South Carolina State Museum

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South Carolina State Museum. Columbia, South Carolina, Museum, Attraction, Planetarium, Observatory, 4D Theater, Exhibitions

Plan Your Visit

Visit today and explore four floors of permanent and changing exhibitions, a digital dome planetarium, 4D interactive theater and an observatory.
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Search the Collection

Now available to explore online, the South Carolina State Museum's art collection is home to more than 4,500 works of fine and folk art, historic and...
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35th Anniversary

The South Carolina State Museum first opened its doors in 1988 and we are celebrating with events, programs and more!
Astronaut sits wearing a white spacesuit with a red, dusty landscape visible behind them
Planetarium

MARS: One Thousand One

Escape the heat and go on an adventure to Mars in this visually stunning planetarium experience.
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Support

Become a Member

Join the fun and save all year when you become a member of the State Museum!

Museum Hours

The museum is closed today

South Carolina State Museum301 Gervais StreetColumbia, SC 29201

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Plan Your Visit
A man and woman bend down towards a table to examine a large, old leather bound book

Collection Spotlight: William Turpin Bible (1815)

Take a closer look at this recently acquired object in the museum's collection: a Bible owned by William Turpin, a Charleston merchant and enslaver turned abolitionist.

Discover More About the Turpin Bible

Field Trips for 2023-2024 School Year

Educators, now is the time to plan your State Museum field trip for 2023-2024! Enjoy a variety of standards based offerings that will bring learning to life for you students.

Group of small students and two adults exits a white bus parked next to the South Carolina State Museum
Two hands in blue latex glove hold a whale tooth carved with a bird and images of ships and the sea
Collections

Explore Our Collections

The South Carolina State Museum houses a diverse collection of more than 1 million pieces of art, artifacts, fossils, specimen and more. The...

Man in white shirt stands in front an open door with antique binoculars inside as he shows them off to a small group of adults.
Collections

Science and Technology

The museum's science and technology collection includes a very diverse range of objects, including: tools, cars, farm equipment, vintage televisions...

Four framed paintings are mounted on the uppermost section of a rolling rack in the museum's art storage room.
Exhibitions

Art

The museum is home to more than 4,500 pieces of South Carolina art from traditional portraiture and decorative arts to contemporary work and more.

Full length skeleton of a prehistoric creature with a long, elongated body, two short legs and a thin, alligator like head.
Collections

Natural History

The extensive Natural History Collection contains an estimated 1 million fossils and specimens, organized into three major components: biology...

Accessibility at the Museum

The South Carolina State Museum is committed to providing accessible and inclusive experiences for our guests. 

Guide presents ASL interpretation during planetarium show
South Carolina State Museum Planetarium Exterior

Plan Your Visit

Explore four floors of exhibitions, enjoy 4D theater and planetarium shows and discover the universe in the observatory.

Plan Your Visit