When visiting the heart of SC, a trip to the South Carolina State Museum is a must. As the largest and most comprehensive museum in the state, the SCSM experience will ignite your curiosity and leave you inspired. Keep reading to learn how to plan a whole day around visiting this top-notch attraction!
With so much to see and learn at museum, you’ve got to come prepared. Which means no empty stomachs. Fuel up and start your day off right with some breakfast at Café Strudel, just a few minutes down the road from the SCSM. Their Hangover Hashbrowns are famous, and you’ll even find this legendary establishment as a stop on our Pimento Cheese Passport.
Once you’re at the museum and have purchased your tickets, it’s time to strategize. How you plan to tackle your exploration is up to you. You’ll find four floors of permanent and changing exhibits, and four museums in one: art, history, natural history, and science and technology. Start on the first floor and work your way up or start at the top floor and work your way down. You can’t go wrong either way.
All this knowledge seeking can work up an appetite. When you’re ready for a snack or lunch break, check out The Crescent Café inside the museum by The Food Academy. Share some nachos or pecan pimento cheese with your crew or dig into a cheeseburger or flatbread pizza.
If you want to rest your feet for a bit, catch a show at the 4-D theater. With 3-D visuals mixed with vibrating seats, blasts of air, and even snow, you’ll feel like you’re a part of the action. Don’t forget to also check out the observatory where you can look through the historic 1926 Alvan Clark refracting telescope and the planetarium for astronomy and laser light shows.
If you visit the museum now through October 26, 2025, you’re in luck! The SCSM is hosting one of its most exciting and magical traveling exhibits to date: Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume. Created by the Walt Disney Archives, the showcase features 70 costumes from beloved characters such as Cinderella, Maleficent, and more, highlighting the innovative ways iconic characters are brought to life through the artistry and imagination of their costumes.
After you’ve seen everything there is to see, your trip isn’t quite over yet. Don’t leave without stopping by the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum, located right inside the SCSM. Military history buffs will appreciate the journey through time from the Civil War to WWII and the Vietnam War.
Say your goodbyes to the museum and all its wonders, then wrap up this perfect day with some sunshine and fresh air. Hop on over to family-friendly Savage Craft Ale Works for some bites, brews, and live music.
