Columbia, SC Tourist Attractions
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Columbia (founded 1786), capital of South Carolina, lies roughly in the centre of the state on the Broad and Congaree Rivers. The imposing State House (Main and Gervais Sts.) with its dome and its massive granite columns was built between 1855 and 1907. Bronze stars mark hits by Sherman's artillery during the siege of the town. Opposite State House is Trinity Church (1846), one of the largest Episcopal churches in the United States. To the south is the large campus of the University of South Carolina (founded 1801), the central element in which is the brick complex known as the Horseshoe.A number of antebellum houses have been preserved in the north-east of the town, including the Hampton-Preston Mansion (1818), the Robert Mills Historic House (1823) and the Mann-Simons Cottage (1850). The Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home, in which the 28th President of the United States spent his early years, was built after the Civil War.
South Carolina State Museum
The South Carolina State Museum, located in a historic building, offers four floors filled with the natural history, science and technology, art and cultural history of South Carolina. The museum features educational hands-on exhibits, a science theatre, and changing exhibits. Also on site are a store and café.
Riverbanks Zoo & Botanical Garden
To the east of Columbia, on the Saluda River, is the Riverbank Zoo, the terrarium, aquarium and bird house of which are particularly remarkable.
Fort Jackson Museum
Fort Jackson was established in 1917 in Columbia as a U.S. Army Training Center. The Fort Jackson Museum was established in 1972 and features military weapons, uniforms and other equipment to illustrate how the American soldier has been trained to perform his duties in peacetime and war. Several typical military vehicles and artillery pieces from World War I to the present are displayed outside.
Trinity Cathedral
The Trinity Cathedral in Columbia began as a small Mission outpost in 1812. It was established by the Protestant Episcopal Society for the Advancement of Christianity in South Carolina. The church features a baptismal font designed by the sculptor, Hiram Powers, the Trinity or West Window over the main door, the Carrara marble altar, and the inscribed marble tablets in the sanctuary.
EdVenture Children's Museum
The EdVenture Children's Museum in Columbia provides 350 hands-on exhibits for children 12 and younger and their families. Visitors can talk to a skeleton, anchor the news, drive a fire truck, climb on a camel and explore the inside of EDDIE - the world's largest child!
Historic Columbia Foundation House Tours
The Historic Columbia Foundation House offers educational activities for all ages. They also offer guided walking and trolley tours of historic sites throughout the city. The primary focus is the architecture and collections of four historic house museums with a permanent collection of more than 5,000 objects.
Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home
The Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home in Columbia is the only house the Wilson family ever owned. The Tuscan-village-style home was built in 1872 and features period pieces from the 1850s to the 1870s.
Robert Mills House and Park
Robert Mills House in Columbia is a restored mansion which was built in 1823. The house was designed by South Carolina's most famous architect, Robert Mills.The collection in the house displays decorative arts of the early 19th century, including American Federal, English Regency, and French Empire pieces.
Hampton-Preston Mansion and Garden
The Hampton-Preston Mansion and Garden in Columbia was the city home of General Wade Hampton, a Confederate leader. The house was built about 1818 and was occupied by Union officers in 1865. The restored mansion is furnished with Hampton and Preston family pieces.
Mann-Simons Cottage
Celia Mann, a slave who acquired her freedom in Charleston, walked to Columbia and purchased this cottage in around 1850. Celia and her descendents owned the house until 1970. The cottage reflects the entrepreneurial spirit of free blacks, the Mann-Simons family were bakers, tailors, seamstresses, and musicians, and in the 20th century, educators.
South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame in Columbia is a memorial to law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty and in recognition of all law enforcement officers in the day-to-day performance of their duties. Exhibits include photographs, artifacts, uniforms and a firearms collection.
South Carolina State House
The South Carolina State House is located in Columbia. It was built using native granite between 1855 and 1907. Other features of the building include a copper dome, marble floors, stained glass windows and six bronze stars on the exterior that mark the location where cannonballs struck the building during the Civil War.
Columbia Museum of Art
The Columbia Museum of Art features Italian Renaissance and Baroque paintings from the Samuel H Kress collection. The museum also features a large collection of decorative arts.
McKissick Museum
The McKissick Museum is located on the campus of the University of South Carolina in Columbia. The museum's collections include folk art, culture and the natural environment.
Riverfront Park & Historic Columbia Canal
Riverfront Park is located beside the Columbia Canal in Columbia. It has a trail for cycling and hiking. Visitors can walk through one of the old pump houses to learn about the history of the Columbia canal and Water Works.
South Carolina Archives and History Center
The South Carolina Archives and History Center in Columbia has governmental records dating back to 1671. Quarterly exhibits feature the historic and cultural heritage of South Carolina.
South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Museum
The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Museum in Columbia is located in the former Columbia Mills building. The museum contains military relics reflecting state military history.
First Baptist Church
The First Baptist Church of Columbia was built in 1856. It was the site of the first Secession Convention which led to the Civil War.
