COLUMBIA, SC — The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum set a new high attendance record for the month of May. The month was a busy one for the museum, with school tours, a new exhibit, and special events, all of which contributed to the high visitation numbers.
The museum currently has two exhibits on display. “No Holier Spot of Ground: Confederate Memory in South Carolina’s Cemeteries, Monuments, and Museums” tells South Carolina’s story of memorializing the Confederacy through establishing burial arrangements, monuments, and museums. It examines how families and communities in the state attempted to cope with loss during the war, and how later generations continue these forms of commemoration. The exhibit will be open through August 2, 2009.
“Forgotten Stories: SC Fights the Great War” is also on display. This one-of-a-kind exhibit, which features interactive kiosks and a simulated trench area, chronicles forgotten South Carolina stories from WWI. Some of the highlighted stories include the African-American 371st Regiment, women in the American Red Cross, aviation pioneers, military bands, and advanced warfare techniques. It will be on display through December 6, 2009
Founded in 1896, the SC Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum is the oldest museum in the Columbia area. The museum focuses on South Carolina’s military history from the Revolutionary War to the present War on Terror.