Museums & Art

North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum & Educational Center
Built in the heart of a booming shopping mecca close to the Charleston International Airport, the North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Center houses the antique collection of fire fighting vehicles belonging to American LaFrance, LLC.  The collection of eighteen antique fire trucks includes a hand operated fire pump and two horse-drawn steam engines. Other exhibits range from a cinema with a talking robot and a film depicting the history of fire fighting to the home hazards interactive exhibit and the Great Escape exhibit. The Great Escape not only provides fun for young visitors, but lets them experience the thrill of flying down a fire pole and learn smart ways to exit a burning building.  Museum Official Site

Greater Charleston Naval Base Memorial
Planned by the City of North Charleston and military veterans to honor the countless number of servicemen and women who proudly served the United States alongside the civilians who labored at the Charleston Naval Base for nearly a century before its closing in 1996.  The Memorial is adorned with the most remarkable elements that highlight and encompass all facets of the Navy Base from the majestic United States navy to the daily work the civilian laborers performed. For more information call (843) 740-2531.

National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition
Organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, this unique exhibition offers established and emerging artists the opportunity to display their thought provoking, extraordinary sculptures throughout the stunning, picturesque Riverfront Park.

Friends of the Hunley
On August 8, 2000, the CSS Hunley was raised four miles off our coast. In 1864, The Hunley was the world's first submarine to sink a vessel, the Union Navy's largest Warship, the Housatonic. This historical occasion continues in North Charleston at the Warren Lasch Conservation Lab located at the former Charleston Naval Base Complex. For information on public tours, call (843) 722-2333 or visit www.hunley.org for more history in the making.

North Charleston City Gallery and Gift Shop
The North Charleston City Gallery is located in the Charleston Area Convention Center Complex at 5001 Coliseum Drive. This exciting venue allows great opportunities for us to showcase and sell works by some of the finest Lowcountry artists and fine craft artists. Exhibits will be on view during operating hours of the complex. Admission is free and open to the general public. Purchase information is available upon request. Prints, cards and North Charleston gifts are also available for purchase. Artist demonstrations for groups are available for some shows with advance notice.

The Citadel Museum
The Museum features the history of the citadel, the military College of South Carolina, from its founding in 1842 to the present. Photographs from the archives highlight the exhibits, which portray the military, academic, social and athletic aspects of cadet life. Located on the beautiful campus of the Citadel, the Museum is the first building on the right, inside the main gates. For more information call (843) 953-6846.

The Charleston Museum
The Charleston Museum, founded in 1773, is America's first museum. The collections preserve and interpret the social and natural history of Charleston and the South Carolina coastal region. Objects of historic, archaeological, scientific and ethnological interest illustrate the importance of this area. The Charleston Museum is a wonderful introduction to the Lowcountry and its people. The museum also maintains two houses in downtown Charleston. The Joseph Manigault House and the Heyward-Washington House are both National historic Landmarks. For more information call (843) 722-2996.

Childrens Museum of the Lowcountry
The Children's Museum will spark a love of learning in all children through interactive, interdisciplinary, hands-on environments and experiences with the arts, sciences and humanities, while fostering creative thinking and problem solving skills and a belief in their own potential. CML reaches out to Lowcountry residents and visitors of all backgrounds and offers exceptional learning environments and experiences for all children ages three months to twelve years and their families. For more information call (843) 853-8962.

Charles Towne Landing
Charles Towne Landing is the site of South Carolina's first permanent settlement. Today, it is one of the state's most unusual parks housing a number of exhibits. They include a 20-acre animal forest that houses bison, wolves, pumas, bears and other animals that settlers would have been likely to encounter. On the river sits a replica of a 17th century trading vessel called the "Adventure." Another exhibit, the settler's life area, contains replica colonial buildings and allows visitors to experience the colonist's daily life. Call (843) 852-4200 for more information.

Patriot's Point Naval & Maritime Museum
The Yorktown (CV-10), the famous "Fighting Lady" of World War II, is the flagship of the Patriots Point fleet. She was commissioned April 15, 1943, and fought in many historic battles during World War II. Her planes inflicted heavy damage on the Japanese at Truk and Marianas, and she supported American ground troops in the Philippines, at Iwo Jima and at Okinawa. The Yorktown patrolled the western Pacific during the Cold War and Vietnam. The Yorktown now serves as a naval & maritime museum. The aircraft carrier, as well as carrier aircraft, a World War II submarine, a destroyer and a coast guard cutter, are open to visitors at the museum. The site is also home to the Congressional Medal of Honor Museum. For hours and ticket prices call (843) 884-2727.