This is one of Augusta's most rewarding museums, a place that manages to tell a 12,000‑year story…read morewithout ever feeling overwhelming. The Augusta Museum of History is the city's oldest historical institution, founded in 1937 and now the only accredited museum in the Central Savannah River Area, which gives it a level of curatorial depth you can feel as you move from room to room. The museum's signature exhibition, Augusta's Story, begins with the region's earliest Indigenous cultures, including artifacts from the Stallings Island people, and then moves through the Colonial Era, the antebellum period, the Civil War, and the city's twentieth century reinventions. You see everything from slave‑made pottery to a 12‑pounder bronze Napoleon cannon tube and an 1869 steam fire engine tied to the devastating 1916 fire that reshaped parts of the city. It's a rare chance to see Augusta's full arc laid out in a way that feels comprehensive. The museum also excels at capturing the city's cultural identity. The James Brown gallery is a highlight, celebrating the life and global influence of the "Godfather of Soul" with photographs, stage pieces, and biographical context that show how deeply he shaped Augusta's modern identity. Several media options to watch him performing and to hear other leading figures discuss his influence. The golf and Masters Tournament section offers a thoughtful look at how the sport became intertwined with the city's reputation, and the medical history exhibit includes an impressive wall of antique medicine bottles that gives you a sense of how local healthcare evolved over generations. One of the most enjoyable parts of the visit is the Transportation Corridor, which brings Augusta's mobility story to life with a 1914 steam locomotive, a 1917 steam trolley, a reconstructed 1930s gas station, and a range of early vehicles. Walking through the restored streetcar and stepping into the rail car for photos adds a tactile, playful element that balances the more traditional exhibits. Upstairs, the museum's radio history exhibit traces the rise of WBBQ, one of Augusta's most influential stations, including a "then and now" section installed for its 60th anniversary. There are also exhibits on local law enforcement and firefighting, as well as a gallery of regional legends that highlights entertainers, athletes, writers, and other notable Augustans. The entire museum is comfortably explored in about two hours, which makes it an easy and rewarding stop whether you're spending a full day downtown or pairing it with the Morris Museum of Art or the Riverwalk. It's the kind of place that leaves you with a clearer sense of Augusta's character, from its earliest settlements to the voices and industries that shaped the city you see today. Don't miss it. [Review 203 of 2026 - 904 in Georgia - 25392 overall]

We were in town for the weekend and decided to pay this place a visit. The admission price was…read moreonly a dollar so you really can't go wrong with that price. The first floor has a pretty extensive history of the city and was very interesting. The second floor has about five other sections including golf, James Brown, medical, and locals.

Great for a day trip. The museum has a gallery of lots of artifacts and displays for viewing on a…read moreself guided tour. They also have a few rail cars that you can walk through. During the summer they have open-air train rides on Saturdays. I noticed that they also have some special seasonal events and evening train rides with dinner served at a banquet hall.

Finally went to Winnsboro to check off another site for South Carolina. I actually really love…read moretrains stations and the history. I picked the open car due to Covid and wanted some fresh air. Tickets can be easily purchased online for approx $15 depending on the car you choose. The bathrooms were clean and the customer service was good. Once you check in they give you a ticket, just wait outside until your party is called for seating. They did a good job at social distancing and have things in place to keep everyone 6ft apart. They do have some free train books inside, I grabbed one for my memories. The Blue Granite Express train ride was only 10 miles round trip, but it was just enough to see a few sites via train. The staff are all volunteers except the office staff. Once you get on the staff gives you all the history about the train and the sites along the way. I actually learned quite abit about Winnsboro on this adventure. Education is a valuable tool for all, especially your children! Check the website out and support them, they have themed train rides and host parties thru out the yr. Enjoy!

This was a great experience!! Great tour with a ton of history and information about the history of…read moreDime Museums, circus life and sideshows. Highly recommend if you are in the area. It is literally a "one of a kind" attraction.

Cannot recommend this place enough!! Worth every penny…read more Peter was an amazing guide & talked after with us after our tour and gave us so much good information. If you need something to do in Augusta, make your appointment and GO.

A hidden gem of Greenwood. The Railroad Historical Center has a small visitors center, an engine,…read morecaboose, and several restored train cars which you can go inside of through a guided tour. They're open on Saturday May - October or by appointment, and tours are $10 for adults and worth it!

Aiken is a pleasant moderately sized town, but this museum is bigger than anything one could…read morereasonably expect here. The building is really a complex, a repurposed residential estate, with multiple levels. I arrived with an hour and a half before closing and used most of that time just skimming all the rooms, even though some areas were closed for installation. And it was free! The result is a lot of very specific content, from entries on food to war history to the nuclear facility nearby. Aiken County is surprisingly large and includes not only the town of Aiken but a broad swath of land that stretches to the river across from Augusta, and exhibitions here do focus on North Augusta and other towns in the area. Even one of the bathrooms had some information on military latrines as a sort of exhibit. The museum covers a lot of big historical events from a local perspective, so you'll get a window into the Civil War and a sense of the Colonial era and Native American history. I did not receive a tour as there was only one person working there, but it would likely be an interesting tour.

Spent the weekend wandering around Aiken, SC looking at history. The Historical Museum was closed,…read morebut I did take some pics for my memoires. Hopefully I will go back for the Banksia tour soon. The mansion grounds are well maintained from the outside. Free parking is available. Will update once I actually do the tour.

We took advantage of the CoolPASS offered by Experience Columbia, SC getting us access to the South…read moreCarolina State Museum, EdVenture Children's Museum, and the Riverbanks Zoo & Gardens and thoroughly enjoyed the weekend! Great dollar value if you're interested in all locations mentioned. The museum was easy to find and offered plenty of parking in a lot shared with the EdVenture Children's Museum. They had many exhibits that our 7 & 12 year old enjoyed but they thoroughly enjoyed the second floor galleries with the dinosaur exhibit and the habitat exhibits. Staff was very friendly and helpful when fielding our questions. They also enjoyed seeing the the history of SC through the years represented through artifacts and the changes from the colony, war, and industrialization of the city with mills and the railroad. They also have a planetarium and a 4D shows offered throughout the day. Highly recommend adding this to your itinerary if you are in the Columbia area! The selection of exhibits were fun to see and educational.

My family had such a wonderful time at the museum. We loved the mix of science and history. We…read morereally enjoyed the natural history and telescope exhibits. My son really enjoyed an old theater where you could see vintage cartoons. And one area you could see a picture of what the building looked like when it was a factory. They have a nice gift shop and a café. If you do not want to leave to eat lunch. We left and came back for lunch and there was still plenty of parking. We would definitely come back to the museum and see the war part that we didn't get a chance to see.

Interesting museum including exhibits on Greenwood history and other collections…read more Admission is free and the museum is kid friendly as well. The ground level features panels about Greenwood and South Carolina history, including local Native American history, early settlers, and history up until the early twentieth century. There's also a theatre, a dry goods store, and a hat shop, all which were neat to walk into and look around. There was also space up front that was empty at the time. Downstairs there is some more local and non-local history exhibits. Upstairs there was a display about Self Regional which had a variety of interesting medical items. There was also a room about gems and minerals, a mine (which was very cool to walk through!) and an animal exhibit. There was also an art exhibit featuring artwork from local elementary school students. I really enjoyed the exhibits specific to Greenwood history, but also felt like there was quite a bit of empty space. The museum has an elevator to access all three floors. Because we came in March, the railroad center wasn't open, but we hope to see that the next time we're in town.

From the owner: The Museum's mission is to Save, Share and Celebrate Greenwood's History. We do this in two…read morelocations: The Museum on the north end of up-town Greenwood, and the Railroad Historical Center on the southern end of the up-town. The Musuem features permanent collections and exhibits relevant to the area and the people from the late 1800s and early 1900s. The permanent exhibits include replicas of stores in downtown Greenwood circa 1910, and are interactive as well as educational; kids especially like the train station and the Millinery shop! We also have seasonal exhibits highlighting local people and institutions of historical significance, and a summer exhibit that is aimed at being fun, educational, and with relevancy beyond our local area (Dinosaur Discovery last year, and Sonic Sensations this coming summer). Join us Sseptember 22 for our annual Dinner on the Diner! Dinner, an original play featuring a train heist, The Railroad Historical Center showcases a historic 1906 Baldwin steam Engine, and 6 cars. All but one are totally restored to their period of use, and the final car's restoration is in the works. In fact, our collection of historic cars is the largest, and most accurately restored static display in upstate S.C.!

Spent some time wandering in Aiken, SC yesterday. They were closed when I arrived, but I did take…read moresome memory pics. The outside is well maintained with beautiful flowers surrounding. Across the street is the little train depot, great place for photos and meet ups. They do have train that take visitors around to see some of the sites. Check the schedule online for more details. Seem to be a very cool interactive place for kids. I will update once I actually go inside. I recommend to start your tour here for inside tips from the locals.

Definitely worth visiting. I stopped here on a long lunch break while I was traveling to work in…read moreAiken. It's a great spot to bring the kids, whether it's a stop on the road to other adventures or your main destination.