Current Exhibitions
"No Holier Spot of Ground"
Confederate Memory in South Carolina’s Cemeteries, Monuments, and Museums
May 1, 2009 - August 2, 2009
The shadow of loved ones lost during the Civil War haunted thousands of households across America. In the Palmetto State alone, nearly 21,000 military men died out of the approximately 63,000 troops mustered into service. Each number within this astounding death total directly represents an individual whose life came to a short end, leaving behind unfulfilled hopes and dreams. Likewise, it also represents the families whose worlds were instantly shattered. Never again would they feel the embrace, hear the voice or experience the comfort of their loved one.
Opening May 1, 2009, the exhibit “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 on display through August 2, 2009.
The museum is planning a series of special tours that expand on the themes of this exhibit. The series, titled “Beyond Museum Cases: The SC Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum and Columbia’s Confederate Monuments and Cemeteries” will combine tours of the museum with onsite visits to Elmwood Cemetery and the State House. Visit the Tours page for dates, times, and ticket information.
Captions: above left, Elmwood Cemetery; above center, monument in Spartanburg County
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Forgotten Stories: South Carolina Fights the Great War
November 9, 2007 - December 6, 2009
April 2007 marked the ninetieth anniversary of the United States’ entry into the Great War. In recognition of this, the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum has partnered with six historical and educational institutions in Columbia to develop a multi-venue project (titled “Forward Together: South Carolina in World War I”) on the participation of South Carolina citizens during the First World War and its effects on the state. The partnership consists of Historic Columbia Foundation, McKissick Museum (USC), South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum, South Carolina Educational Television Network, South Carolina State Museum, South Caroliniana Library (USC), with each location concentrating on a different aspect of the war. Visit the website for the exhibits at http://www.scforwardtogether.org/.
The SC Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum’s exhibit, “Forgotten Stories: South Carolina Fights the Great War,” focuses on the military history of the war, strategies used during it, and how the war is a part of South Carolina's military tradition. The exhibit themes examine various aspects of the war such as trench warfare, the use of artillery, the new use of airplanes, Medal of Honor winners from SC, and the forgotten story of the African-American 371st Infantry Regiment. The exhibit also highlights the often-overlooked Mexican Punitive Expedition and includes exciting visuals, such as life-like mannequins, a simulated trench, and interactive kiosks. This exhibit is displayed in the museum’s new, expanded gallery space in the renovated “cistern” area of the Columbia Mills Building. The exhibit is on display through December 6, 2009.
See a story on the 371st Regiment on PBS's History Detectives!
ABOVE: 371st soldier mannequin
LEFT: "Forgotten Stories" exhibit gallery
RIGHT: Section of reproduction trench area