The Charleston Museum

05/30/2026

The only known surviving Charleston-printed copy of the Declaration of Independence is now on display at the Charleston Museum. (Full story below.)

05/30/2026

⭐️⭐️⭐️NOW ON EXHIBIT⭐️⭐️⭐️

In August 1776, Huguenot descendant and patriot Peter Timothy (1724-1782) printed and distributed broadside copies of the Declaration of Independence when news of its adoption reached Charles Town. Today, only one known copy of Timothy's Declaration broadside survives.

On special loan to The Charleston Museum from The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History , this extraordinary artifact will be on display May 30-August 30 in the Ringleaders of Rebellion exhibition, made possible in part through a grant from the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission . This is a rare opportunity for visitors to view one of the most significant printed documents of the American Revolution.

As part of the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of our nation, join The Charleston Museum and the Huguenot Society of South Carolina on June 23 for the next installment in our Revolutionary War lecture series.

This special program will explore the arrival and spread of the Declaration's news in Charleston during the summer of 1776, examine Peter Timothy's historic broadside, and highlight the Timothy family of printers whose work helped bring the cause of independence to life in South Carolina.

🗓 June 23
🎟 FREE for Museum Members and the public
☕ Light refreshments served prior to the lecture
📞 Register online or call 843-722-2996 ext. 235

This commemorative event is made possible in part through an educational grant from the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission (), awarded to our co-sponsor, the Huguenot Society of South Carolina.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to see the only known surviving Peter Timothy Declaration broadside and learn the fascinating story behind one of South Carolina's most important Revolutionary-era treasures.

05/29/2026

05/26/2026

She’s back! Eliza Lucas Pinckney’s gown is on display now through July 26th in Ringleaders of Rebellion: Charleston in Revolt, 1775-1783. Laying the garment flat for only a limited period helps to preserve it for the next 250 years of American history. Don’t miss this opportunity to view the gown in person this summer, as this will be its last outing for a *very* long time.

05/19/2026

American Revolution. Do you know how he still impacts the world of political imagecraft today? Tomorrow evening, May 20th at 6pm, join us for a lecture by Curator of Historic Textiles, Virginia Theerman, on the fashion and material culture surrounding the American Revolution!

Coverlet, c. 1790
Copperplate printed linen textile called “The Apotheosis of Franklin and Washington”
Gift of Miss Marie Horlbeck, 1919
*NOT ON VIEW*

Stock, late 18th century
Linen and velvet stock, a collar-like accessory, which according to family history was once worn by George Washington
Gift of Blanche Shore Oswald, 2007
*ON VIEW IN Ringleaders of Rebellion!*

Doors open at 5:15 pm. Light refreshments to be served prior to the lecture.
Registration is encouraged. This lecture is FREE for Members and FREE for the public.
***SUGGESTED DONATION $10*** Register online or call 843.722.2996 ext. 235.

05/14/2026

Not every artifact from Charleston’s Revolutionary era was made for battle.

These late 18th-century sweatgrass basket fragments, recovered from the Heyward-Washington House site, offer a glimpse into the materials, craftsmanship, and everyday life that shaped the city in the years around 1776.

Made of rush and palmetto, they remind us that Charleston’s history is not only found in grand landmarks and major events, but also in the objects people used in daily life.

On display at The Charleston Museum.

South Carolina 250 |

05/12/2026

Do you know what this waistcoat has to do with shifting political ideals and image creation in early America? Would you like to? Next week, May 20th at 6pm, join Curator of Historic Textiles Virginia Theerman for an evening lecture on the fashions and material culture of the mid-to-late 18th century. She will present garments now on view in Ringleaders of Rebellion: Charleston in Revolt 1775-1783, in addition to other pieces of the period from the museum’s collection. By situating these objects within their historic context, Theerman will examine how shifting political ideals would go on to shape textile design, dressing habits, and the decorative arts of our newly formed nation.

Registration is encouraged. This lecture is FREE for Members and FREE for the public.
***SUGGESTED DONATION $10*** Light refreshments to be served prior to the lecture.
Doors open at 5:15 pm. Register online or call 843.722.2996 ext. 235.

05/12/2026

The 250th anniversary of the American victory in the war for independence is an excellent chance to reflect on the critical role the militia in South Carolina's backcountry had in (Full story below.)