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NEWSROOM

Welcome to the South Carolina State Museum’s Newsroom

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Jared Glover, Public Relations Manager at (803) 898-4948 or at Jared.Glover@scmuseum.org.

Here is the latest news from the State Museum:

Night at the Museum Mystery!

1/17/18

The South Carolina State Museum is giving families a chance to solve The Case of the Purloined Pendant during a special Night at the Museum: Mystery, Fri., Feb. 9 through Sat., Feb. 10. Guests will get to experience the entire museum, including special shows in the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Planetarium, the Rev. Dr. Solomon Jackson, Jr. 4D Theater and a night under the stars in the Boeing Observatory, in addition to helping the museum staff solve the mystery.

State Museum to offer Family Astronomy Workshops

1/10/18

The State Museum is offering a new workshop on Jan. 20 and Feb. 24 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. These hands-on workshops are designed for anyone interested in learning how to set up telescopes, how to use them, purchase them and how to locate celestial objects in the night sky. Each workshop will be led by museum astronomers in the Boeing Observatory classroom.

South Carolina State Museum Presents Requiem for Mother Emanuel

1/4/18

The State Museum is proud to present, Requiem for Mother Emanuel opening, Saturday, Jan. 27. This visually moving and thought provoking exhibition, produced by South Carolina artist Dr. Leo Twiggs, is a series of nine paintings created in the aftermath of the violent shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston in June 2015.

PaleoPalooza at the South Carolina State Museum

6/8/17

The South Carolina State Museum will celebrate all things paleontology, Saturday, June 17 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Guests will get to meet a paleontologist, skype with scientists in the jungles of Panama, make their own fossils, see live birds of prey and more during this full day of natural history.

The LEGO® Movie™ 4-D Experience® Opening Memorial Day Weekend

5/18/17

Emmet and his Master Builder friends return in The LEGO® Movie™ 4-D Experience® opening Memorial Day weekend, Saturday, May 27. The gang finds themselves entangled in an Evil Secret Plot involving a mysterious theme park. Join Emmet, Wyldstyle, MetalBeard, Benny and Unikitty in their mission to defeat a scheming villain named Risky Business! This custom-made 4-D Experience® is packed with non-stop action and multisensory effects to jump start the holiday weekend.

Introducing Feast Film Fest at the South Carolina State Museum

5/9/17

The South Carolina State Museum in conjunction with Farm to Table Event Co. invites you to explore South Carolina Foodways with two days of films, food, conversation and more. A Columbia original, Feast Film Fest, will open Thursday, June 8 and run through Friday, June 9, featuring discussions led by local farmers, chefs and historians, over 20 films, delicious bites prepared by South Carolina Chefs, tasty samplings from South Carolina breweries and distilleries and live music.

State Museum Presents Beyond Bollywood Indian Americans Shape the Nation

4/12/17

From the builders of some of America’s earliest railroads and farms to Civil Rights pioneers and digital technology entrepreneurs, Indian Americans have long been an inextricable part of American life. The State Museum’s new traveling exhibition, Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation, details the history of Indian Americans and their contributions to the United States from the 1700s to the present. The first-of-its-kind exhibition from the Smithsonian will be on view at the State Museum opening, Saturday, April 29.

State Museum Celebrates History Day

3/28/17

The South Carolina State Museum will host a full day of activities commemorating World War I during its annual History Day, April 8, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Guests will enjoy live music a film screening, hands-on activities, special displays, presentations and book signings as well as World War I reenactors.

State Museum Invites Families to Experience a Night at the Museum

3/21/17

The South Carolina State Museum is giving families a chance to experience a night at the museum, Friday March 31 through Saturday, April 1. Guests will get to explore the entire museum, including the museum’s new blockbuster exhibit Savage Ancient Seas and a variety of exciting programs geared toward astronomy.

Intent to Sole Source – SC State Museum

11/28/16

The South Carolina State Museum (SCSM) intends to sole source the procurement of a Collections Management System. The following features are requirements determined by the Museum. Our research has revealed that the Collections Management System cannot be purchased through any other vendor and there are no other similar products available on the market at this time.

Spend Your Holidays at the State Museum

11/10/16

The South Carolina State Museum will celebrate the holiday season with great shopping events, holiday shows, movies and family-friendly events taking place throughout the months of November and December.

State Museum to Host Holiday Table Trimmings Event

11/1/16

The South Carolina State Museum will give guests a one of a kind experience with nationally recognized silver expert Dawn Corley, known as the “Charleston Silver Lady,” Tuesday Nov. 15 from 7 until 9 p.m. Guests will get an intimate look at how to create a classic holiday party or dinner with all the trimmings.

Growl at the Moon this Halloween at the State Museum

10/12/16

State Museum will welcome guests to “Growl at the Moon” Thursday, Oct. 27, from 7 – 10 p.m. The event will feature the Wizard of Oz 4-D Experience, a laser light show set to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, a fortuneteller, live music, delicious food and craft beer. Guests can head up to the Boeing Observatory for some spooky night sky observing and take home their very own custom beer growlers.

State Museum Announces New Blockbuster Exhibit RACE Are We So Different

5/19/16

The South Carolina State Museum is proud to announce its new blockbuster traveling exhibit, RACE: Are We So Different? presented by Central Carolina Community Foundation. Opening to the public June 4, a project of the American Anthropological Association in collaboration with the Science Museum of Minnesota, the exhibit will explore a cultural, scientific and historical look at race throughout history and the reasons we should all celebrate our differences.

State Museum Invites Families to Experience a Night at the Museum

5/17/16

The South Carolina State Museum is giving families a chance to experience a night at the museum, Friday May 27 through Saturday, May 26. Guests will get to explore the entire museum with a variety of programs geared toward astronomy.

SCSM Receives 1.4 Million Donation for Acquisitions and Conservation

4/21/16

The South Carolina State Museum Foundation received the largest private monetary donation in its history in the amount of $1,425,000. The donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, has gifted the donation to specifically serve as a tool for the conservation and acquisition of artifacts and objects for the museum’s collection.

Experience Hispanic Heritage During Cinco de Mayo at the State Museum

4/19/16

The South Carolina State Museum is proud to host the fourth annual Cinco de Mayo celebration to showcase Hispanic heritage and pride from 12 – 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 1. This event provides an opportunity for the community to come together to celebrate and recognize the Hispanic culture in South Carolina.

State Museum Wins SC Governors Cup Award

2/18/16

The South Carolina State Museum was awarded the prestigious Governor’s Cup Award, South Carolina’s top award for travel and tourism. The award ceremony was held on Wednesday, February 17, at the annual South Carolina Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Travel in Charleston, South Carolina, held Monday, February 15 through Wednesday, February 17. The conference is an annual gathering of industry leaders to discuss emerging trends and marketing strategies that help improve the business of tourism. Award are given to recognize outstanding achievements in tourism development, marketing, events, business practice and study.

State Museum Celebrates South Carolina Art

2/24/16

The South Carolina State Museum will celebrate art in South Carolina during Art Day on Saturday, March 5 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and a special College Art Day for high school students on Friday, March 4, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Art Day will feature demonstrations and discussions by South Carolina artists, guided behind-the-scenes tours of the museum’s art storage areas, live music, hands-on activities and art exhibits.

State Museum Wins SC Governors Cup Award

2/18/16

South Carolina State Museum Receives Six Awards for Renovation and Expansion Project

6/11/15

The South Carolina State Museum receives six awards for its major $23 million “Windows to New Worlds” renovation and expansion that opened in August 2014. The industry-leading awards recognize the State Museum’s project for its extensive historic preservation efforts, unique and innovative design, and outstanding construction leadership.

State Museum Hosts Silver in the Garden Featuring Nationally Recognized Silver Expert

5/28/15

Join nationally-recognized silver expert Dawn Corley, known as the “Charleston Silver Lady,” at Silver in the Garden from 2 – 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14 at the South Carolina State Museum. Both garden-themed events will offer a unique look into the history, design and use of fine silver, porcelain and china, as well as an opportunity for Corley to examine pieces brought in by event attendees.
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State Museum Announces Carolina Makers Evening Music Programs

5/4/15

The South Carolina State Museum announces two new evening music programs held the second and last Tuesday of each month in conjunction with the new art exhibition, Carolina Makers. Throughout the run of the show, members of the Musicians and Songwriters Guild of South Carolina and the South Carolina Bluegrass and Traditional Music Association will provide opportunities during Second Shift Twosday for guests to listen to live music and participate in acoustic jam sessions.
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State Museum Hosts Evening Event Celebrating Music and Science

4/15/15

Join the South Carolina State Museum at Quadrivium, an evening to celebrate the convergence of music and science from 7 – 11 p.m. on Thursday, April 30. Guests will witness the interaction of sight and sound through live music inspired by astronomy, engaging planetarium performances and night observing.
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State Museum Hosts Happy Hubble 25 on April 24

4/14/15

Join the South Carolina State Museum at Happy Hubble 25, a family-friendly event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope from 5 – 10 p.m. on Friday, April 24. Tickets to the event will be offered at a special discounted price of $5 per person (free for museum members), and the first 200 guests will receive a free astronomy poster.
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State Museum Presents Inaugural South Carolina Muzzleloader Conference, Show and Sale

3/12/15

The South Carolina State Museum is excited to present the South Carolina Muzzleloader Conference, Show and Sale from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Friday April 10 and Saturday, April 11. The two-day gun show will feature a variety of workshops and sessions on 18th and 19th century muzzleloaders led by gun and history experts and will also feature displays of muzzleloaders and accessories by exhibitors and collectors from across the country.
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Violent Universe: Catastrophes of the Cosmos Debuts at the State Museum on March 28

3/10/15

Witness the raw power of the cosmos in the South Carolina State Museum’s new full-dome planetarium show, Violent Universe: Catastrophes of the Cosmos, debuting Saturday, March 28 in the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Planetarium. Guests can spend their spring break exploring the great forces that hold the Universe together and occasionally try to destroy it.
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Immerse Yourself in South Carolina Art during Art Day at the State Museum

2/25/15

The South Carolina State Museum will celebrate and immerse guests in South Carolina art during Art Day on Saturday, March 7 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The annual event will feature demonstrations and discussions by South Carolina artists, guided behind-the-scenes tours of the museum’s art storage areas, live music, hands-on activities, art exhibits, live performance art and the opportunity to participate in the destruction of a massive art installation.
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State Museum Opens New Civil Rights Exhibit

2/18/15

The South Carolina State Museum will open a new traveling Civil Rights exhibit, Courage: The Vision to End Segregation and the Guts to Fight for It, on Saturday, Feb. 28. The exhibit tells the powerful grass-roots “people story” behind the Supreme Court’s landmark Civil Rights decision, Brown v. Board of Education, and traces the saga of the citizens of Clarendon County who brought the first lawsuit challenging racial segregation in public schools.

South Carolina State Museum Hosts Second Annual History Day

1/30/15

The South Carolina State Museum and the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum are partnering to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Sherman’s march across the state and the burning of Columbia during the State Museum’s second annual History Day event from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14.
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Bugs Invade the State Museum in New Blockbuster Exhibit

1/13/15

A 20-foot praying mantis, beetles the size of Volkswagen beetles, a mosquito head big enough to drain the blood from a bull and much more will captivate museum guests beginning Saturday, Jan. 24 when bugs officially invade the South Carolina State Museum in the new blockbuster exhibit, BUGS! Giant Robotic Creatures.
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State Museum Education Director Receives Prestigious Science Education Award

11/19/14

The South Carolina State Museum is pleased to announce that its director of education, Tom Falvey, recently received the “Catalyst Award” from the South Carolina Science Council (SC)2 at their 37th annual conference, “Growing Teachers One STEM at a Time.”
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State Museum Announces Nov. and Dec. 2014 Calendar

10/21/14

The South Carolina State Museum is excited to announce its November and December calendar of special events, planetarium shows, 4D movies and exhibits. The following will be held at the State Museum located at 301 Gervais Street in downtown Columbia.
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Spend Your Halloween at the State Museum

10/10/14

Ghosts, goblins and monsters are haunting the galleries and theaters at the South Carolina State Museum this Halloween season. During the month of October, the museum is hosting a variety of Halloween-themed special events and laser light shows for guests of all ages.
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Second Shift Twosday at the State Museum

10/02/14

The South Carolina State Museum is staying open late every Tuesday until 8 p.m. for Second Shift Twosdays offering guests more time to experience the museum. The museum is calling their weekly extended hours “Second Shift Twosdays” to celebrate the history of its building and the mill workers who decades ago came in during the evenings to work the second shift. The museum is also incorporating the number “two” during Second Shift Twosdays through special offerings and savings.
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State Museum Presents the Museum Roadshow on Oct. 11

09/30/14

The Museum Road Show, one of the South Carolina State Museum’s most popular events, is back and will be held from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11. Whether it’s an heirloom, antique or artifact, local experts will be onsite at this popular semiannual event offering informal verbal appraisals in a variety of fields.
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South Carolina State Museum Launches First Citizens First Sundays on Sept 7

08/27/14

The South Carolina State Museum is proud to announce a generous donation from First Citizens to sponsor First Citizens First Sunday, which will take place the first Sunday of every month starting Sunday, Sept. 7. The donation from First Citizens will allow guests to pay a reduced price of $1 for general admission to the State Museum during First Citizens First Sunday.
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South Carolina State Museum Hosts Grand Opening Celebration on Aug. 16

08/05/14

The South Carolina State Museum will celebrate the grand opening of its new observatory, planetarium and 4D theater from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16. The grand opening will mark a significant moment in history, as it will be the first time in the nation a planetarium, observatory and 4D theater, plus an expansive museum, will be housed under one roof.
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South Carolina State Museum Opens New Observatory with Distance Learning Capabilities

08/05/14

On Saturday, Aug. 16, the South Carolina State Museum is making history as it opens a new state-of-the-art observatory with the capacity to reach every classroom across South Carolina. This will be the first time in the nation that remote access of a vintage telescope will be provided free-of-charge to participating classrooms across an entire state. Even students at schools with the most limited of resources will be able to access the observatory to study phenomena from the rings of Saturn to the Orion Nebula.
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State Museum Fun Pass Offered Exclusively at BiLo Aug. 4 – Sept. 30

08/01/14

The South Carolina State Museum is teaming up with BI-LO to offer a special discounted Family Fun Pass exclusively at BI-LO stores in South Carolina, Augusta, Asheville and Charlotte. This special offer is for a limited time only, starting Aug. 4 through Sept. 30.
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South Carolina State Museum Announces Grand Opening of Planetarium, Observatory and 4D Theater

07/21/14

The South Carolina State Museum is about to be brighter than ever as it opens a one-of-a-kind facility on Saturday, Aug. 16 in the state’s capital offering the only observatory of its kind in the nation, one of the largest planetariums in the Southeast and the only permanent 4D theater in the state. For the first time in the nation, all three of these innovative elements, plus a multi-disciplinary museum focusing on art, history, natural history and science/technology, will be housed under one roof.
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New Fossil Exhibit to Open at the State Museum

06/23/14

The South Carolina State Museum will open a new natural history exhibit, South Carolina Unearthed, on Saturday, June 28. The temporary exhibit will showcase a variety of specimens from the museum’s extensive and nationally-known fossil collection representing animals that once inhabited South Carolina.
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Dinosaurs Take Over the State Museum in New Blockbuster Exhibit

06/03/14

This summer, take a journey back in time when monsters walked the earth, swam in the sea and soared through the sky as the South Carolina State Museum presents its newest blockbuster exhibit, Dinosaurs: A Bite Out of Time, opening Saturday, June 21.
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Festival Cinco de Mayo to Be Held at the State Museum on May 4

04/28/14

The South Carolina State Museum is proud to partner with Hispanic Connections to celebrate Mexican heritage and pride by hosting Festival Cinco de Mayo at the State Museum from 12:30 – 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 4. The festival provides an opportunity for the community to come together and recognize the importance of Hispanic culture in South Carolina.

King Tut Exhibition Held Over by Popular Demand at the State Museum until June 1

04/14/14

Held over by popular demand, Tutankhamun: Return of the King, has been extended to Sunday, June 1 at the South Carolina State Museum. Since it opened in 2013 at the State Museum, tens of thousands of guests have seen the exhibition and time is still available for those who have not yet experienced the treasures of King Tut’s tomb.

Spend Your Spring Break at the South Carolina State Museum

04/01/14

There’s no reason to pack up the kids and travel this Spring Break when you can bring the entire family out to the South Carolina State Museum, where the fun never stops and there’s always something new to discover.

South Carolina State Museum Announces April – June 2014 Calendar

03/26/14

The South Carolina State Museum announces its April – June 2014 calendar of events and exhibitions. The following will be held at the State Museum, located at 301 Gervais Street in Columbia.

State Museum Opens New Exhibit Featuring Original Silhouettes by Lowcountry Artist and Author, Clay Rice

03/12/14

The South Carolina State Museum opens its newest changing exhibit, Mama, Let’s Make a Moon, on Friday, March 21. The exhibit will feature original illustrations from Lowcountry award-winning artist and children’s book author, Clay Rice.

State Museum Celebrates Women’s History Month by Opening an Addie Sims Virtual Exhibit

03/06/14

The South Carolina State Museum is celebrating Women’s History month by opening a virtual exhibit, The Art and Life of Addie Sims: A Look into Her World, which features works of art by South Carolina Civil War-era artist, Addie Sims. The unveiling of the new virtual exhibit will take place during a public opening reception from 3 – 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 15 at the State Museum.

South Carolina State Museum Announces April 2014 Calendar of Events, Public Programs and Exhibitions

03/05/14

The South Carolina State Museum announces its April 2014 calendar of exhibitions, events and public programs. The following will be held at the State Museum, located at 301 Gervais Street in Columbia. The museum and store are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on Sunday fro
m 1 – 5 p.m.