Inside: Parents who have visited the South Carolina State Museum many times share all the info about the exhbits, plus tips and tricks and things to know to help you plan your visit.
Have you visited the South Carolina State Museum? The SC State Museum is not only huge but so entertaining, educational, and fun! This place provides a phenomenal opportunity to learn, spark curiosity, and experience the history and influence of South Carolina.
The museum includes permanent galleries focused on Art, Natural History, Cultural History, Science and Technology and has everything from fossils to an observatory and 4D Theater! Plus you’ll find amazing changing exhibits so there’s always something new to explore.
Our article and review of the SCSM below comes from several trips to this amazing place made by our Kidding Around Team members.
The South Carolina State Museum has been on my list as a homeschooling parent (actually, before that since my daughter was supposed to go as a third-grader and then the pandemic hit). I had heard it was cool but did not know the extent of exactly how amazing it would be. So I hauled my kids out there for a truly fun day trip.
Golly says:
“Hey, Teachers! Did you know that the South Carolina State Museum offers FREE field trips to ALL elementary schools in our state?” Light them up with something new!
Watch! What we saw at the SC State Museum
About the SC State Museum
The museum itself is huge, four floors in total. It has a massive planetarium and dozens of permanent exhibits that cover the history of the state, Native peoples, the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, the different regions of the state and their unique ecosystems, an observatory, and a 4D movie theater.
The museum also hosts traveling exhibits and changing exhibits. We were able to see a really neat exhibit of quilts made by South Carolina women that certainly inspired my oldest daughter, 11, to try out some new sewing projects. The best thing to do before you go is to check out the changing exhibits page on the website to see what they have.
We enjoyed the SC State Parks exhibit on the first floor. They have pretty replicas of Caesars Head State Park, Landsford Canal, and Huntington Island. Plus, you can take a quiz to see which kind of adventurer you are and which parks you would like best.
There are restrooms on every floor; and if you get hungry, a cafe is located right outside the 4D theater on the second floor. I liked that you could explore all of the exhibits, which seemed to go on forever, but you couldn’t really get lost.
Permanent Exhibits
On the second floor is a megalodon shark replica that is suspended between the second and third floors. On that same floor is a neat exhibit showing the different regions of South Carolina, a map of rivers, and what is so unique about each region. There are exhibits showing the coast, the sandhills, the Piedmont region, and the Blue Ridge. Animals and water and trees are shown behind glass that look very real.
If you’re studying plants, geology, or dinosaurs, you’ll love their fossil exhibit, the botany exhibit that shows how plants grow roots and get food and water, and the many precious gems and stones to check out. You’ll see where certain rocks and sandstone are found throughout the state as well as where huge crystals have been discovered.
On the third floor is a replica train, schoolhouse, general store, and a massive amount of guns and swords used during the wars in the state. There is an interesting exhibit about the South Carolina textile industry that showed patterns used to weave. My kids really liked that since they were able to practice some of the patterns.
There is just so much stuff to look at that it was overwhelming. My kids, in first and fifth grade, wanted to see everything and see it fast, so I was trying to read everything quickly and call them back for the super cool things, of which were many.
I was just blown away by the details of all the exhibits. The replicas of the buildings and equipment were so real. I was scared a couple of times by the non-living people in the exhibits who moved. Another mom and I were both terrified at the same time by one guy turning a wheel in a replica submarine. Our kids thought it was hilarious.
The Observatory
All the way upstairs on the fourth floor is a giant observatory with a beautiful telescope and wall of fun facts. It’s not as big as the telescope and observatory at the Roper Mountain Science Center, but it is certainly worth the trek upstairs.
On the same floor is an entire room dedicated to telescopes. I like telescopes, but I felt I needed a whole hour to read everything. My kids weren’t so entertained so we headed out to see another exhibit.
The 4D Theater
Luckily a 4D movie (an extra cost in addition to admission) was showing in the theater about 15 minutes after we arrived so that was our first stop, and it was so much fun. Neither my kids nor myself had been in a 4D theater before, so we weren’t quite sure what to expect. We were given 3D glasses before we went in so we knew it would be lifelike, but it was more lifelike than I thought it would be!
The titles in the 4D Theater change, so you’ll want to check those before you go. Currently the museum is showing Coastal Predators and Turtle Odyssey.
We thought the show was awesome. It was educational, fun, and made us laugh – what more can you ask for? More penguins maybe.
New at the SCSM
The changing exhibitions currently on display at the South Carolina State Museum are really fun. They are:
Apollo 16 & Beyond: South Carolina in Space
Shared Sacrifice: South Carolina in WWII
The Story of Us: Sharing Our Past, Building Our Future
Some of the featured items on display include:
- Flight suit worn by Charles Duke while training
- Women’s Aviation Corp Dress Uniform Jacket
- 1815 Bible owned by William Turpin of Charleston
- First African-American American Barbie produced by Mattel
The Story of Us
Learn about the history of the museum in this exhibit literally telling the story of the SC State Museum.
- Why is there a South Carolina State Museum?
- What was the first artifact that was collected?
- How does the museum decide what to collect?
- How many exhibitions has the museum created and hosted?
- How many new species have been identified through the natural history collection?
You’ll learn the answers to these and many other questions and see pieces from the museum’s collection which are often tucked away in storage. Discover the museum’s new Reimagine the Experience project and see what the museum has planned for an amazing future.
Apollo 16 & Beyond: South Carolina in Space
South Carolinian Charles Duke visited the moon on Apollo 16. Learn about this mission, South Carolina’s contribution to it and the space program, and lots more. You’ll even see Duke’s training flight suit.
Shared Sacrifice: South Carolina in World War II
Dive into the compelling narratives of South Carolina men and women who played vital roles in the war effort, highlighting the struggle of Black South Carolinians in their pursuit of “Double Victory” – overcoming fascism overseas and fighting segregation at home.
Other things happening at the SC State Museum
The museum offers spring break and summer camps plus lots of other events. See their event calendar to check what’s happening before you come.
The museum is also available for rent for private events, and don’t forget field trips!
Visiting the SC State Museum
Admission to the museum is $13/adults and $10/kids (ages 3-12). Admission with one show add on is $18/adult and $15/kids. Admission with two shows is $21/adults and $18/kids.
The museum participates in the program Museums for All, which gives discounted admission to those on SNAP, EBT, WIC, and Medicaid.
If you think you’ll visit more than a couple of times a year, consider a family membership, which starts at $140/year.
There is free parking right outside the museum.
Hours are:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday: Noon – 5 pm
South Carolina State Museum
301 Gervais St, Columbia, SC 29214
Need more ideas for indoor fun? Be sure to check out our list of 30+ things to do indoors!
More Educational Adventures at
EdVenture Children’s Museum
Be sure to also read our Kidding Around Columbia Review of Edventure and our list of Mom-Approved Day Trips in South Carolina.
Have you ventured out to the South Carolina State Museum yet?
