Established 1773 Founded 1773 | Website Museum's Homepage Phone +1 843-722-2996 | |
Location 121 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC Address 360 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29403, USA Hours Open today · 9AM–5PMFriday9AM–5PMSaturday9AM–5PMSunday12–5PMMonday9AM–5PMTuesday9AM–5PMWednesday9AM–5PMThursday9AM–5PM Similar Joseph Manigault House, Gibbes Museum of Art, Heyward‑Washington House, City Market, Drayton Hall Profiles | ||
The charleston museum
The Charleston Museum is one of the oldest museums in the United States. It's highly regarded collection includes historic artifacts, natural history, decorative arts and two historic Charleston houses.
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History
The Charleston Museum is among the oldest museum in the United States, other museums in this category include the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts and the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia. The Charleston Museum was founded in 1773 and opened to the public in 1824.
In 1920, when the museum hired Laura Bragg as its director, she became the first woman to direct a publicly funded art museum in America.
The museum's present building was completed in 1980 at 360 Meeting Street, Charleston, South Carolina.
Collection
The museum's exhibits include natural history and local history displays and decorative arts, including silver. The museum is also home to the only known fossil of the extinct Pelagornis sandersi, which is the largest flying bird ever discovered.
The museum also owns and operates two historic house museums:
In addition to the two houses, the museum also maintains The Dill Sanctuary. From the site:
... located on James Island contains assorted habitats for wildlife and numerous cultural features including three earthen Confederate batteries and prehistoric, colonial, antebellum, and postbellum archaeological sites. The Dill Sanctuary has been protected for purposes of preservation, wildlife enhancement, research and education, and is used only for Museum-sponsored programs. Habitat has been enhanced by creation of a six-acre wildlife pond, with three nesting islands, which provides a reliable source of fresh water for animals and nesting sites for both migratory and resident birds. 2001 saw the construction of the Dill Education Center and bathroom facilities which hosts Museum education programs.