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    Joseph Manigault House Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Joseph Manigault House

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    Kara M.

    We purchased combo tickets to the Charleston Museum and two historical houses, this was one of them. We arrived twenty minutes before the tour began and had to wait outside for the next one to start. We came for the thirty minute tour, it was nice to learn about what life was like back then. Our tour was a bit underwhelming, but it was still interesting to see the inside of the house. If you are into architecture or Southern history, I'm sure this house will be interesting to you. FYI, there were no bathrooms on property, so you will have to walk across the street to the Charleston Museum. Parking is kind of a pain in the butt in Charleston, so you will need to find a pay garage someplace NEAR here. We kept finding that these garages were full even on a weekday.

    The famed semi-circular staircase and main hall.
    Mike W.

    This house museum is, to me as someone deeply interested in architectural history and with a degree in the same, very worth visiting. By reading the reviews here however, it's clear some visitors differ in opinion with me on that. Which is fine, and my point here is, it's a serious house museum, albeit not a sprawling house (like a plantation house) and what is here includes spaces off-limits to the tour. So it's a fairly quick tour also, because there isn't a tremendous amount to see, although still plenty of interest. There is no effort at dramatic interpretation, either: the docent on my tour was an older lady with a clear command of her material and I found that material interesting, but if you are picturing a matronly librarian sort of lady offering a pretty dry and academic treatment of the house, well, you're not so far off. My point here is, if you're serious about the history of Charleston this house should not be missed. If you're interested in historical architecture of America, you also need to see it. If, however, you have three young kids along and are just trying to find something to do before the aquarium, maybe not. The house, or at least those rooms open for visitors, has been carefully restored and filled with period furnishings--few of which apparently come from the house itself, and many have been sourced elsewhere to provide as accurate a portrayal as possible of the type and style of furnishings the owners would have had. Over time, many original items were sold or willed off to heirs so understandably, few remained on-site (if you take the tour, the exact reasons behind this including the many non-residential uses of the house in the twentieth century are explained in full). To me, many of these items--even if some came from afar--were also worth the price of admission to see and to see in situ as they would have been used instead of in museum display cases. In all, it's a very good house museum. Perhaps the tour could be more lively but I felt it was very well-researched, the docent highly-informed, and accurate, interesting, information was presented. The care in the stewardship of the house is of a high level and its place in Charleston's history of high regard. Just don't expect this tour to be entertainment more than education.

    Dan G.

    I really enjoyed our tour of this mansion and its garden. The Joseph Manigault house was across the street from the Charleston Museum, so we were able to make easy use of our combo tickets (which also included admission to the Heyward-Washington House). The architecture and history of Charleston is something that I really enjoy. This National Historic Landmark is full of both. The mansion was built in 1803 for a family that made its wealth in rice. We walked the grounds and gardens while we waited for our tour to begin. We were taken on an informative and nicely paced tour of the house. There are touches throughout the home that were a nod to the family business. Gathering rooms were multi use and it was cool how they could rearrange the furniture to set up for gambling, dancing or socializing. Gorgeous furniture and architecture throughout the place. The floating staircase is the centerpiece of the mansion and an impressive feat of construction. It was self supported and could stand even without the walls. I loved the verandas here and how they set up rooms to allow for the wind, remember no AC. My inner Beavis and Butthead got a kick out of the "necessary", which is just a chair with a bowl under the seat. You may be rice moguls, but do you have TP?

    Crystal O.

    This is one of the House Museum tours packaged with the Charleston Museum- which is right across the street. If you buy the package it includes the main museum and 2 house museum tours & you can split up the 3 on different days if you like- which is what we did. We had rushed from one tour to the last one at this house and made it just in time! Jean was our guide and excellent. She explained the history of the house and the owners and all the rooms before setting us loose inside. Because they deep clean between tours- you get 30 minutes inside the house and tours are started on the hour between 10am and 4pm. They split up everyone- sending them in different directions to help maintain social distancing. The house has some very interesting features- a curved wall on one side and curved porches on the other and even false doors to maintain the symmetry of the house. The kitchen house was built separate, as was the privy and stables. The staircase and chandelier in the house are so grand. The question posed was why did they entertain on the 2nd floor- I guess incorrectly- but gave an interesting response- I said it was to show off that staircase and chandelier- putting on airs. Actually air was the reason- to be above the smells of the horses and the bathroom and also to be above the mosquitoes. I liked my theory better- but the real reason was much more practical for city life. We were given so much information- great learning! This house is very elegant- the amazing craftsmanship and most of that beauty was created by slaves. Talented artisans. The information about how hard it was to make this a museum! There was a period of time when people wanted to piece everything about the house and build new. The restoration and preservation is incredible.

    Joseph Manigault House as viewed from the garden
    Philip G.

    The Joseph Manigault House is an example of early 19th century architecture. As a historically significant house, it is managed by the Charleston museum. The many artifacts on display in the house are part of the museum's collection. While many have no relation to the Manigault family, they are all period correct. Our tour guide did a very good job of telling the story of the Manigault family, the house and Charleston. Definitely worth a visit.

    The Joseph Manigault House

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    5 years ago

    Rosemary is an amazing guide! She loves the house and history and it shows.lovely lady in a lovely refurbished home.

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    Nice old house. The tour guide was a bit too scripted. But enjoyed seeing the interior of a historic city home.

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    Ask the Community - Joseph Manigault House

    Review Highlights - Joseph Manigault House

    Located right by the Charleston Visitor Center, Charleston Museum, and the Aiken-Rhett House.

    Mentioned in 10 reviews

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    Rainbow Row - Rainbow Row, Charleston_yelp_Sanju-1

    Rainbow Row

    4.0(142 reviews)
    1.1 miSouth of Broad

    Rainbow Row is the name for a series of thirteen colorful historic houses in historic downtown…read moreCharleston, South Carolina. The houses are located north of Tradd St. and south of Elliott St. on East Bay Street, that is, 79 to 107 East Bay Street. In 1931, Dorothy Haskell Porcher Legge purchased a section of these, house numbering 99 through 101 East Bay, and began to renovate them. She chose to paint these houses pink based on a colonial Caribbean color scheme. Other owners and future owners followed suit, creating the "rainbow" of pastel colors present today. The coloring of the houses helped keep the houses cool inside as well as give the area its name. By 1945, most of the houses had been restored. The name "Rainbow Row" was later coined. It is a popular tourist attraction and is one of the most photographed parts of Charleston. My family and I visited the Rainbow Row this past summer while we were visiting family in town. We had previously visited on our last visit to the area but wanted to visit again because the houses are just breathtaking to look at. They're very photogenic! Aside from the pastel colored houses, the whole stretch of the downtown area from Waterfront Park to the Battery is a very interesting area to explore. It's loaded with historic buildings, monuments, historical plaques, and cobblestone streets. You might get lucky and even see a horse-drawn carriage riding by. We highly recommend anyone visiting Charleston to see Rainbow Row!

    Rainbow Row was on the top of my list of things to see in Charleston, given the hype around this…read morehistoric spot. I have to say, I was a bit underwhelmed when finding it. Don't get me wrong, the homes are beautiful and the history behind them are rich, but it is definitely overhyped. I was also surprised how different it looked in person compared to photos online; I don't know if its the photoshop making the houses look so vibrant and colorful, but the real thing seemed a bit more dull. If you're already in the area, you should definitely see it for yourself, cause you've got nothing to lose. But don't go out of your way to come here, or you may be slightly disappointed like I was.

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    Heyward-Washington House

    Heyward-Washington House

    4.4(25 reviews)
    1.0 miSouth of Broad

    I bought a ticket for this museum as part of a combination ticket with the Charleston Museum. I…read moreactually walked from there, stopping along some spots. It's a long walk, but nice if the weather is fitting. This is worth a visit, especially if you're into American history. George Washington stayed here while visiting the area. Also, Thomas Heyward was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. While it's not a vast mansion, the house is nicely decorated and the garden in the back was a good touch. The audio tour was informative and allowed you to go at your own pace. The staff here were friendly and helpful. The house is also near a nice residential neighborhood and close to Rainbow Row and the water.

    In 1791, the city of Charleston rented Heyward's home for President George Washington's weeklong…read morestay in the city. The association with America's first president has persisted ever since. Built in 1772, the Heyward-Washington House earned its moniker for two men who figured prominently in its history, Thomas Heyward Jr. and President George Washington. Heyward, a Revolutionary War officer and South Carolina delegate to the Continental Congress in 1776 is best known for contributing his signature to the Declaration of Independence. The architecture of the three-story red brick double reflects the Georgian style that spread widely through English colonies for its order and symmetry.

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    Heyward-Washington House - Heyward-Washington House Charleston, SC_Yelp_Sanju-3

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    Joseph Manigault House - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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