America’s First Museum: 250 Years of Collecting, Preserving and Educating, Part 2

06/17/2023 - 01/07/2024

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Commemorating two and a half centuries since its founding and spanning nearly 4.6 billion years of history, we are pleased to present America’s First Museum: 250 Years of Collecting, Preserving, and...

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Fossil Friday with the Natural History Department

10/06/2023

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Join Matthew Gibson, Curator of Natural History, or Jessie Peragine, Natural History Curatorial Assistant, on Fridays from 3:30 - 4:30 PM in the Bunting Natural History Gallery lab. They will...

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Community Day at the Dill Sanctuary

10/07/2023

10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Come experience the largest area of privately protected land on James Island, The Charleston Museum’s Dill Sanctuary! On October 7, the Museum invites the community to tour this precious landscape...

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Mad Hatter Party

10/12/2023

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Go down the rabbit hole with the Charleston Museum for Mad Hatter - a night of whimsy featuring a special Wonderland-themed exhibit!  Enjoy an evening of delight with impossibly curiouser...

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Fossil Friday with the Natural History Department

10/13/2023

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Join Matthew Gibson, Curator of Natural History, or Jessie Peragine, Natural History Curatorial Assistant, on Fridays from 3:30 - 4:30 PM in the Bunting Natural History Gallery lab. They will...

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Homeschool History Day: Bones, Dirt, and Pottery

10/19/2023

10:00 am - 12:30 pm

Returning for a second year, become an archaeologist for the day! Examine potsherds, glassware, bone, and metal to unlock the secrets of Charleston’s past. Students will get to dig, screen,...

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Emergence and Evolution of Carolina’s Colonial Cattle Economy with Dr. Elizabeth J. Reitz

10/19/2023

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

In celebration of long-time Curator of Historical Archaeology Martha Zierden's distinguished career, The Charleston Museum is pleased to host a three-part fall lecture series, featuring noted scholars in the field...

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Fossil Friday with the Natural History Department

10/20/2023

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Join Matthew Gibson, Curator of Natural History, or Jessie Peragine, Natural History Curatorial Assistant, on Fridays from 3:30 - 4:30 PM in the Bunting Natural History Gallery lab. They will...

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Screen Printing Clay Resist & Indigo Workshop with Local Artist Kristy Bishop

10/21/2023

10:00 am - 1:00 pm

In this workshop participants will learn how to combine screen printing using a clay paste and indigo. Charleston fiber artist Kristy Bishop will demo how to make the clay paste,...

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Bugs and Boos: Pinning and Preservation Workshop

10/24/2023

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Join us to learn about the beauty of insects, scientific collections, and experience a hands-on demonstration from a real entomologist!  Each participant will learn how to pin and preserve their...

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Halloween Party: Trick or Treat at the Museum

10/27/2023

3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Kick off your Halloween celebrations with the Charleston Museum! Wear your eerie-sistible costumes and visit the Education Classroom for crafts, activities, and spooky snacks! Then embark on a guided trick...

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Fossil Friday with the Natural History Department

10/27/2023

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Join Matthew Gibson, Curator of Natural History, or Jessie Peragine, Natural History Curatorial Assistant, on Fridays from 3:30 - 4:30 PM in the Bunting Natural History Gallery lab. They will...

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Sweetgrass Basket Weaving Workshop

10/28/2023

9:30 am - 1:30 pm

Join local artisan Sarah Edwards-Hammond for in-depth instruction on sweetgrass basketry which has been an integral part of the Lowcountry’s Gullah Geechee community since the 17th century. Edwards-Hammond comes from a...

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Lowcountry Ecology Tour with Curator of Natural History Matthew Gibson

10/28/2023

10:00 am - 11:30 am

Join Natural History Curator Matthew Gibson on a nature walk through The Charleston Museum's Dill Sanctuary, where you will get an in-depth look at the ecological diversity of the Lowcountry....

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Fossil Friday with the Natural History Department

11/03/2023

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Join Matthew Gibson, Curator of Natural History, or Jessie Peragine, Natural History Curatorial Assistant, on Fridays from 3:30 - 4:30 PM in the Bunting Natural History Gallery lab. They will...

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Indigo Dyeing Workshop with Local Artist Kristy Bishop

11/04/2023

10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Join local artist Kristy Bishop as she leads an introductory workshop on dyeing with indigo at the Dill Sanctuary!  Participants will have the chance to learn about the history of...

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Election Day Workshop

11/07/2023

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Celebrate Election Day with activities focused on the founding of our country that highlight the importance of voting. Play a taxation game to see first-hand why the colonists wanted to...

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Educator Professional Development: Life in Colonial Charleston

11/07/2023

1:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Explore colonial Charleston through hands-on, interactive learning that can be applied in the classroom. Handle artifacts from the colonial era and play the Colonial Game of Life to better understand...

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Archaeology at The Charleston Museum: Past, Present, and Future with Martha Zierden

11/09/2023

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

In celebration of long-time Curator of Historical Archaeology Martha Zierden's distinguished career, The Charleston Museum is pleased to host a three-part fall lecture series, featuring noted scholars in the field...

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Fossil Friday with the Natural History Department

11/10/2023

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Join Matthew Gibson, Curator of Natural History, or Jessie Peragine, Natural History Curatorial Assistant, on Fridays from 3:30 - 4:30 PM in the Bunting Natural History Gallery lab. They will...

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In Defense of Charleston: A Tour of Battery Pringle with Chief of Collections Jennifer McCormick

11/11/2023

9:30 am - 11:00 am

The Confederate earthwork Battery Pringle was created by enslaved people and soldiers stationed on James Islands to serve as part of General Pierre Beauregard’s “New Lines.” Hurriedly constructed in 1863,...

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Special 250th Early Days Gallery Tour with Curator of Historic Textiles Virginia Theerman

11/15/2023

3:30 pm

Celebrate the Charleston Museum's 250th anniversary with a tour of the Museum’s earliest collections in the Early Days gallery, which reflects the Museum’s long history from its founding before the American Revolution to...

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Homeschool History Day: Indigenous American Knowledge

11/16/2023

10:00 am - 12:30 pm

Immerse yourself in the daily life of South Carolina’s first inhabitants by examining tools and items used by native peoples. Learn about the methods of survival by handling animal skins,...

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John Milner and the Fire of 1740 with Curator of Historical Archaeology Martha Zierden and Dr. Sarah Platt of College of Charleston

11/16/2023

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

The Charleston fire of 1740 was a pivotal event in the city’s history, destroying nearly half of the colonial town. This opened city lots for building in new styles, replacing...

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Indigenous American Workshop

11/17/2023

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Discover the lives of early South Carolina inhabitants who arrived over 12,000 years ago through hands-on exploration of artifacts and replicas of tools and animal skins. Learn how native peoples...

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Fossil Friday with the Natural History Department

11/17/2023

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Join Matthew Gibson, Curator of Natural History, or Jessie Peragine, Natural History Curatorial Assistant, on Fridays from 3:30 - 4:30 PM in the Bunting Natural History Gallery lab. They will...

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Calendar Candle Workshop with Local Floral Designer & Master Certified Florist Pia Geraghty

11/18/2023

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Join Local Floral Designer and Master Certified Florist Pia Geraghty to make your own Christmas Candle design using fresh and preserved botanicals, Christmas Decorations and a numbered candle for counting...

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STEAM Saturday: Pirates

11/18/2023

10:00 am - 11:30 am

Yo ho! Join the Charleston Museum’s pirate crew. Design your own pirate ship, create pirate slime, and find the hidden treasure using a compass! Full STEAM Ahead is now STEAM...

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Teen STEAM Workshop: Maritime Archaeology

11/22/2023

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Dive into the field of maritime archaeology while staying on dry land! Discover the basics of maritime archaeology including tools and techniques. Learn to create a mud map and take...

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Thanksgiving Day: Museum and Historic Houses CLOSED

11/23/2023

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

The Charleston Museum and our historic houses are closed Thanksgiving Day, so that staff may enjoy the holiday with family and friends.  We resume regular hours on the Friday, November...

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Educator Professional Development: Life in the Civil War

12/01/2023

1:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Examine the myriad of perspectives of those affected by the Civil War including Union and Confederate soldiers, women at war and on the home front, enslaved laborers in Charleston, and...

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Sweetgrass Basket Weaving Workshop

12/02/2023

9:30 am - 1:30 pm

Join local artisan Sarah Edwards-Hammond for in-depth instruction on sweetgrass basketry which has been an integral part of the Lowcountry’s Gullah Geechee community since the 17th century. Edwards-Hammond comes from a...

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Garden Club of Charleston Holiday Decorations at the Joseph Manigault House

12/02/2023 - 12/27/2023

10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Annually, the Garden Club of Charleston uses this magnificent antebellum house as a backdrop for their creative holiday arrangements, using plant material that would have been available in the Lowcountry...

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Holiday Decorations Celebration at the Manigault House

12/02/2023

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Kick-off your festive season on Saturday, December 2nd at the Holiday Decorations Celebration! Every year the Garden Club of Charleston transforms the Joseph Manigault House with beautiful decorations for the...

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STEAM Saturday: Holly Jolly Science

12/09/2023

10:00 am - 11:30 am

Deck the halls with science! Attempt to construct a gingerbread house that survives an earthquake. Design your own sleigh, make a reindeer fly, and create a snowstorm in a jar!...

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Holiday Candle Making Workshop with Local Artist Daisy McClellan

12/09/2023

11:00 am - 12:30 pm

Join local artist, Daisy McClellan, at The Charleston Museum for a relaxing Holiday Candle Making Workshop with vintage vessels. Learn how to make your very own candles from beginning to...

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Winter Break Camp

12/19/2023 - 12/21/2023

9:00 am - 12:00 pm

There’s snow-place like the Charleston Museum! Kick off your winter break with our half-day Museum Camp. Children will travel through time learning about history around the world while participating in...

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Holiday Workshop

12/20/2023

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Deck the halls at the Charleston Museum with our annual Holiday Workshop. Children can sip on hot chocolate and eat cookies as they create their own ornaments and decorations to...

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Christmas Eve: Museum and historic houses CLOSED

12/24/2023

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

The Charleston Museum and our historic houses will be close on Christmas Eve, so that staff may enjoy the holiday with family and friends. We resume regular hours on the...

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Christmas Day: Museum and Historic Houses CLOSED

12/25/2023

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

The Charleston Museum and our historic houses are closed on Christmas Day, so that staff may enjoy the holiday with family and friends. We resume regular hours on the Monday,...

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Marvelous Maps Workshop

12/28/2023

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Become a cartographer for the day! Learn how to read different types of maps, examine maps made throughout the centuries, and create your very own map to take home! Museum...

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Communication through the Ages Teen Workshop

12/29/2023

10:00 am - 11:30 am

Travel through time discovering how people communicated throughout the ages. Learn about improvements in technology and their effects on how people relate to one another. Try your hand at letter...

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New Year’s Day: Museum and historic houses OPEN

01/01/2024

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

The Charleston Museum and our Historic Houses are open on New Year's Day.  Start your new year off with America's first museum! The Charleston Museum: Monday through Saturday 9 am...

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Educator Professional Development: Life in South Carolina: Natural Disasters and Mapping

01/26/2024

1:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Shake, rattle, and roll with the Charleston Museum as we explore hands-on approaches to natural disasters. Using earthquake tables and twister bottles, learn about the basics of natural disasters. See...

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Valentine Candle Making Workshop with Local Artist Daisy McClellan

02/10/2024

11:00 am - 12:30 pm

Join local artist Daisy McClellan for a special Valentine's candle making workshop using vintage vessels. McClellan will instruct participants on the history of candle making and how to make candles...

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Educator Professional Development: Life in the Saltmarsh

04/08/2024

10:00 am - 12:30 pm

Discover the Dill Sanctuary! Explore on a guided Marsh Walk highlighting the unique and valuable saltmarsh and maritime forest ecosystems. Come face to face with creatures adapted to life in...

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