History

The Museum of York County in Rock Hill, South Carolina, originally the Children’s Nature Museum of Rock Hill, opened in 1950 as a result of a community effort led by the Junior Welfare League, to create a cultural opportunity for area children. With the Stans African animal collection acquisition in the late 1950s, a larger space was necessary. The new building, which the museum now occupies, opened in 1965 and featured dioramas showcasing the African collection. In 1976 the Children’s Nature Museum of Rock Hill became the Museum of York County. The Settlemyre Planetarium opened at the Museum of York County in 1977. In 1978, the museum became repository for the Vernon Grant collection of illustration art by the originator of Snap!® Crackle!® Pop!®.

 

Over the years the Museum’s mission has shifted to focus on the natural history of the Carolina Piedmont. In 2010, the Museum opened its Naturalist Center which promotes hands-on visitor experiences with over 2,000 specimens available for visitor exploration. In 2021 the Museum opened its newest permanent exhibit Ice Age Carolinas: Exploring Our Pleistocene Past, which allows visitors to discover the Carolina Piedmont during the Pleistocene epoch. 

 

Today the Museum of York County prides itself in creating immersive, hands-on experiences for our visitors and in being among the top museums in the state in terms of budget and audience served. In 2021, MYCO opened a new permanent exhibit Ice Age Carolinas: Exploring Our Pleistocene Past.