The Beaufort History Museum is pleased to announce that a new exhibit will soon be available for public viewing in its main exhibit hall.   The new exhibit has been made possible due in large part to a $15,000 Growth Grant awarded by the South Carolina Humanities with funds provided through the American Rescue Plan of 2021 (ARP).  The grant will comprise approximately 30 percent of the total cost of the project, with the remainder provided by the Beaufort History Museum’s funds.  The new exhibit is part is part of a larger planned expansion of the Museum’s exhibition hall intended to improve the historic interpretation experience for our visitors.  The Phase IIA installation will be completed and the exhibit available for public viewing by Friday, 20 January 2023. 

Phase IIA will provide visitors with background information and displays on the geology, geography and historical timeline of Port Royal Sound and the surrounding area. The exhibit’s two, large (height 8’, width 11’, thickness 8”), free standing and walk-around walls will serve as the primary welcoming point for museum visitors.  The graphic below shows the planned placement for the new exhibit.

Planned Placement of Exhibit IIA in Exhibit Hall

Upon entry into the main exhibit hall, museum visitors will immediately notice the custom designed, panoramic mural representing the major periods across our 500 years plus of history.

Wall 1, Entrance. Historical Panorama, Mural (pre-production).
Shaping America’s History for 500 Years

Visitors can then step inside the space between the two walls and learn about the significance and role our deep harbor, high tides and mild climate have played in our history as well as providing the habitat and environment for our abundant coastal wildlife.

Wall 1, Interior. Unique Features of Port Royal Sound (pre-production)

Turn around and do a deeper dive into the unique aspects of our South Carolina Lowcountry maritime geography and environment and discover more about the land, the natural resources, and the crops that have had such an influence on our development, culture, and history.

Wall 2, Interior. Beautiful Beaufort County (pre-production)

Then take a short walk around the Beautiful Beaufort County wall shown above to view our historical timeline.  The timeline is divided into sections that are labeled with identifying links to the currently installed Phase I panels where you can learn more about that period of our history.  

Wall 2, Exterior. Historical Timeline (pre-production)

A new, interactive kiosk is planned to be located close to Exhibit IIA and provide access to an even more comprehensive timeline for those visitors requiring more detailed information about our history.  There was only so much room on the new displays, and we did not want to leave anything out.

History Workshop (HW) Exhibits, of Mt. Pleasant, SC, produced the exhibit and displays. They also created and installed graphic exhibits for the extensive renovation of the Museum in 2018 (Phase I).  

The preparation of the narrative and texts for the displays is a result of the museum’s Exhibits Committee and expert assistance provided by historians Dr. Lawrence Rowland, Professor Emeritus of USCB and author of the definitive history of Beaufort County, and Dr. Stephen Wise, Director of the MCRD Parris Island Museum and Cultural Resource Manager for the Marine Corps facility and the author of several books about local and South Carolina history.  The Exhibits Committee is also grateful to Dr. Chris Marsh, former Director of the Lowcountry Institute (now Director Emeritus of the Lowcountry Institute) for his expertise and contributions regarding our local marine ecology and maritime environment.

The completion of the new exhibit space and displays will provide an opportunity for the Museum to let both area residents and visitors to Beaufort feel assured that not only have we recovered from the COVID pandemic but that we are moving ahead for a better future for our community and our Museum.  

Want a closer look?  You’ll have to wait a bit longer until the exhibit is installed but, in the meantime, click here to get a little bit closer look (enlarged) of what you can expect.   

Make sure your plans include a visit to the Beaufort History Museum where admission is always free for Museum members. Not a member?  Click here to see our different membership subscription levels and join online.  Membership lapsed?  Click here to renew your membership.  Just interested in making sure you receive the latest information on our events and lectures?  Click here to receive advance e-mail notification of all our activities.     

The Beaufort History Museum, which was founded in 1939, has evolved to focus specifically on the deep and rich history of the Beaufort District. It strives to manage and display artifacts and documents held by the City of Beaufort, telling compelling stories of this area, from the early 16th century until modern times. For information on all the Museum events, click here to visit our website.  Click here and follow us on Facebook.