Famous Museums in Charleston

Let's explore the finest collection of museums in Charleston:

1. Old Slave Mart Museum

   4.4 (801 Votes)
   

   Art Museum, Art Gallery, Historical Site

   As you must have seen in movies or read in old stories, slavery was a common phenomenon in the countries ruled and lived in by the Whites’. This place is one such where the slaves were set for display. Yes, the name comes from the fact that this was a slave display gallery in earlier times. The name of this stretch of street where the museum still remains was Ryan Street. This was where s...Read more

2. Children's Museum Of The Lowcountry

   4.5 (143 Votes)
   

   Children Museum, Exhibition

   This is an initiative to make a child’s life better by all ways and means. They try to involve children in interactive activities to make them learn while having fun. They also work towards increasing social and health awareness among children and young mothers. This museum has a lot of hands on exhibits so that children can touch, feel and manipulate all of these according to them. The p...Read more

3. Gibbes Museum Of Art

   4.7 (49 Votes)
   

   Art And Culture, Art Museum, Outdoors

   This art museum was earlier known as the Gibbes Art Gallery after the name of its founder James Shoolbred Gibbes who also donated a hefty amount for its erection. The art museum mostly consists of beautiful examples of American Contemporary art from the 19th and 20th centuries. The classic interior decorations and the standard of the collections make it a premiere spot for tourists and art enth...Read more

4. The Powder Magazine

   4.5 (58 Votes)
   

   Museum, Observatory, Educational Site

   This is a museum operated under an association known as the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America. It is the oldest surviving public building of the United Province of Carolina. The museum was earlier on just a godown where the natives used to store their gunpowder supplies. This place has been listed in the Register of National Historic Places as a National historic Landmark. Apart...Read more

5. The Best Friend Train Museum

   

   Museum

   The Best Friend Train Museum located in South Carolina is one of the famous tourist destinations. The original train went for its first trip in 1830 but unfortunately after six months the train’s engine was destroyed. In 1928 a replica of the train was built to celebrate SC Canal and Rail Road Company’s 100th birthday. The best friend train was the first engine built in the entire U...Read more

6. Joseph Manigault House

   4.4 (120 Votes)
   

   History Museum, Historical Site, Monument, Architecture

   This is also a historic house museum that is operated under The Charleston museum and listed under the register of National Historic Monuments. The house is mostly famous for it Adams style Architecture and the interior decoration that represents typical Colonial era lifestyle and living. The name of the house is gotten from the family that lived here. the design and architecture was done by Ga...Read more

7. Heyward-Washington House

   4.6 (175 Votes)
   

   Museum, Landmark, Historical Site

   This is a historic house museum administered and looked after by the Charleston National Museum. This was the town house of the famous Thomas Heyward Jr. who was one of the 4 signers of the Treaty of Independence of Charleston. The main reasons for the popularity of this place are the collection of lovely Charleston made furniture that are fine examples of the Colonial Era living and lifestyle,...Read more

8. The Old Slave Mart Museum

   

   Museum, Landmark

   The Old Slave Mart is situated on one of the very few cobblestone streets that remain in Charleston and is the only existing building in South Carolina that is known to have been used as a slave auction gallery. The building was first built in 1859 and slave auctions were organised inside. The interior used to be a large room with a 20-foot high ceiling while the front facade was striking with ...Read more

9. Middleton Place

   4.6 (396 Votes)
   

   Museum, Park

   Middleton Place is a rice plantation located across the Ashley River in Charleston, South Carolina. Built in the mid-1700s, this plantation was home to many generations of the Middleton family, and is now a National Historic Landmark District, and a museum. This 110-acre land also consists of some of the oldest landscaped gardens in the United States. A Charleston classic, this historic place, ...Read more

10. Confederate Museum

    4.3 (88 Votes)
    

    Museum, Historical Site, War Memorial, Market

    This museum operated by an organization known as the United Daughters of the Confederacy. It is situated on the first floor of the historic city market. The museum houses a fine collection of displays dating to the American Civil War. This includes a small number of weapons, uniforms, letters, photographs and other objects.

11. The Charleston Museum

    4.6 (542 Votes)
    

    Museum, History Museum, Historical Site

    It is the oldest museum in the whole US that was established in the year 1773 and opened to the public in the year 1824. The building we see now is a much developed version of the former. The displays of the museum mostly depict natural and cultural history of the nation. The most remarkable display of this museum is the fossil of the long extinct bird known as Pelagornis Sandersi that is found...Read more

12. American Military Museum

    4 (260 Votes)
    

    Military Museum, Educational Site

    This museum adjoining the Military College is known to have the overall collection of the wars and national heroes of the country. This means they have conserved all sorts of examples that a person needs to see to get knowledge about the wars and battles the country has gone through. The special part is that most of these military exhibits are of people who are the alumni of the Citadel militar...Read more