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Charleston Museum 

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The Charleston Museum was founded in 1773, making it America’s first museum. War delayed the museum’s public opening, but the doors finally opened to the public in 1824. The Museum features two levels of exhibits that recount the history of Charleston and the Lowcountry by showcasing hundreds of items ranging from ancient fossils to Civil War artifacts. 

The first level is home to the Natural History section, temporary exhibits that focus on local history and the museum’s gift shop. The second level is home to eight permanent exhibits: 

• Lowcountry History Hall - Learn about the Native Americans who first inhabited the South Carolina Lowcountry as well as the colonists and enslaved African Americans who transformed the region into an agricultural empire.
• The Armory - Showcases examples of historic weaponry, dating from 1750 to the twentieth century
• Becoming Americans - Explore Charleston's role in the American Revolution
• Charleston in the Civil War - Learn about Charleston's role in the Civil War
• Early Days - See collections from around the world, including an Egyptian mummy and mummy case
  
• Kidstory - A hands-on exhibit for children where the history of Charleston comes alive
• Historic Textiles - Features regularly rotating exhibits from a rich historic textiles and clothing collection
• Charleston Silver - Showcasing the impressive work of the South’s finest silver craftsmen and women
  
  The museum also owns two historic homes, the Joseph Manigault House and the Heyward Washington House, that are open to the public. Admission for each is $12 or save money by purchasing combo tickets. Limited free parking is available, and paid public parking is available across the street. Allow approximately 2 hours to tour the entire museum.

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Charleston Museum Photos

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Charleston Museum Hours and Admission

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Charleston Museum Address and Map

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Current and Upcoming Events
at the Charleston Museum

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What: Fossil Friday with Curator of Natural History Matthew Gibson
When: Fridays 
Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Where: The Charleston Museum
Admission: The event is free with admission

Do you LOVE fossils? Join Matthew Gibson, Curator of Natural History, on Fridays from 2 to 4 PM in the Bunting Natural History Gallery lab. Gibson will be on hand to share projects he is currently working on and help identify your fossil finds.

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What: Special 250th Early Days Gallery Tour with Curator of Archaeology Martha Zierden
When: Sept. 21, 2023
Time: 3:30 pm
Where: The Charleston Museum
Admission: Free (Donations are accepted)

Celebrate the Charleston Museum’s 250th anniversary with a tour of the Museum’s earliest collections in the Early Days gallery, which reflects the Museum’s long history from its founding before the American Revolution to the late twentieth century. Following the tour of the Early Days gallery, guests will be led through the Museum’s special exhibit America’s First Museum: 250 Years of Collecting, Preserving, and Educating, Part 2, which will include a church pew made by enslaved hands measuring 20 feet in length, centuries old Archaic carved bone pins, a skull from the largest known flying bird and a couture Fortuny gown. Join Curator of Archaeology Martha Zierden for the story of the Museum’s history, and take a closer look at some of its earliest objects. Register online.

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What: Owl Pellets
When: Sept. 22, 2023
Time: 2 pm - 4 pm
Where: Charleston Museum
Admission: Members $10 / Non-member $15

Learn all about owls and other birds of prey, and how they survive in environments around the world. Visit our bird of prey specimens during a guided tour of our Natural History Hall. Dissect your own owl pellet and use a guide sheet to identify what the owl ate. Museum Workshops offer kids a chance to get hands on with history and natural history. Included in our workshops are a lesson on the topic and hands-on activities. Recommended for children ages 6 to 12. Reservations required. Register online. 

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What: Exploring Pottery-making to Learn about Indigenous and African Communities during Charleston’s Colonial Period (ca. 1670-1750) with Dr. Jon Marcoux
When: Sept. 28, 2023
Time: 6 pm - 7 pm
Where: Charleston Museum
Admission: The lecture is free. Suggested Donation $10

In this talk, Dr. Jon Marcoux presents some of the research he has conducted using the pottery collections from The Charleston Museum. He will discuss how archaeologists gain insights about human behavior and culture through the study of artifacts. In doing so, he will show how these rather mundane objects play into the grander historical process of colonialism. Register online.

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Hotels Near the Charleston Museum

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More things to do in Charleston

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