Exhibits

Museum of York County

Explore the Carolina Piedmont and its connections to the world at the Museum of York County!

Explore the wild wonders of nature with our award-winning exhibitions and programs that explore a variety of natural history topics. With more than 2,000 specimens at your fingertips, the Naturalist Center allows visitors to explore their interests hands-on. Experience a journey back in time to encounter the strange, gigantic, fierce, and fantastic beasts that once roamed the Carolinas in Ice Age Carolinas: Exploring Our Pleistocene Past. In the Settlemyre Planetarium, travel the cosmos from the comfort of your seat with state-of-the-art digital projection and new programs. A playful learning space awaits our youngest visitors in Tot Town. Educational gardens, a Nature Trail, and a picnic area offer outdoor experiences. 

On View at the Museum of York County

Changing Exhibits:

Know Your Nature

An interactive, nature-themed exhibit. Packed with fun, hands-on activities, the exhibit highlights ways for kids and families to discover, appreciate, and experience the natural world around us. Learning is an adventure as you explore the wildlife of the Carolina Piedmont – climb a rock outcropping and explore the hidden nooks and crannies of trees, rocks, and streams.

Nature Nook Gallery featuring Citizen Science

This gallery showcases the winners and honorable mentions from our Citizen Science Photo Contest submissions on various themes such as birds, reptiles, flowers, and more. 

Vernon Grant Gallery featuring Dream Home

The gallery features a collection of original framed artworks, an illustrated children’s book and a functional lamp post modelled after Grant’s artwork. Flip the switch on the lamp post and watch it light up in front of the mural that depicts Glen the Frog in front of his mushroom house. Be inspired by Vernon Grant’s homey illustrations and #DrawYourDreamHome to drop off in Glen’s interactive mailbox! Put up the mailbox flag and see if Glen will respond. Stay tuned to social media! You can also send us a photo on social media for a chance to be featured!

Permanent Exhibits:

Naturalist Center

The only Smithsonian-styled education center in South Carolina, with more than 2,000 specimens at your fingertips, will guide your learning adventures from the Piedmont and across the globe. 

Ice Age Carolinas: Exploring Our Pleistocene Past 

Experience a journey back in time to encounter the strange, gigantic, fierce, and fantastic beasts that once roamed the Carolinas! Featuring life-sized models, taxidermy mounts, diorama and habitat settings, fossils, interactives, and interpretive displays, Ice Age Carolinas portrays the Carolinas’ prehistoric landscapes and wildlife during the Pleistocene Epoch from 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. See, touch, and learn about fossils and the fossil sites in South Carolina that helped paleontologists piece together this fascinating story.    

Carolina Piedmont Halls Landscapes and Lifeways: The Carolina Piedmont 600 Years Ago and Today

Compare the present landscape with the Piedmont of the 1400s, before European exploration and settlement.

Tot Town

Based on the imaginative artwork of nationally-known illustrator and long-time Rock Hill resident Vernon Grant, a playful learning space awaits our youngest visitors in Tot Town!