Virtual Museum: E-Learning Resources
While the South Carolina State Museum remains temporarily closed, we are currently in the planning and preparation stages of a phased reopening. Click HERE for more information
Below are several e-learning resources available from the museum and suggested links for other online resources. Museum staff will be updating this page regularly with new content and resources!
State Museum Online Learning
Virtual Programs This Week
Enjoy virtual talks and presentations from museum curators and educational staff on a variety of topics. Registration required, so follow the links to sign-up! Click here to see a full schedule of virtual programs.
Virtual Trivia Night – Can You Dig It?
Thurs., June 4 at 6:30 p.m.
Test your knowledge on natural history! Streaming into the comfort of your living room, just stay in your pajamas, and grab your computer to join our museum team as we bring you a live scored trivia game. How much do you know about planets, the stars and more? Sponsored by Columbia Craft Brewing Company. Registration required and capacity is limited. Click here to learn more and register.
Telescope Livestream
Sat., June 6 at 9:30 p.m.
State Museum Boeing Observatory staff is giving guests a live look at the night sky – virtually. Each Saturday night, weather permitting, staff will livestream a telescope feed to the museum’s Facebook page. Staff will monitor the stream and respond to questions and comments.
At-Home Virtual Camps
June 8 – July 3
The South Carolina State Museum in Columbia is excited to introduce At-Home Virtual Summer Camps this June for ages 6 – 11, sponsored by AFLAC! These week-long camps will focus on a different theme each day, including natural history, astronomy, robotics, art, S.T.E.M and more. Registration required and capacity is limited. Click here to learn more and register.
Virtual Exhibits
Even though the museum is closed to the public, we still want to provide opportunities to explore our galleries.
Apollo 50: Journey to the Moon
To mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing the South Carolina State Museum presents a new exhibition charting the history of NASA’s Apollo program and South Carolina’s role in lunar exploration.
South Carolina and Reconstruction
The years following the Civil War were a time of great upheaval. After the bloodiest war in American history, the country was redefining itself. This exhibit uses artifacts from the time period to examine the devastation of the war, changes in labor, society, and the law.
New Video Resources
New virtual video content every week! Most recent videos below. Click HERE to see more video content.
Virtual Tours and Talks with Curators and Educators
Take a walk through the State Museum with curators and staff.
NEW!
Online Lessons and Experiments
Museum educators show off some exciting hands-on experiments.
NEW!
Online Collections Resources
Learn more about your family heirlooms or search a select group of objects and photographs from the State Museum’s collection courtesy of University of South Carolina Libraries Digital Collections.
Object Information Request
The museum is closed to the public but curators are still hard at work (from home). For those curious about their heirlooms, pieces of artwork, objects found while cleaning up, etc. the museum is introducing a new online Object Information Request Form. Members of the public can submit the form and museum staff will be in touch to help identify objects, find research and offer conservation resources. Click HERE to access the form.
The Robert B. Ariail Collection of Historical Astronomy
This incredibly rare collection of American made telescopes and astronomical equipment, donated to the museum by amateur astronomer Robert B. Ariail, features instruments dating back to 1730. Thanks to a partnership with University of South Carolina Libraries Digital Collections, many of these instruments can be found online. Click HERE to explore the collection.
Standard Federal Photograph Collection
Students at the University of South Carolina’s Digital Library created this website of over 140 historic photos of Columbia from the Museum’s collection. Click HERE to explore the collection.
Blogs
Find fascinating info developed by museum curators and educational staff on a variety of subjects, as well as instructional posts on fun educational activities.
By Subject:
History
Art
Natural History
Science and Astronomy
Instructional Posts:
Hands-On Home Science – NEW! Updated Frequently
More In Class or At-Home Activities
Crosswords, Puzzles and More:
Painted Puzzles – Digital Jigsaw – NEW!
More coming soon!
