Highest-rated museums in South Carolina by visitors

Museums are popular tourist attractions because they provide fun ways to learn about history, science, and culture. As stewards of our civilization, they collect and exhibit items of significant importance, typically based around a theme, topic, or place. Many cover areas like art, natural history, or science, but some museums dedicate themselves to highly specific topics like mustard, play, hot air balloons, and even funeral history. Ultimately, museums present a window into different eras of society so people can learn about the past.

Collecting, preserving, and displaying items is not a new idea. The dates to about 530 B.C., a project of Princess Ennigaldi-Nanna, a Babylonian who had a collection of Mesopotamian artifacts. The oldest public museums still in existence are the Capitoline Museums in Rome, a collection of art and archeology museums . America's oldest museum predates our country's founding. The Charleston Museum, a preservation of South Carolinian Lowcountry history,.

Museums are important not just because they preserve important elements of our history and culture but also because they can improve our well-being. Naturally, museums promote education and learning and can also bring joy. Researchers studying art museums found that they can. Quiet museum environments allow people to slow down and relax, and looking at exhibits. Museums also foster community by hosting events, activities, and tours that encourage social interaction.

No wonder they attract nearly.

With over in the country to choose from, there's something for everyone. compiled a list of the highest-rated museums in South Carolina on Tripadvisor as of Aug. 11, 2025. Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Keep reading to see what museums are in your own home state.

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#30. Museum and Library of Confederate History

- Rating: 4.6/5 (144 reviews)
- City: Greenville South
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#29. Parris Island Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (215 reviews)
- City: Parris Island South
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#28. The Sandbox Interactive Children's Museum

- Rating: 4.2/5 (248 reviews)
- City: Hilton Head South
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#27. International African American Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (78 reviews)
- City: Charleston South
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#26. Columbia Museum of Art

- Rating: 4.4/5 (289 reviews)
- City: not available
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#25. The Children's Museum of the Upstate

- Rating: 4.6/5 (374 reviews)
- City: Greenville South
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#24. South Carolina Military Museum

- Rating: 4.8/5 (98 reviews)
- City: not available
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#23. Franklin G. Burroughs - Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (342 reviews)
- City: Myrtle Beach South
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#22. Upcountry History Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (213 reviews)
- City: Greenville South
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#21. EdVenture Children's Museum

- Rating: 4.2/5 (405 reviews)
- City: not available
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#20. Gibbes Museum of Art

- Rating: 4.4/5 (170 reviews)
- City: Charleston South
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#19. Pat Conroy Literary Center

- Rating: 5.0/5 (465 reviews)
- City: Beaufort South
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#18. Warbird Park

- Rating: 4.5/5 (184 reviews)
- City: Myrtle Beach South
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#17. Robert Lange Studios

- Rating: 4.9/5 (180 reviews)
- City: Charleston South
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#16. Ripley's Believe It or Not!

- Rating: 3.6/5 (1,111 reviews)
- City: Myrtle Beach South
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#15. Heyward-Washington House

- Rating: 4.4/5 (435 reviews)
- City: Charleston South
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#14. Wheels of Yesteryear

- Rating: 4.5/5 (353 reviews)
- City: Myrtle Beach South
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#13. BMW Zentrum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (441 reviews)
- City: Spartanburg South
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#12. South Carolina State Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (658 reviews)
- City: not available
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#11. H.L. Hunley Submarine

- Rating: 4.6/5 (897 reviews)
- City: North Charleston South
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#10. Myrtle Beach Pinball Museum

- Rating: 4.9/5 (345 reviews)
- City: Myrtle Beach South
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#9. Harbour Town Lighthouse and Museum

- Rating: 4.0/5 (1,751 reviews)
- City: Hilton Head South
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#8. Old Slave Mart Museum

- Rating: 4.1/5 (1,604 reviews)
- City: Charleston South
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#7. Hollywood Wax Museum

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1,365 reviews)
- City: Myrtle Beach South
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#6. The Charleston Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,138 reviews)
- City: Charleston South
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#5. Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,531 reviews)
- City: Charleston South
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#4. Nathaniel Russell House

- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,095 reviews)
- City: Charleston South
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#3. Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

- Rating: 4.8/5 (4,747 reviews)
- City: Mount Pleasant South
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#2. Fort Sumter National Monument

- Rating: 4.4/5 (5,935 reviews)
- City: Charleston South
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#1. Brookgreen Gardens

- Rating: 4.8/5 (4,125 reviews)
- City: Murrells Inlet South
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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