Gallery at the State Museum with giant shark jaws on display along with life-size Megalodon replica hanging from ceiling
Permanent Exhibition

Second Floor Galleries

Travel back millions of years into the past to explore dinosaurs, see fossils and learn about the natural history of South Carolina.

Museum Hours

Open today from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

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Second Floor Highlights

Home to "Finn" the South Carolina State Museum's iconic Megalodon replica!

The second floor exhibition galleries feature an in depth look at South Carolina's ancient past to its modern day habitats and the amazing variety of animals found here. Guests will see fossils that are millions of years old, life-size replicas of animals including a mastodon and a glyptodont, displays depicting the state river systems and waterways, and recreations of the many types of environments found throughout South Carolina.

 

Gallery at the State Museum with giant shark jaws on display along with life-size Megalodon replica hanging from ceiling

Gallery featuring 'Finn' the Megalodon, along with shark teeth and other related objects.

A mother holding a child looks at her son standing close by as he looks up in awe at a T-Rex skull at the South Carolina State Museum.

Dinosaur gallery featuring cast of a Tyrannosaurus Rex skull on exhibit.

Ancient animal replica, similar to a very large armadillo that is light brown in color

Glyptodont in the natural history gallery

Group of students in purple shirts stand with adult educator with giant shark jaw mounted on wall behind them.

Campers and educators in the natural history gallery.

Wooden walkway in foreground with area behind it painted to appear like a lowcountry South Carolina beach

Beach display in the South Carolina Habitats gallery.

Gallery at the State Museum with giant shark jaws on display along with life-size Megalodon replica hanging from ceiling
A mother holding a child looks at her son standing close by as he looks up in awe at a T-Rex skull at the South Carolina State Museum.
Ancient animal replica, similar to a very large armadillo that is light brown in color
Group of students in purple shirts stand with adult educator with giant shark jaw mounted on wall behind them.
Wooden walkway in foreground with area behind it painted to appear like a lowcountry South Carolina beach

 

Finn the Megalodon

Created by artist Stavros Chrysostomides, the museum's iconic giant Megalodon replica has been delighting guests for decades as they learn about the ancient ocean creatures that once swam over the area we now call South Carolina. In addition to Finn, the gallery also includes displays of fossil and modern shark teeth and replicas of Great White and Hammerhead sharks.

 

Dinosaur Gallery

Millions of years ago amazing animals such as dinosaurs, mastodons and glyptodonts once roamed the Earth. On the second floor museum guests can see a full-size casts of an Albertosaurus, replicas of a Mastodon and a glyptodont, sabertooth cat fossils, and more.

 

South Carolina Habitats

This immersive space allows guests to see - and hear - the sites and sounds from habitats found throughout South Carolina. From the beaches of the lowcountry, to the sandhills and woodlands, these displays feature examples of animals, plant life, and more.

Hours & Pricing

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