South Carolina State Museum

The South Carolina State Museum features an observatory, a 4D interactive theater, a digital dome planetarium, and four levels of both permanent and changing exhibitions (both opened in 2014). The State Museum is situated in the heart of Columbia, South Carolina, next to the Congaree River. It is a Smithsonian Affiliate and a member of the American Alliance of Museums. It is the biggest museum in the state.

Four academic fields are represented in the museum: natural history, science and technology, art, and cultural history. The Best Friend of Charleston, the first American-built locomotive in 1830, and the H.L. Hunley, the first submarine to sink an adversary ship in battle, are both on display in life-size reproductions. A life-size Columbian mammoth and a reproduction of a 3.6 million-year-old megalodon named Finn that is located on the second floor's natural history section are noteworthy features. Finn has terrified numerous groups of small children.

On the first level, there is also the Lipscomb Art Gallery, which showcases a gate made of iron by Charleston resident Philip Simmons. Additionally, there is the Cotton Mill Exchange gift shop, which sells literature and mementos of South Carolina. The Crescent Café serves sandwiches at the museum. In a room close to the café, the museum features a mural painted by Columbian artist Blue Sky in 1989 of the neighboring Gervais Street Bridge. In the parking area, topiary sculptures created by Bishopville's Pearl Fryar can be found. In 1997, the Stringer Discovery Center for young kids debuted.

Address: 301 Gervais St, Columbia, South Carolina
Official site: http://www.scmuseum.org/
Phone: +1 803-898-4921
Admission: Adults (13 and up): $8.95; Children (3-12): $6.95; Under 2: Free
Google rating: 4.7/5.0