The South Carolina State Museum, or SC State Museum in Columbia, SC, was always one of my favorite places to go as a kid growing up here.
I remember going countless times as a kid, whether with my mom, my grandparents, or on school field trips, and I’m pretty sure I loved it every time. Actually, my high school even had our prom at the museum and my sister got married there.
It’s certainly the premier Columbia, SC museum, and I’d put the South Carolina State Museum up there with Riverbanks Zoo as must sees in Columbia, especially if you have children.
One of the things I loved about my most recent visit to the SC museum is how there are still tons of the same classic exhibits as when I was a kid, and actually, they hold up pretty well!
There are also some more recent and newer exhibits that are really cool too. The planetarium is also located here now as well as a sweet telescope and observatory.
Visiting the state museum in Columbia, SC is well worth it. If you’d like to plan your own visit, read on for a complete visitor’s guide to the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia, South Carolina!
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SC State Museum Visitor’s Guide – Contents
- Why Visit the SC State Museum
- What to See at the South Carolina State Museum
- Extra Add-on Attractions at the SC State Museum
- SC State Museum Hours
- SC State Museum Admission Prices and Tickets
- How to Get to the SC State Museum in Columbia
- Final Practical Tips
Why Visit the SC State Museum
If you like museums in general or want to learn more about South Carolina history and nature, you should definitely include the South Carolina State Museum on your list of things to do in Columbia.
The 4 story museum, located in a historic building that was the first electrically powered mill in the US, has over 70,000 artifacts according to its website.
There are exhibits on Natural History, Science and Technology, and the History of South Carolina from precolonial times to the recent past.
It’s a great way to learn more about the state’s natural and human past.
Plus the science section has some terrific interactive exhibits, and there are some neat special and temporary exhibits as well, including one on sound during my most recent visit in February 2023 which has a nice touch of being bilingual in English and Spanish.
The SC State Museum also now houses a planetarium and observatory. There is also a technically separate but connected military museum in the same building. A dedicated children’s museum is also just next door.
In short, there’s something for everyone at the State Museum of South Carolina. Whether you’re a Columbia or SC resident, or an out of state or even out of country visitor, the SC museum is definitely worth a vist.
What to See at the South Carolina State Museum
As mentioned above, there are a variety of things to see at the SC State Museum.
When you enter the museum, you’ll find a gift shop (currently undergoing renovations with a temporary smaller location on the second floor) and a special exhibit on SC State Parks.
The Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum are also located on the first floor in the back area (more on it in the extra attractions section below).
But the real action starts upstairs.
When you head up to the second floor, you’ll find the natural history section. Overhead, you’ll find a giant replica of an ancient Great White Shark overhanging a giant set of shark’s teeth.
This was always one of my favorite things to see as a kid!
On this level you’ll also see a section on geology, as well as exhibits on prehistoric South Carolina with some neat fossils and models of a wooly mammoth.
There are exhibits on different South Carolina habitats, a great chance to learn about the natural diversity of the state.
Finally, in one of the highlights, there is a small but very well done dinosaur fossil section. This is newer and was not there when I was a kid. I wish it was though, because there’s nothing quite like dinosaur bones at a museum! There is a T-rex skull as well as a few full skeletal models of other dinosaurs.
Head up to the third level, and you’ll find exhibits on science and technology.
There is a cool replica of the Friend of Charleston historic train, complete with passenger cars, always fun for kids. I remember sitting here and imagining we were on board the train many a time when I was little.
There is a neat exhibit on textiles here too, including on the history of the mill that houses the museum.
Particularly interesting is the story of the construction of the mill and its electrical power, which was groundbreaking and required the building of larger engines than anything constructed in the US at the time.
You’ll also find some interesting exhibits on SC agriculture, forestry, and industry.
The exhibits on transportation are also neat. There are some really neat historic cars on display, all of them formerly owned by Columbia residents.
Particularly neat is an old truck that a local used for many years to transport produce to the local market. I really appreciate how the museum does a good job of telling the larger history, so to speak, of the state and nation through real local examples.
One of the neatest artifacts in the whole museum is a half carved out canoe in a giant cypress tree that was found perfectly preserved.
Another highlight on this floor are the very interactive exhibits on optical illusions, laser science, sound science, and space exploration.
The exhibits on space are particularly a highlight and have been redone since I was a kid to include a focus on Charles Duke, a South Carolina resident who piloted the lunar module for Apollo 16.
As part of this section, there are also some good exhibits on the Space Race and a life size replica of a moon rover. There is also a neat South Carolina flag that traveled on a space shuttle mission.
There’s even a small moon rock from Apollo 16 on display!
Finally, up on the fourth floor, there are exhibits on human history.
First you’ll pass a giant replica of Fort Moultrie, site of one of the first major encounters of the US War of Independence.
Then, you’ll pass through exhibits on Native American life in the Carolinas and the settlement of the state.
Next, you’ll learn about US independence, including some neat exhibits on South Carolina’s often under appreciated role. A highlight here is an independence era flag. The original flag rotates between the Smithsonian and the SC State Museum with a replica currently on display during my most recent visit.
Then, you’ll learn about Antebellum, or pre-Civil War history in the state before learning about the Civil War itself and reconstruction. Exhibits on the Civil War include a life size replica of the Confederate submarine HL Hunley, the first submarine to sink an enemy ship.
A highlight of the reconstruction section is a cane given to Frederick Douglass on a visit to Charleston shortly after the end of the Civil War.
There are also some neat exhibits on rural SC life in the post Civil War period. These include a neat replica school room and general store that will be good fun for kids to check out.
Also on the fourth floor, you’ll find the Boeing Observatory.
It’s so impressive seeing the massive telescope up close looking out the dome above. Next to it is a terrifically done exhibit on historic telescopes with tons of examples of historic telescopes.
Be sure to walk out on the little deck for some neat views of downtown Columbia!
Extra Attractions and Add ons
There are several extra attractions at the SC State Museum.
The highlight of these is definitely the SC Planetarium.
The planetarium has several shows each day. You’ll want to get tickets for these early, as they do sell out. In fact, on my most recent visit, I wasn’t able to get a ticket after waiting until close to show time.
You can access the planetarium from the first or second floors, and you’ll need to get tickets for whatever show you would like to see at the main admissions desk.
On the second floor, you’ll also find the 4D Theater.
The theater also has several shows throughout the day, and you can buy tickets for it at the main admissions desk. It’s probably a good idea to get tickets for this ahead of time too if you definitely want to see one.
On the far side of the first floor, you’ll find the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum.
This is actually a separate museum, administered independently, and does require a separate admission price. Despite its name and lots of Confederate artifacts, there are also Union Civil War artifacts and artifacts from other wars in US history.
Some highlights here include a number of neat historic flags and a samurai katana sword recovered from a Japanese officer by a soldier on Iwo Jima that was made in the 1600s. There is also a larger exhibit specifically focused on the Vietnam War.
If you’re a military history buff, the price of admission here is definitely worth it. For what it’s worth I don’t feel like it’s an over glorification of the confederacy.
Finally, on the site and across the parking lot, you can also find the EdVenture Children’s Museum.
I have actually never been here since they constructed it, and they actually don’t allow adults in alone (understandably).
So, I don’t have a lot of first hand knowledge of it, but it is supposed to be very well done and I’d say is definitely worth the price of the separate admission if you have younger children.
SC State Museum Hours
The SC State Museum is open during the following schedule:
- 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Saturday
- 12 noon to 5 pm Sundays
- The museum is closed on Mondays
SC State Museum Ticket Prices
Below are the general admission prices for the South Carolina State Museum as of this publication in February 2023:
- Adults (13+): $8.95
- Senior Citizens (62+): $7.95
- Children (3-12): $6.95
Those general admission tickets include access to all of the museum’s main exhibits and special, temporary, or rotating exhibits.
They do not include admission to the SC Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum, which has similar but slightly cheaper admission costs and are open for similar hours. You can double check their hours and prices at their website.
You can also buy tickets that include shows at the planetarium and/or the 4D theater. They cost the following:
- Adult with one show add-on: $13.95
- Adult with two show add-ons: $16.95
- Senior with one show: $12.95
- Senior with two shows: $15.95
- Child with one show: $11.95
- Child with two shows: $14.95
You can confirm operating hours and ticket prices and even buy tickets ahead of time at the museum’s website here.
First Sunday Discount
The SC State Museum also offers a special $1 general admission price on the first Sunday of the month.
4D theater and planetarium shows cost $5 each on those days.
At least during my most recent visit in February 2023, the Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum also offered $1 admission on the first Sunday of the month.
Membership Discounts
Members get free general admission to the museum, pay $4 for one show add-on, and $7 for two shows. You can learn more about becoming a member at the museum’s website.
School and Educational Discounts
The museum does offer free programs for schools and other educational institutions or groups of 10 or more. You can find out more by scrolling down to the bottom of this page on the museum’s website.
How to Get to the South Carolina State Museum
The South Carolina State Museum’s address is 301 Gervais Street.
It is located just across the Gervais Street bridge across the Congaree River from West Columbia. It’s right next to the heart of downtown Columbia known as the Vista. It’s easily reachable from all of the greater Columbia area and close to I-126.
If you’d like to stay close to the museum, the Cambria and Aloft hotels in the Vista are great choices. You can see more options for the best hotels in downtown Columbia here. Hotels in West Columbia also offer easy access to the museum.
There is a large parking lot at the museum and parking is free.
Final Practical Tips for Enjoying Your Visit
- There is a small cafe and snack bar at the museum called the Crescent Cafe if you need to grab lunch or a snack during your visit. It is open from 11 am to 3 pm.
- You are not supposed to have food or drink in the exhibit areas.
- As noted above, you’ll want to get tickets to planetarium shows and 4D theater shows ahead of time. It’s probably best to just go ahead and pick a show or shows and buy them when you pay for admission.
- There are elevators to travel between the different floors, and there are also a number of bathrooms scattered around the museum.
Ready to visit to the SC State Museum?
The South Carolina State Museum in Columbia, SC is well worth the visit if you’ll be visiting South Carolina’s capital city.
If you are planning a visit to the museum, I hope you found this guide useful, and most importantly, you have a great time and learn a lot!
Cheers and Happy Exploring!
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You might also like my guide to the Riverbanks Zoo, another of Columbia’s top attractions, or my guide to the best hotels in downtown Columbia. You can also check out this guide to the best hotels near the airport in Colombia or this guide to the best luxury hotels in Columbia.