d show was awesome. That part was worth it to me. But we also played in the museum for 2.5 hours after we did the Oz part. The crafts were well thought out (collage, witches brew - slime, experiment to make witch disappear, make poppies) All in all we had a great time in just not sure the Oz event was five stars this year.

    Kris F.

    This museum is amazing! I was surprised by the variety of displays. It is well lit and very clean. I would highly recommend this museum and would plan an entire day to visit.

    Cotton Gin

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    8 months ago

    A very cool museum for anyone that wants to learn about SC. I learned so much about charleston and SC

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    Review Highlights - South Carolina State Museum

    I still enjoy hopping on the train, wandering through the general store and checking in with Finn, the giant shark!

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    The Village Artists

    The Village Artists

    4.5
    (2 reviews)
    13.3 mi

    This is hands-down the best art gallery in the Midlands. They have a variety of art styles to cater…read moreto every preference. The best part about this Gallery, is that the artists are here to greet you, and they are super friendly. They also offer classes to strengthen your own art skills, from beginner to advanced levels. They also offer layaway and the art is very affordable. They also have a wide selection with hundreds and hundreds of pieces to choose from. I'm particularly fond of Gail and Marlyn. If you are in Sandhills shopping, make sure to check out this art gallery. It's the best store in this whole Shopping Center.

    This well laid out gallery is located amongst some generic shops at The Village at Sandhill, but is…read morefull of local artistry and charm. Plenty of natural light and offerings ranging from photography to impressive oil paintings make this spot a must visit. We were greeted warmly upon entering and I chatted with the knowlegable and friendly volunteer long enough to learn that they offer First Friday events with music, food and beverages and a chance to meet the artists of some of the work. While I didn't see anything I absolutely loved this trip aside from a few photographic pieces, this will be on my 'must stop' list in future visits to SC to see what new offerings they may have. How refreshing to see local art displayed alongside the usual mall findings in the Village! Great idea!!

    Photos
    Our ever popular Pallet to Palette event!
    Our ever popular Pallet to Palette event!
    A brief tour of the gallery...
    A brief tour of the gallery...
    Gallery tour.

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    Gallery tour.
    The Columbia Museum of Art

    The Columbia Museum of Art

    4.4
    (63 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $

    I absolutely LOVED my visit to the Columbia Museum of Art! It might not be the Louvre or the Met,…read morebut for a city the size of Columbia, I don't know if it's possible to craft and curate a better art museum. They had such a great collection, replete with amazing religious artwork, postmodernist works, artifacts from ancient China, and... a work from Claude Monet! As someone who's a huge fan of Impressionism, the fact that a piece from Claude Monet is sitting in Columbia is simply amazing. Kudos to the CMA for being able to procure this painting, and I hope that it remains at the museum in perpetuity.  In terms of the lesser-known works, they had a really cool exhibit from a local artist (well, from Spartanburg, which I'll consider "local",) which detailed the ever-increasing melding of technology and humanity. The exhibit displayed what was essentially a set of bronze busts that served as a combination of human and robot heads, with which the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI,) is as important and prescient as ever.  Finally, they had a cool section for kids called "The Cross Hatch," where kids could experiment and learn about the different art techniques in a fun and interactive environment. In addition, when I walked into the museum, they were setting up for a corporate event, and I was told by the gentleman working the front desk that the museum also serves as an event venue for all sorts of different occasions.  The only, very very *very* minor complaint that I have is that the downstairs rooms were closed, as they were busy setting up a new exhibit. Of course, I understand that the rooms have to be closed in order to set up a new exhibit, I just wish that they weren't closed when I happened to visit. Lol.  All-in-all, the Columbia Museum of Art is an amazing art museum, I'd recommend that anybody pay it a visit, and I hope that it's around for a long, long time!

    My sisters and I had fun exploring the museum! We didn't know the second floor was up for…read morerenovations until sometime mid January so we got to explore the first floor only. It was still fun and interesting to catch out. The staff were kind and informative as well!

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    The Columbia Museum of Art
    The Columbia Museum of Art
    The Columbia Museum of Art

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    Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum

    Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum

    4.7
    (10 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    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.

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    Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum
    Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum
    Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum

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    South Carolina State Museum - museums - Updated August 2026

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