Its a very nice museum covering South Carolinas History as well as science and technology. It also has an observatory and associated collection of telescopes and optics.

Nice museum with Dinosaurs, and nice dioramas displaying environments in different parts of the state. Lots of local stage history and cool old weaponry

Came here on a Sunday with my 4 y/o & 7 y/o and at first I thought they would find it boring but they actually really enjoyed it! There’s LOTS to see. 4 floors. The only downfall of that is they claim the elevators are “out of order” but we still saw people using them so idk what that is about. Sucked being 7 months pregnant and having to climb all those stairs but other then that we had a good time. We saw the national parks show in the planetarium which was a little longer then I expected but a good break from all the walking and climbing. The kids liked the show. Sundays they are open from 12-5 so id like to go back on another day when we have more time and maybe when they have the concessions back open. 4/5 would recommend for adults and children 3+, not really baby friendly.

I was a little disappointed at how many of the hands on interactive exhibits were missing but I understand why. I think it just makes it a little less fun for kids. The staff was very friendly and I saw a lot of things here that I havent seen at other museums so I really enjoyed the experience anyways.

We had a great time at the museum today. They had lots of interesting exhibits. We did the planetarium and the 4D theater which was definitely worth it for the small additional price. We visited on a Saturday and there were very few people here which I thought was sad. Were from out of town and I assume Covid-19 played a big role in the crowd, but I expected to see more people. The museum did a great job of keeping everything clean! I recommend coming out and supporting this very nice museum!

I have been coming here for years. Its always changing and always come here whenever Im in town. Love it

This museum is great for kids and adults. Mostly adults and for the kids intrigued by history. The Planetarium and 45 theatre is a MUST go to.Just when you thought it couldnt get better than 3d. Sit back because 4d has arrived. Seat vibrations, wind and particle feel on legs, that 3D effect and awesome sound & better than expected comfortable seating. Overall, its an experience worth every bang for your buck! #southcarolinaian

We enjoyed visiting the museum today. The museum made it very clear how they are dealing with COVID-19 and the precautions they expect guests and employees to follow. We specifically went for the Halloween laser show. It was a very nice presentation. We followed it up with a great walk through the museum. The only thing I would recommend is to pay attention BEFORE you buy your tickets. We purchased tickets online so that we could be sure to have a spot. When we got there we found out that we could get $25 off a membership if we upgraded. This is where we have a problem. Our visit cost us nearly $70 for the family. To upgrade to a membership would cost $129. Even with the $25 discount, we would still wind up spending a whole lot more than if we considered the membership up front and purchased the $129 membership. We chose to not spend $50 extra on a membership. Other than this issue, everything was great.

First time in this museum, so much to learn from here good service, good attention, professional staff, everything is clean, very colorful. You’ll find out a lot about South Carolina History, the time transition from the past to present, about the colonial government, you’ll see many maps. This museum it’s about science, society, culture, etc. This museum is amazing place for the kids to see and ask questions, the have the chance and the opportunity to ask and to be curious, we all can learn so much, I love this place and I recommend to come visit with the whole family I’ll come again for sure, because you can see about the revolution and evolution, you can see old routes that’s good for google map and on some on my pictures check it. In this museum museum you’ll see cool things like old transportation, you can find few theaters, it’s a big museum. It’s a café place Check all my pictures, let me know what you think, hit like to all of them

Me and my family had a good time but the show was not what we expected. The customer service was not great . Me and my family walked in and there was 2 crew members at customer service . One of the crew members was helping a couple . The crew member that was free just looked around and sometimes at us but never volunteer to help me. Then the crew member that was helping a couple was finished and offered us help as we walk up to get our tickets another family walks in and the other crew member offered them help but when me and my family was waiting he would not offer us help. I really felt some kind of way. Other then that great place

Always enjoy visiting this museum. There is so much to see and so well displayed. Interesting for all ages.

Just visited the Sherlock Holmes Exhibit and worked with my brother to solve the case. I am a grown man and I was challenged and perplexed at the incredible attention to detail behind the exhibit. Ive been to escape rooms before and while this is an open world detective solution with no time crunch, I truly felt immersed in the world and enticed by the storyline to complete the objectives. I am a massive fan of Sherlock Holmes and for those fellow fans out there, this exhibit is one of the very best experiences with the lore of Holmes and Watson that I have ever experienced. Bring the whole family and lose yourself for hours trying to connect the clues and solve the case... Indubitably.

First Sunday of the month was $1 admission. Absolutely had an amazing time with my two and four year old. The exhibits were very high quality and educational. The four floors of exhibits have hours of amazing historical fun and education for all ages. From fossils to austronuats with fun and learning around every corner. We enjoyed the giant telescope with live view of the sun. So many exhibits and history we will be back for many more visits. Regular admission is well worth the this experience. Highly recommend for everyone of all ages. Clean restrooms and friendly staff South Carolina has captured the ideal museum experience.

So many excellent displays and dioramas to see. This is an excellent museum. Take a break from your Xbox and go see something that is interesting and worthwhile.

What a fabulous place to shop 4 gifts from South Carolina to send at Christmas time the sales girl was so helpful thank you

It’s my first time in visiting this beautiful museum, so amazing place I’ll give it all the stars possible and definitely recommend this place for everyone to come to visit it. I posted it in my other google account so much pictures and information too, and I left a review too, feel free to check both. I’ll show you how this beautiful museum looks like from inside, it’s super big super beautiful, you’ll not get bored, it’s few floors, so you’ll find stairs and elevator, the have a simulator, few attractions that probably you need to pay for each ticket, etc. This is fabulous place for a school trip, that’s how I got here, it’s so much to learn from this museum, the service is good, attention is good, professional staff, everything is clean, very colorful. You’ll find out a lot about South Carolina, the time transition from the past to present, about the colonial government, you’ll see many maps. This museum it’s about science, society, culture, etc. This museum is amazing place for the kids to see and ask many and many questions, kids can play and learn at the same time, they have the chance and the opportunity to ask all the questions and to be curious, we all can learn so much. I love this place, I recommend it for the whole family all the ages it’s fine. Definitely I’ll come again for sure. In this museum you can find out about revolution and evolution, you can see old routes and that’s good for google map and I’ll show it some on my pictures try to check it all. This museum is super cool place the kids like it, the kids I was chaperone they all was boy and they like this museum so hey that counts, they got to see a lot cool things, some old transportation and ride the train for a picture, you can find few theaters, it’s a big big museum. It’s a café place to buy food, with few restrooms, a place with long table to eat, 3D Theater, a gifts store or shopping store, etc. This place is wonderful, it’s big enough to spend all day long so plan for it, and you’ll not be bored how I say it in the beginning well I hope you check all my pictures, please let me know what do you think, and please hit like to all my pictures Hopefully I’ll get to see you in my next aventura, adiós

Beautiful museum. You can spend hours going through this place. The dinosaurs, history, telescopes etc. Strongly recommend to spend your day here with your family or out of town friends.

My friends and I had so much fun on our first trip to the museum. We really enjoyed Fly Me To The Moon 4D, and the National Parks Adventure movie.

So this was my first time at this museum ever. I truly enjoyed myself and the exhibits. I got to see one of the planetarium shows as well and that was definitely fun to do. We were there for 2 or 3 hours and still didnt see everything. I look forward to the next time we visit though.

We had a great time viewing the exhibits. I especially enjoyed a show at the Planetarium!

Really good service and very interesting! 10/10 recommend coming here especially for the observatory!

I went on a field trip with my daughter and here class. there was a lot of stuff to look at. My daughter love it and is dying to go back

It was a great field trip! Fast paced & never a lull in activities! The kids loved it! The only downside, there are ALOT of stairs!! There are elevators too, but those need to be highlighted better!

Great place, great price. Had a great time

Great place to visit. Great variety of exhibits to capture the interest of all family members.

I took my grandson, Trent, to the special exhibit, Hall of Heroes, at the State Museum. We had a blast. He loves all of the Marvel and Avenger characters. They had so much that he was able to do including testing his superhero strengths. It was well worth the money and we made some great memories!

Very clean and organized. I loved that they had several elevators for our stroller and for handicapped folks. The staff was very friendly and the exhibits were fascinating. The thing I liked most was there was a family room on the bottom floor that was available for nursing moms.

Led Zeppelin show in planetarium was cool.Then visited the SC Women in Politics exhibit. Really interesting.

Amazing museum with many fascinating exhibits. I highly recommend this establishment to any person of any age looking for a great place to spend their day.

Really neat place to take the kids and enjoy yourself.

Always a great time at the museum! State of the art 4D theater and the planetarium make it stand head and shoulders above the rest. The current exhibit for the Apollo moon landing is excellent and a great learning tool for the kids too. Speaking of kids, theres also Edventure next door and its designed just for them. Loads of interactive and immersive activities make it a prime spot in the summer!

What an amazing place to visit. So educational and FUN! Bring comfortable shoes and ready to walk a lot and learn even more. Such a great place, always adding new stuff and never the same place twice!

Great place to go as a family for educational entertainment. We love the 4d theater and they always have interesting exhibits. I love that there are so many interactive exhibits, although the men in the submarine model were kind of creepy, LOL! Be prepared to spend an entire day because there is SO MUCH to see. The staff and volunteers are helpful and very friendly. Food is kind of pricey.

There are a lot.of great things to say about the South Carolina State Museum. It is loaded with history and most of the exhibits are nice to look at. My favorite part is going to the observatory on Tuesday night and looking through the telescope and they look at the sun dieing the day which is really cool. I have not been on a night where they look at a full moon but I bet that would be epic. The staff is super friendly albeit and very knowledgeable, especially the observatory people; those guys/gals love that telescope.

South Carolina has so much history as a Southern State; The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room shares much of The Palmetto State’s History with anyone who visits the Room. South Carolina’s leadership took control of the seven Southern States known as “The Cotton States “ in the 1860s as the South struggled with problems brought on by Her Northern neighbors . As South Carolina natives we can be very proud of our State and Her State Leaders as they boldly lived and protected The Palmetto State during a most challenging and unfair time. Remember, it was many of our Ancestors who had to “step up to the plate” and take control of that difficult time known to many Southerners as “The Late Unpleasantness.”

Enjoyed the museum. It was a perfect rainy day activity. We spent quite a few hours, and didnt get to finish going through all the exhibits! The 3 and 4D movies were a lot of fun.

We had a wonderful experience at the Museum during the total solar eclipse on August 21st. Both the coordination of the event and the Excellence of the museum itself made a lasting impression on both me and my children.This was our first visit to Columbia and this Museum certainly makes us want to come back. We started the day off exploring the art exhibits and the geologic history exhibits. We are especially Amazed by the Savage Seas exhibit, which shows some of the amazing prehistoric life of the Inland shallow American sea during the period about 80 million years ago. This exhibit had full skeletons of a huge variety of animals that lived at this time in quite life-like positioning.As for the activity surrounding the eclipse itself, the museum certainly outdid itself and its peers. Not only did they arrange for an orderly and extremely pleasant that was neither too crowded nor too expensive, they also had exhibits from NASA and a local astronaut hero who spoke to the crowd before the full eclipse. They arranged for delicious local catering provided water and glasses to all attendees.I cant wait to go back.

As a South Carolina native, I have been to the SC State Museum countless times, but with each visit I discover something new. This museum provides a wonderful and comprehensive history of South Carolina. Visitors get to experience hundreds of interactive exhibits detailing the history of the State we proudly call home and beyond. Get answers to questions such as why is there so much sand in Lexington? To what is the significance behind the Palmetto Tree? and much, much more. We love the state museum and hope you enjoy your visit as much as our family has.

Wonderful places to shop all year long.

Had a blast here. Couldnt see it all in the time I was there. Well worth what we paid for it! And they have a military discount, so thats a plus! Gonna go back soon and take my time and see the whole place!

Nice visit. Fun 4D theater.

Had so much fun with my daughter here! So much to do and learn

Great place!!! Learning experience. Got in free because we are displaced evacuees so a great bargain! Explain just about all of South Carolinas past from dinosaurs to Indians to revolutionary war to civil war to modern times.

This place has some amazing facts...check it out

This place is huge!! There is so much to see and there is a little bit of everything. Very neat and interesting to learn more about the history of South Carolina.

Multi-storied building filled with literally tons of exhibits. The layout is easy to follow, a lot of the displays are intriguing, entertaining, and informative. The State Museum also has a planetarium and an observatory deck. It houses the largest collection of telescopes l have ever seen. The is an interactive science section that kids love to use. And the State Museum participates in a traveling exhibit, with it currently housing The Hall of Heroes, a history of comic book, radio, and movie/television superheroes.

Love it. We have a membership and go often.

Great place to spend the day lots of historical items and displays. Very nice staff well worth the money. The 4D shows are a must if you have time. A full day is needed to really enjoy the museum.

Excellent experience and well spend time with the history of the ancestors.

We came for the NASA exhibit, but were really surprised at how great the other exhibits were. We saw two shows, one at the 4D theater and one in the planetarium. Both were great and the kids loved them.The museum features four stories of various themed exhibits, including the NASA and Apollo exhibit, fossils and dinosaurs, and South Carolina history. There was also a Sherlock Holmes feature, but we did not explore that because our children didnt seem interested. I was surprised at the amount of things to explore and we spent a good amount of the day here, which is more than I can say for the EdVenture museum across the parking lot.

Every event weve been to ah the museum was a great experience. The Sherlock Holmes exhibit was really awesome.

We took my nephew for the super hero exhibit. I love the different exhibits they have yearly and always a great experience.

It was really fun alot of walking. Was very surprised on how much stuff they have. Everything was totally worth it!!

The South Carolina State Museum is a state-of-the-art facility featuring four floors of permanent and changing exhibits, a digital dome planetarium, 4D interactive theater and an observatory. The State Museum, the largest and most comprehensive museum in the state, is located along the banks of the Congaree River in downtown Columbia, South Carolina. Positioned on an old shipping canal that dates back to pre-Civil War times, the museum is widely recognized as a resource for South Carolina history and lifestyle. The museum opened on October 29th, 1988 and is housed in what it calls its largest artifact, the former Columbia Mills Building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.When the mill opened in 1894, manufacturing cotton duck cloth (a canvas-like material), it was the first totally electric textile mill in the world. It was also the first major industrial installation for the General Electric corporation. On certain levels of the museum, the original flooring has been kept intact, distinguishable by hundreds of textile brads and rings (that carried the threads during the spinning process) that became embedded in the floor while it was still being used as a mill.

Loved the new planetarium section of the museum, the NASA exhibit and like always we enjoyed the older exhibits as well. The only draw back is the fact that it seems that a lot of the older exhibits in the museum need maintenance. See pictures for some examples.

The state museum is amazing it has a nice gift shop an observatory, planetarium, and a 4d theater and it has some great exhibits including exhibits on animals and regions of South Carolina and great exhibits on the history of south Carolina including the revolutionary war, the hl hunley, fort moultrie and other things about the history of South Carolina

They have a walkthrough area on The Wizard Of Oz where you get to be the Great and Powerful Oz. There was Civil War equipment there and really old cool-looking original television sets. There was a National Parks movie playing in the films area by Robert Redford. Just a great assortment of things to help raise alot of interests. Highly recommended for all ages.

Always a fun time at the state museum. They have the new superheroes exhibit and its really cool for kids!

Granddaughters loved the Hall of Heros. The hands on activities were a delight and the nostalgic displays were nice to see.

I was definitely impressed it was much more than I expected this is a beautiful Museum and has so much to see and appreciate and enjoy. Lots to read and lots to learn if you desire knowledge its available for you here

Its fun place to kill a hr or so. We like to take our 3year old, he loves to look and see the whole place over and over again. But as members it not much different from vist to vist. The young people room on the bottom floor is amazing for my son and worth the trip. The food at the restaurant (second floor) is great, and the price isnt bad. The 4d theater is a blast we have gone twice and still love it. The extra cost a bit but they are worth it.

Had a wonderful time with my grandson and his mother.

Excellent museum! Wish I had more time they were closing before I finished. Of course I didnt get there early enough.If you go take note of the construction model of the floors in the museum. It used to be a cotton mill and that is one solid structure. Love it!

Had a great time took my wife there for her birthday. We spent about 3.5 hrs there.

When traveling, I like to visit the local museums and spend time learning the history of the place. Little did I know Mexico has influenced this state with the plants and their culture. Too much to take in at one time. Have to return several times

Very interesting

This is a great museum! Many, many items very atractively displayed. Plan to spend hours.

Very nice staff. Well organized with nice elevators. We had a good time.

Loved the Museum and the fact a lot of the exhibit was hands on. I was a chaperone. The kids were constantly darting from one area to the next. The chilled marshmallows are a must try.

Had a great time here. Very enjoyable experience and the price was not too steep. Very enjoyable for kids if they are old enough to appreciate it.

Saw 4D Sherlock Holmes cartoon movie. 3D and additional 4D effects were GREAT.Being a Member has many Benefits. Plenty of parking. Fully HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE, elevators make it very easy to navigate the 4 floors.

Easy to find, very friendly people, wonderful exhibit. A must for any family wishing to learn more about South Carolina history. Vietnam War exhibit coming soon!! Cant wait

Fun way to pass an afternoon. We enjoyed the planetarium showing and examining the third floors science and technology exhibits. Any fan of astronomy will enjoy the special exhibit of telescopes through the ages.

A fun afternoon on Museum Day. So many fascinating artifacts and experiences from our S. C. State Museum you would need to go back the next day. We started on the top 4th floor & truly could have spent half a day up there. In the Art gallery, 1st floor, you can see a genuine Edgefield Pottery by Dave, in photo. We also enjoyed gift shop, Cotton Mill Exchange! Well be back soon. We didnt get to the observatory. You need to come. Learning is a joy!

Our family really enjoys the South Carolina state museum. It has a lot of different exhibits and things that are interesting for people of all ages. Some of the exhibits are getting a bit dated and the facility is in need for some updates but overall its a good day with the family.

Its a good place to spend a couple of hours at. Ive always enjoyed the museum but some of exhibits havent updated since I was a kid or before. A little more updates would regenerate some revisits. Maybe some more interactive exhibits would be fun.

Fun, interactive, and enjoyable for all ages. The staff are available, friendly, and willing to help when needed. Price is great, and the museum is absolutely full of fun, interactive, and interesting exhibits for all ages. We love the state museum!

The Holmes exhibit was fun! Im a huge fan of interactive exhibits. It was my bad luck that a couple high school classes were there at the same time, but still enjoyable.

Really enjoyed the National Parks show at the planetarium AND the super heroes exhibit. Had a good time!

Very cool museum! Kept the kids interested and involved!

Best way to spend some Quality Sibling time with the grands. Kids love the playroom and the 4-D movies are Always a BLAST!!!

I had my wedding here. The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. The event space is more than enough room. I was able to bring my exact vision to life. My only regret was not renting the museum for 5 hours instead of 4.

We had the best time solving a case that Sherlock Holmes investigated! We also watched a movie at there 4D theater! We are members of the museum but we have so much fun everytime we go they always have different exhibits to see thru out the year so there is always something new to see plus being members we get discounts at the shops that are there! The employees are always willing to answer questions and they are always so nice no matter who you are talking too!

Varied exhibits on the history of the state and a fun 4D movie.

We had a blast and learned so much! Super nice staff.

Great place, make sure to stop in. Awesome and very educational.

It is super affordable! $1 every first Sunday of each month.

Very interesting artefacts and multi-media displays. One floor for each focus. Friendly and helpful staff.We only had a short time to spend there - would recommend you allocate at least 3 hours to see and experience most of everything.

This is our second visit to the museum in about 4 years. This time we had a science/stem presentation and a visit in the planetarium. We enjoy the Confederate Relic Room but didnt visit it this time. The presentation was very interesting and they did a great job of keeping our group engaged (not easy when the kids range from 2-15 years old!). The new(er) exhibits were great, with a lot of interactive information. Plan for plenty of time for all 4 floors! So much to see, learn, read, and play with. There are also a cafe to buy lunch or snacks, a 4D Experience Theater, and laser shows to make it a full day visit.

Nice employees, well maintained exhibits.

We had an amazing time! Happy 30th Anniversary SCSM!!!

Ive never been to the state museum before and I thought it was great! The whole top floor is all about telescopes which might be a bore for some but, if it is, you probably wouldnt visit a museum anyway. Even had a chance to look at the sun through the telescope.

Plenty to see and do... Loved the planetarium show on national parks!

We had a really nice time at the State Museum so a lot of really interesting exhibits.If youre on a budget I suggest you pack a lunch because the cafe prices are a little steep but other than that we really enjoyed our day at the Museum.

So much to see for an amazing price!

My 3 yo son loves the museum. Their kids indoor play ground, dinosaurs, trains, science wing with lasers, etc. Each time we go he has a great time.

The exhibits were very good. My six year old grandson was able to have a good time. The play area for the little ones needs adult seating and needs to be updated. The workbench are was pretty bare. The food prices were way too high.

Pamphlet of floors not detailed for specific displays. Staff confidently told us where particular display was located but she was wrong. Lots of fascinating exhibits to see anyway. Artisans for sweetgrass baskets & wood decoys very knowledgeable & obviously love their craft. Enjoyable afternoon but staff not at their best today

I love the museum and all of the special exhibits. a little nervous that they are opening so soon

Four floors of displays! Plus the Planetarium and special attractions! A must-visit while in Columbia. (1st Sunday of the month is only $1 admission.)