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Holidays at the South Carolina State Museum

The South Carolina State Museum is the perfect destination for holiday fun with special 4d theater and planetarium experiences, exhibitions, shopping...

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Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer with glowing nose stands against a purple background.

4D Theater

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4-D returns to the State Museum for holidays! Experience this holiday classic like never before with immersive effects including 3D visuals and even snow.

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Event

Accessibility Morning - Meet Santa

Sat., Dec. 9 | 9 - 11 a.m. Meet Santa and more during this special morning designed for guests who would benefit from a quieter, sensory-friendly and disability-adapted experience.

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

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Plan Your Visit

Visit today and explore four floors of permanent and changing exhibitions, a digital dome planetarium, 4D interactive theater and an observatory.

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Dad with son on his shoulders points at the antique Anderson Car on display with Mom and daughter nearby.

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Become a Member

Join the fun and save all year when you become a member of the State Museum!

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Museum Hours

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

South Carolina State Museum301 Gervais StreetColumbia, SC 29201

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Plan Your Visit

Áróra

Explore the beauty of the Northern Lights in Áróra, a digital dome planetarium experience. This immersive cinematic journey takes guests across remote Icelandic landscapes and into space to find and understand these mystical, eerie lights.

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Audience looks up at domed shaped image depicting bright green lights in the sky over a snowy landscape

Dec. 2, 9, 16 and 23 | 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Meet Santa, enjoy holiday shows and more at the South Carolina State Museum this season!

Included with Admission

Suitable for All Ages

Wheelchair Accessible

Sat., Dec. 9 | 9 - 11 a.m. Meet Santa and more during this special morning designed for guests who would benefit from a quieter, sensory-friendly and disability-adapted experience.

ASL Interpretation

Assistive Listening Device

Captioning Available

Suitable for All Ages

Wheelchair Accessible

Fri., Dec. 15 | 6 - 9 p.m. State Museum members are invited to an exclusive holiday PJ party, sponsored by Cool Care!

Suitable for All Ages

Wheelchair Accessible

Shop SC Themed Gifts

Visit the museum store, The Cotton Mill Exchange, and discover locally made SC themed gifts for friends and family.

Learn More About the Museum Store

Field Trips for 2023-2024 School Year

Educators, now is the time to plan your State Museum field trip for 2023-2024! Enjoy a variety of standards based offerings that will bring learning to life for you students.

Learn More about Field Trips

Group of small students and two adults exits a white bus parked next to the South Carolina State Museum

Search the Collections

The museum's expansive collection featuring art, cultural history, science and technology and natural history is now available to search online.

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See objects, artwork, fossils and more highlighting the South Carolina State Museum's 35 year history and exploring what's coming in the future.

Included with Admission

Suitable for All Ages

This photography exhibition depicts baseball in its purest form: scrap metal bases, rotten wood bleachers, teams made up of brothers, fathers, sons...

Included with Admission

Suitable for All Ages

Wheelchair Accessible

Explore the history behind South Carolina astronaut Charles Duke's Apollo 16 lunar mission and learn about scientists and engineers who have...

Suitable for All Ages

Included with Admission

Wheelchair Accessible

Make Some Noise: the Science of Sound engages guests of all ages in an interactive world of sound! Explore the way sound travels, how humans and...

Suitable for All Ages

Included with Admission

Wheelchair Accessible

Accessibility at the Museum

The South Carolina State Museum is committed to providing accessible and inclusive experiences for our guests.

Learn More about Accessibility at the Museum

Guide presents ASL interpretation during planetarium show

Headphones hang on a microphone stand with a purple and blue wall in the background

Our State, Our Stories Podcast

Developed to coincide with the museum's 35th anniversary, this new series explores stories that uncover South Carolina's rich past through in-depth looks at the museum's collection, behind-the-scenes peeks, and more.

Learn more and subscribe to the podcast