South Carolina State Museum

South Carolina’s multidisciplinary State Museum opened on October 29, 1988, in the renovated Mount Vernon Mill at 301 Gervais Street in Columbia’s Congaree Vista. The development of a museum was initiated in 1973 when the state legislature formed the South Carolina Museum Commission and charged it with “the creation and operation of a State Museum reflecting the history, fine arts and natural history and the scientific and industrial resources of the state.” To that end, the State Museum provides displays in the Mount Vernon Mill building as well as traveling exhibitions. It also offers seminars and technical and staff support for museums throughout the state. Permanent exhibitions reflect the central themes of its charge: the geology, flora, and fauna of South Carolina; depictions of the everyday life of ordinary South Carolinians throughout history; the arts and crafts of South Carolinians; the scientific and technological contributions of South Carolinians; and the impact of developments in such fields as transportation, communication, and manufacturing on the lives of South Carolinians. Additional galleries house short-term exhibitions and small, temporary exhibits–typically offering further explorations of central themes. The museum’s “teaching collection” provides expendable materials for active learning related to the exhibits and further enhances the museum’s effort to provide a “hands-on” experience to its visitors. The museum derives its funding from state appropriations and self-generated income and is accredited by the American Association of Museums.