This spotlight exhibition presents the work of visiting poet and cultural ornithologist J. Drew Lanham. It is the latest body of writing from an on-going project which reconsiders with a “head and heart” approach the taxonomy and nomenclature of birds through the intersectional threads of race, place, and nature. Composed of twenty “feel notes” addressed to select Southeastern birds in John James Audubon's groundbreaking The Birds of America, each poem engages a deeply personal ornithology seeking to move avian identification from the pages of scientific field guides into a cultural “feeling guide,” where words render birds as "who's" rather than "what's."

Learn More

Youtube Channel

Explore sea grass basket fragments in the Museum's archaeological collection with Martha Zierden, Curator of Historic Archaeology. These artifacts were recovered from the deepest level of the privy at the Heyward-Washington House and date to the late eighteenth century. These charred fragments of a coiled sea grass basket are the earliest known example of the Lowcountry basket tradition. Contemporary basket makers have confirmed that the weave and construction of these fragments is the same used today.

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 with our channel monthly to explore each object with our curatorial staff.

Youtube Channel

Tours

In Defense of Charleston: A Tour of Batteries Pringle & Tynes with Chief of Collections Jennifer McCormick

Saturday, March 4 | 9:30 - 11:00 AM

In 1863 the Confederate earthworks, Batteries Pringle and Tynes, were constructed by enslaved people and soldiers to serve as part of General P.G.T. Beauregard's "New Lines." Hurriedly constructed, both served as part of the James Island defenses which protected Charleston from Federal attack via Morris and Folly Islands. Although well-armed, the small number of officers and enlisted men posted to these fortifications endured heat, supply shortages and punishing artillery barrages in the summer of 1864, when the strategic defensive position became the target of Federal forces on the Stono River.

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the batteries are protected within the confines of The Charleston Museum's Dill Sanctuary and are regarded among the most well-preserved Confederate fortifications in the country.

Join Chief of Collections Jennifer McCormick to explore these historically important landmarks and better understand their 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

Exclusive Society Member Tour

America's First Museum: Making the Cut with Curator of Historic Textiles Virginia Theerman

Thursday, March 9 | 5:30 PM

The Charleston Museum has over 2.4 million objects in its collection, with only 6,000 on exhibit at the Museum and its historic houses. In creating the special, commemorative exhibit, America’s First Museum: 250 Years of Collecting, Preserving, and Educating, curators were tasked with narrowing the Museum’s vast collection, spanning nearly 4.6 billion years of history, into a yearlong two-part exhibit.

Inevitably, not every piece from the collection made it into this special exhibit. In a returning series exclusively for Society Level Members of the Charleston Museum, we invite you to join us for an evening with Curator of Historic Textiles Virginia Theerman as she unveils which objects from the historic textiles collection almost made the cut. Theerman will discuss the process of selecting items for an exhibit and provide an up-close look at collection pieces including items owned by Laura Bragg, 18th century textiles, and accessories from the historic fashion collection.

Beverages and light hors d’oeuvres will be available.

Participants must be able to climb stairs.

Reservations required.

This program is free of charge and exclusive for current Museum Members at the following Membership Levels:

Milby Burton Society, Manigault Society and 1773 Society.

Workshops

Indigo Dyeing Workshop with

Local Artist Kristy Bishop

Saturday, March 11 | 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Join local artist Kristy Bishop as she leads an introductory workshop on dyeing with indigo at the Dill Sanctuary! Participants will have the chance to learn about the history of this dye plant as it pertains to South Carolina, the chemistry of a vat, and dye fabric using shibori tie-dye methods. Bishop will focus on itajime (folding and clamped resist), kumo (bound resist), and Nui (stitched resist). These three techniques all yield unique and beautiful patterns. Attendees will be able to sample these methods on 12” x 12” cotton squares. Once comfortable they will be able to dye a 24” x 24” cotton fabric and an 11” x 60” crepe de chine silk scarf. In addition, participants are encouraged to bring personal items to dye such as a garment, yarn, or even colored fabric to over-dye.

All materials and instruction provided in this workshop.

Space is limited. Reservations required.

$120 Museum Members | $150 Non-Members

Children's Programs

Full STEAM Ahead: Plants

Saturday, March 11 | 1:00 - 2:30 PM

Can you shrink a potato just by putting it into water? Why do seeds vary in size and shape? Experiment and design with plants. Learn all about hydroponics and make your own hydroponic system. Full STEAM Ahead 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.

Space is limited. Reservations required.

$14 Museum Members | $20 Non-Members

Homeschool History Day: Natural Disasters

Thursday, March 16

10:00 - 11:00 AM & 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

It’s time to shake, rattle, and roll as we learn about natural disasters in the Lowcountry! See if you have what it takes to build a structure that can survive an earthquake. Use 2 bottles to learn how funnels form just like in a tornado, hurricane, or waterspout. Examine documents and images from the Museum’s archive to see the impact natural disasters have on our history. 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 AM – 12 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

Children Events

Museum Blog

A Legacy In Silk: Eliza Lucas Pinckney’s RoBe À La Française

The Charleston Museum is spending our 250th anniversary looking back to our founding in 1773, so we can better understand our role as America’s First Museum as we move forward into the future. Our city has a long history and it was a key site for the American Revolutionary War – therefore a good portion of our collection focuses on 18th century material culture. One of the shining gems from the Historic Textiles Collection is a robe à la française gown, c. 1753, that was worn by Eliza Lucas Pinckney (1722-1793).

Current Exhibits

America’s First Museum: 250 Years of Collecting, Preserving, and Educating Part 1

December 17, 2022 - June 4, 2023

Historic Textiles Gallery

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

Now On View

Lowcountry Image Gallery

Upcoming Exhibits

Eliza Lucas Pinckney

May 13 - July 9, 2023

Loeblein Gallery of Charleston Silver

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