Greenville is known for fantastic parks, lots of recreational activities, a walkable downtown, and stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. But Greenville also has some excellent museums, and many of them offer free admission. Whether you’re interested in fine art, music, children’s museums, science, or a Greenville art museum, you’ll find them here. Several are conveniently clustered together on the Heritage Green arts and cultural campus in downtown Greenville. This guide brings you some of the best Greenville SC museums that you won’t want to miss!
The Upcountry History Museum – Best History Museum In Greenville SC
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The Upcountry History Museum was founded in 1987 and is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history of upstate South Carolina. The museum contains over 4 acres of permanent and rotating exhibits that span from prehistoric times to the present day. Guided tours and nature walks are available. The museum also has an IMAX theater. Spanning two floors, the museum features a year-round calendar of changing exhibits and programs for visitors to dive into history, art, science, and culture. Learn about life on the frontier during the turbulent Civil War era, and about events that occurred after WWII, including the Civil Rights movement, and much more.
This is one of the best history museums in Greenville SC, that features an ongoing series of educational programs, as well as Family Fun Days, Toddler Time, and Neighborhood Nights at different times throughout the year for kids and the whole family to learn and enjoy.
Museum Hours & Location
- Address: 540 Buncombe St, Greenville, SC 29601
- Phone number: 864-467-3100
- Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday: 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Admission price: $12 for adults, $11 for seniors and college students with valid ID, and $9 for children and students age 4 to 18. Free for children age 2 and under.
The Children’s Museum of the Upstate – Best of the Children’s Museums Greenville SC
The Children’s Museum of the Upstate has 80,000 square feet of interactive exhibits and fun activities for kids. The museum is the 7th largest children’s museum in the country and the 10th-largest in the world! With 18 exhibit galleries, a traveling exhibit hall, two outdoor interactive exhibit spaces, and an outdoor programming space, the museum offers kids plenty of opportunities to learn, discover, play, and enjoy science, the arts, history, and more.
All the exhibits are tailored for children between the ages of 6 and 11. Some popular exhibits include grocery shopping, a garage band zone, a television studio, a space flight simulator, and a Formula 1 race car driving experience. The museum is dedicated to stimulating curiosity and developing a lifelong love of learning in children. The Children’s Museum of the Upstate is a must for families with young children.
Museum Hours & Location
- Address: 300 College St, Greenville, SC 29601
- Phone number: 864-233-7755
- Hours: Monday – Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Admission price: SC residents $13, general admission $18, educator, military, and seniors $10, children under 1 free, members free.
Sigal Music Museum – Cheap Greenville SC Museum
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Sigal Music Museum is home to one of the best and most impressive collections of musical instruments in the country, featuring over 1,000 stringed and percussion instruments from around the world as well as more than 500 woodwind instruments from 1700 to the 20th century.
With interactive exhibits, educational programs, concerts, and workshops throughout the year, this is one of the best museums in Greenville SC that seeks to educate, entertain, and immerse visitors in music. The museum’s Carolina Clavier collection is world-famous, and the museum includes more than 40 English, European, and American pianos and harpsichords dating from 1570 to 1845.
Museum Hours & Location
- Address: 516 Buncombe St, Greenville, SC 29601
- Phone number: 864-520-8807
- Hours: Monday – Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Admission price: adults $7, seniors/military/college $6, students ages 6-18 $4, children under 6 free
Greenville County Museum of Art – Top-Rated Free Greenville SC Museum
The Greenville County Museum of Art is home to an impressive collection of paintings, including the world’s largest public collection of watercolors by iconic American artist Andrew Wyeth. Other highlights in the Greenville art museum include paintings and prints by contemporary artist Jasper Johns, the largest institutional collection of pottery by enslaved artisan David Drake, and the largest collection outside the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and works by South Carolina-born artist William H. Johnson.
Housing a vast array of paintings, sculptures, and photography, the museum has something for every artistic taste. The museum also has a theater that shows documentaries and films about art and artists, followed by a question and answer session. The museum has other educational opportunities as well, such as gallery talks, lectures, musical performances, hands-on demonstrations, and more on Sunday afternoons at 2 pm.
Museum Hours & Location
- Address: 420 College St, Greenville, SC 29601
- Phone number: 864-271-7570
- Hours: Wednesday – Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Admission price: free.
The Ultimate Driving Museum – Exciting Car Museum in Greenville
Located in Greer, a suburb just 12 miles from Greenville, the Ultimate Driving Museum is home to a collection of over 50 cars, including about 25 unique BMWs. Visitors learn about the history of BMW and their cars. The self-guided tour provides detailed explanations for all the exhibits.
The new motorcycle exhibit includes a restored 1928 R57 and a 1969 R69 S. Some of the more unique cars in the collection are the 1950s Isetta, a BMW 600, and a Formula 1 race car. The museum features more than just cars, though. The library contains over 80,000 BMW-related historical documents, literature, paraphernalia, and artifacts.
Museum Hours & Location
- Address: 190 Manatee Court, Greer, South Carolina 29651
- Phone number: 864-271-7570
- Hours: Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday 10 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- Admission price: adults $12, youth (6-17) $6, children 5 & under free, museum members free.
Military History Center of the Carolinas – History Museum Greenville SC Preserving Local Military History
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If you’re interested in local military history, the Military History Center of the Carolinas is a must-see for you. The center contains three floors of exhibits from the Revolutionary War to recent conflicts in the Middle East. Included in the museum are artifacts from General Robert E. Lee’s battle at Gettysburg, Thomas Stonewall Jackson’s defeat of General George B. McClellan at Antietam Creek during the Civil War, and much more.
Children will enjoy the many hands-on activities, including a play area where they can climb on real tanks and explore weapons up close.
Museum Hours & Location
- Address: 14 Airport Road Extension, Greenville, South Carolina 29607
- Hours: Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- Admission price: free.
Roper Mountain Science Center – Free Children’s Museum in Greenville SC for Members
The Roper Mountain Science Center is part of the Greenville County School District, but many of the programs are open to the public and are for all ages. The center includes a planetarium, amphitheater, a 1-mile nature trail, a butterfly garden, a water lily pond, and a vegetable garden. The museum hosts special programs on Fridays and Saturdays.
One of the most popular programs is the “Friday Starry Nights” show at the T.C. Hooper Planetarium that presents a 360-degree, fully immersive experience dedicated to astronomy and space exploration. The Charles E. Daniel Observatory features a 23-inch refractor telescope, which is the 8th largest in the world! The center also has summer exploration camps that will keep children entertained during the summer break.
Museum Hours & Location
- Address: 402 Roper Mountain Rd, Greenville, SC 29615
- Phone number: 864-355-8900
- Hours: Monday – Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday Starry Night shows start at 6 p.m.
- Admission price: free for members, $12/ per adult, $10 per child (age 3-12).
Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum & Baseball Library – Best Free Museum in Greenville SC for Sports Fans
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If you’re a fan of sports and baseball, you’ll have to visit Greenville’s Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum and Baseball Library. Joe was born in Upstate South Carolina, and raised in Greenville. The museum preserves his life and legacy as one of the greatest natural hitters to ever play the game.
The museum and library are located in the house that Joe and his wife Katie built in 1940. They lived there until Joe died in December of 1951, and Katie died in April of 1959. The exhibits include many original artifacts, photos, and books that present a comprehensive view of the life of Shoeless Joe Jackson and his place in baseball history.
Museum Hours & Location
- Address: 356 Field Street, Greenville, SC 29601
- Phone number: 864-355-8900
- Hours: Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Admission price: free.
Map of Museums in Greenville
There are many Greenville SC Museums, from art to music to science, that offer unique experiences, fun, interactive exhibits, and programs to discover and learn new things. You don’t want to miss out on the best museums in Greenville SC above! If you’re relocating here, contact the best movers in Greenville. Our top-rated, experienced team can give you the moving experience you deserve with no stress. Call us today at 888-883-2795 for your free moving estimate!
