Purchase tickets, join or renew a museum membership, and/or contact our helpful team with questions.

Guest using the parking deck (which include accessible parking areas) may enter the museum through the Atrium.

The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Planetarium takes guests on journeys to the deepest reaches of space through exciting astronomy shows, entertaining programs focused on art, history or natural history and even laser shows.

See what's showing

This large space is a great area to meet up with fellow guests and it is where many museum events are held. Did you know? You can also rent it out to host your own special event.

Learn More About Event Rentals

Temporarily Located on the 2nd Floor

The museum store is the perfect location to find amazing and unique SC themed gifts.

Learn More About the Museum Shop

Columbia, SC is a great place to live and visit! Stop by the Experience Columbia lounge and learn more about the fun and exciting things to do here.

Learn more about Experience Columbia

Closed for Renovations

Home to the museum's rotating schedule of art focused exhibitions, this space is currently closed for renovations. But don't worry, there is still lots of South Carolina art to see and experience through the second, third and fourth floor galleries - and even outside! 

South Carolina is home to variety of amazing park all over the state. Learn more about them and the work of the SC State Parks system.

Learn more South Carolina State Parks

This small gallery sometimes features changing displays on a variety of topics.

Hungry or looking for a quick snack? Stop by the Cresent Cafe on your next museum visit.

Learn more about the Crescent Cafe

Guests can see a full-size casts of an Albertosaurus, replicas of a Mastodon and a glyptodont, sabertooth cat fossils, and more.

Learn about the rocks and minerals found in South Carolina, plus see a giant amethyst and more.

Learn about ancient sea creatures, like our iconic Megalodon replica, and other animals including mastodons and mammoths that once roamed pre-historic South Carolina.

The Rev. Dr. Solomon Jackson Jr 4D Theater offers guest the chance to enjoy immersive film experiences featuring 3D visuals mixed with real world effects.

This immersive space allows guests to see - and hear - the sites and sounds from habitats found throughout South Carolina.

Discover how agriculture has shaped the past of South Carolina and continues to impact its future.

See a wide variety of historic communication devices, from large television cameras to the first television sets, and explore how their development impacted industry and society in South Carolina.

Discover the story behind this important industry in South Carolina.

Did you know South Carolinian Charles Townes invented the pre-cursor to the laser, called the 'maser'? Learn more about this important innovation, see his Nobel Prize and more.

What's noise got to do with it? Discover the engaging science of sound with this hands-on display!

Discover stories revealing the impact of innovation and industry on South Carolina and learn more about the people who contributed to its advancement.

Learn about important contributions to space exploration made by South Carolinians and see related objects and artifacts, including items used by Apollo 16 astronaut Charles Duke on his mission to the Moon. 

Learn More About the Apollo 16 exhibition

Learn more about the importance of the mill industry in South Carolina with displays including original machinery, multimedia content, hands-on features and more.

Trace how the development of transportation transformed South Carolina throughout history and a life-size replica of America’s first passenger steam locomotive.

The Boeing Observatory is home to the historic 1926 Alvan Clark telescope.

Learn More About the Observatory

This gallery explores one of the most turbulent periods in South Carolina history and its aftermath. 

Travel back 14,000 years to learn about early Native American cultures and discover the history of colonial settlement

Learn about the Battle of Sullivan's Island and see a replica of Ft. Moultrie.

Discover the story behind the H.L. Hunley and learn about how it met its demise during the Civil War.

Find out what life was like for mill workers in South Carolina during the turn of the century.

This changing exhibition gallery is currently home to, The Story of Us: Sharing Our Past, Building Our Future.

Learn More About this Exhibition

Trace the history of the Revolutionary War and its impact in our state with a life-size replica of Fort Moultrie, a selection of firearms from the period and more.

Learn about this important collection featuring more than 200 telescopes and instruments dating back to 1730.