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 daily life during this time. Learn about apprenticeships and bring learning to life through beeswax candle rolling and plaster arts. This program is designed for and only open to educators and includes admission to the Charleston Museum.

Reservations are required. Please verify with your school district to receive 2.5 recertification credit hours.

For more information: call 843-722-2996 ext. 236

Museum Mile Month

January 2024

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YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Explore the prosthetic hand of a Civil War officer in the history collection at The Charleston Museum with Director Carl Borick. Donated to the museum by the Gaillard family in 2004, this prosthetic was used by their ancestor, Colonel Peter Gaillard, after he was severely wounded while serving in the Confederate army at Battery Wagner on Morris Island. The fort came under direct assault by Federal troops in July 1863. It is unclear when or how Gaillard was wounded, but the injury to his hand was so severe it had to be amputated. According to family tradition, the hand was carved by one of Gaillard's soldiers from the **** of a discarded rifle.

In conjunction with The Charleston Museum's 250th anniversary in 2023, the Museum will release a monthly video to highlight important objects in the collections. We invite you to check back monthly to explore each object with our curatorial staff.

WORKSHOP

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

Saturday, November 18 | 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 down the days till Christmas – a tradition that falls in perfectly with the Danish concept of “Hygge”, where candles play a large part. This workshop will include an introduction on the background of this tradition and Danish holiday traditions in general. It will be followed by a demonstration and personalized instruction. A variety of materials, as well as personalized instruction, are included in this workshop to help you make a one of a kind creation to celebrate the holiday season!

Geraghty is a local floral designer with over 20 years’ experience and owner of The Secret Garden Charleston. Initially trained in Denmark, she most recently became a European Master Certified florist. She is passionate about her craft, interested in sustainability, and often looks to classic practices to learn more about her profession.

All materials and instruction provided in this workshop.

$75 Museum Members | $105 Non-Members

LECTURES

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

Thursday, November 19 | 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

The Charleston Museum’s 250th Anniversary special exhibition presents the history of the Museum’s archaeological research, highlighting important projects from the past seven decades. The collections on exhibit are also the subject of new studies by outside researchers, using methods ranging from C14 dating to stable isotope analysis. Such pathbreaking studies are the reason to curate archaeological collections. Join Curator Martha Zierden for a history of past excavations and new discoveries.

Registration is encouraged. This lecture is FREE for Members and FREE for the public. ***SUGGESTED DONATION $10***

Light reception and wine selections available for purchase from Love and Bunches Mobile Wine Bar.

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

Thursday, November 16 | 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 the medieval style buildings shown in the 1739 Prospect. The fire consumed the west side of Church Street, including the Heyward-Washington lot, where gunsmith and Royal Armourer John Milner’s property fell victim to the flames. Milner testified that he “watched his own house burn” while he scrambled to move the Colony’s arms to a secure location, rushing through the back lot onto Ropemaker’s Lane to Meeting Street. Ash from the destruction of Milner’s property blankets the archaeological site at the Heyward-Washington house as level 5. Ash clings to rusted nails and window glass is melted into odd shapes. Curator Martha Zierden and Dr. Sarah Platt of the College of Charleston will take you back to the day of the fire, describe events on the property, and share artifacts from John Milner’s home and gunsmith operation.

Reservations required.

$40 Museum Members | $55 Non-Members

TOURS

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

Saturday, November 11 | 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, the battery served as part of the defense of Charleston and James Island until the end of the Civil War. Well-armed, the small number of officers and enlisted men within Pringle endured heat, supply shortages and punishing artillery barrages, particularly in the summer of 1864, when the strategic defensive position on the Stono River was of critical importance against both the Federal Army and Navy.

Now listed in the National Register of Historic Places, Battery Pringle is protected within the confines of The Charleston Museum’s Dill Sanctuary and is regarded among the most well-preserved Confederate artillery posts in the country.

Join Chief of Collections Jennifer McCormick to explore this historically important landmark and better understand its strategic importance in the Civil War.

Please note: this is an “off-road” location with steep inclines and unprepared terrain. Walking shoes/boots are recommended.

Reservations required.

$40 Museum Members | $55 Non-Members

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

Wednesday, November 15 | 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 the late twentieth century. Following the tour of Early Days gallery, guests will be led through the Museum’s special exhibit America’s First Museum: 250 Years of Collecting, Preserving, and Educating, Part 2, which will include a church pew made by enslaved hands measuring 20 feet in length, centuries old Archaic carved bone pins, a skull from the largest known flying bird and a couture Fortuny gown. Join Curator of Historic Textiles Virginia Theerman for the story of the Museum’s history and take a closer look at some of its earliest objects.

This program is FREE for Members and FREE with admission. Reservations preferred.

CHILDREN EVENTS

Election Day Workshop

Tuesday, November 7 | 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 found their own country, explore the history of voting rights and how they have changed over time, and cast your own ballots. Museum Workshops offer kids a chance to get hands-on with history and natural history. Included in our workshops are a lesson on the topic and hands-on activities. Recommended for children ages 6 to 12.

Reservations required.

$10 Museum Members | $15 Non-members

For more information: call 843-722-2996 ext. 236

Homeschool History Day: Indigenous American Knowledge

Thursday, November 16 | 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, pottery, projectile points, and tools. Homeschool History Day programs feature a field trip experience, a chance to go through the Museum, and an educational activity.

Reservations required. Two sessions offered: 10 – 11 AM and 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

$5 for Museum Member Students | $10 for Non-Member Students

Free for Museum Member Adults | $12 for Non-Member Adults

For more information: call 843-722-2996 ext. 236

Indigenous American Workshop

Friday, November 17 | 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 communicated using sign language. Create your own piece of dreamcatcher and write your own story using indigenous symbols on “buffalo” hide. Museum Workshops offer kids a chance to get hands-on with history and natural history. Included in our workshops are a lesson on the topic and hands-on activities. Recommended for children ages 6 to 12. Reservations required.

$10 Museum Members | $15 Non-members

For more information: call 843-722-2996 ext. 236

STEAM Saturday: Pirates

Saturday, November 18 | 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 Saturday. STEAM Saturday is a hands-on workshop series featuring the components of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. This program is for children ages 6 and up. We encourage adults to stay. Reservations required.

$10 Museum Members | $15 Non-Members

For more information: call 843-722-2996 ext. 236

Teen STEAM Workshop: Maritime Archaeology

Wednesday, November 22 | 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 measurements of wreck sites. Specially geared for teens, our Teen Workshops offer an opportunity to engage with a variety of topics including history, the natural world, and STEAM principles. Workshops include a lesson or guided tour and hands-on activities. For ages 13 to 17. Reservations required.

$10 Museum Members | $15 Non-members

For more information: call 843-722-2996 ext. 236

MUSEUM BLOG

The Gaillard Arm

The Charleston Museum’s collection includes many objects associated with the Civil War, including uniforms, weapons, flags, and a variety of other objects in some way linked to the Nation’s most deadly conflict. Of these objects, both unusual and strikingly personal, is a prosthetic forearm and hand on exhibit in the Museum’s permanent Civil War gallery.

CURRENT EXHIBITS

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

NOW ON VIEW

Historic Textiles Gallery

A Historical Timeline of America's First Museum: 1773 - 2023

NOW ON VIEW

Lowcountry Image Gallery

COLLECTIONS ONLINE

The Charleston Museum offers an online catalog of the collections. This online catalog represents only a portion of the collections, but it is regularly updated, so check back often.

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