City: Georgetown, SC

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (843) 546-7423

Address: 633 Front St.

Description: The Rice Museum, in the beautifully renovated heart of Georgetown, offers a concise and fascinating overview of the society that flourished around rice cultivation. Old maps, dioramas, artifacts, and a 17-minute-long video give the visitor an intriguing glimpse into the past—into a history that literally changed the face of this country. A changing exhibit gallery provides revolving exhibits—contemporary as well as historic. The building itself was erected as a two-story structure in 1842 and is known locally as the Town Clock because it has clock faces on all four sides of its bell tower and, presumably, can be seen from all directions. Originally a hardware store, this building has evolved from two to three stories over the past 150 years. In 1878 a rear addition was added and the facade remodeled. Since then, the museum has undergone two major renovations, the latest of which was completed in 2004. The second floor now houses five exhibits, which range from Plantation Footprints, about two antebellum rice plantations near Georgetown, to a tribute to Joseph Rainey, America’s first black congressman. The third floor is home to the Brown’s Ferry Vessel exhibit. Built in the early 1700s, the 50-foot-long wooden freighter is the oldest vessel on exhibit in the United States.Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for seniors (60 and older). Students ages 6 to 21 are $3, while children under 6 who are accompanied by an adult get in free. Group rates are available. The Rice Museum is open year-round Mon through Sat from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is closed on major holidays.