Rent the Museum South Carolina State Museum Historic Modern Unique 1
Your Next Event Venue Host your next special event at the South Carolina State Museum, the state s largest and most comprehensive museum. The State Museum is a one-of-a-kind facility located in the heart of downtown Columbia s Congaree Vista. The historic building, filled with modern elements and unique features, makes for a beautiful and unforgettable event venue. The possibilities are endless with the vast amount of spaces available throughout. Whether a seated dinner for 50 or a reception for more than 1,000, your guests will be dazzled by all the State Museum has to offer. Historic. The State Museum is a timeless and elegant venue housed in its largest artifact, a historic 19th century textile mill. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the State Museum is full of charm and character and will make a lasting impression on your guests. Modern. There are even more event options than ever before in the newly renovated and expanded State Museum. The modern ambiance and design features of the new spaces offer a blank canvas for you to transform and adapt your event. Unique. Your event will stand out from others as you host it in the only facility in the nation to combine a museum with a state-of-the-art planetarium, 4D theater and observatory. Transform our world-class facility into your next unique and unforgettable event. Contents Main Lobby... 3 Mezzanine... 5 Planetarium Lobby... 7 Vista Room... 9 Observatory & Terrace... 11 Palmetto Gallery & Charleston Courtyard... 13 Gervais & Huger Street Rooms... 14 Launch Room... 16 Museum Extras... 17 Catering... 18 Frequently Asked Questions... 18 Enclosures... Inside Back Cover Davey Morgan Photography 2 1
Davey Morgan Photography Main Lobby The new expansive lobby embodies the facility s original mill character through exposed bricks and ceilings, a beautiful wooden grand staircase that leads to the mezzanine, and an admissions desk designed to resemble a vintage textile machine, which can be transformed for events into a hightop bar. The lobby also features South Carolina artifacts representing the museum s four disciplines. SPECIAL FEATURES: Expansive floor plan with many design options Grand staircase and iconic telescope legs Iconic artifacts including the Philip Simmons Gate WIFI Availability: Evening Size: 13,000 sq. ft. Capacity: 500 seated; 1,300 reception 2 3
Mezzanine The newly-renovated mezzanine s prime location on the second floor overlooking the main lobby makes it a perfect location for evening events and receptions. The mezzanine connects to the 4D theater, Crescent Cafe and meeting rooms and links to the museum galleries. Special features: Grand staircase Overlooks the iconic telescope legs and main lobby Original mill hardwood floors WIFI Availability: Evening Size: 3,750 sq. ft. Capacity: 100 seated; 250 reception 4 5
Planetarium Lobby With stunning views of the Congaree Vista and Gervais Street, the brand new planetarium lobby is a popular space for evening receptions and parties. Lights shine from the floor to ceiling on the glass walls that enclose the planetarium making for a unique and modern atmosphere. A ground floor outdoor terrace connects to the planetarium lobby entrance allowing your guests to have a breath of fresh air. Special features: Outdoor terrace Four-story glass walls NASA Gallery Planetarium show add-on WIFI Availability: Evening Size: 7,000 sq. ft. Capacity: 200 seated; 400 reception 6 7
Vista Room Featuring a mural of the Gervais Street Bridge painted by local artist Blue Sky, the Vista Room is a multipurpose room that holds up to 200 people in a variety of seating arrangements for conferences, meals or receptions. Special features: Customizable lighting Adjacent to the Crescent Cafe and mezzanine AV equipment and WIFI Availability: Daytime, evening Size: 2,500 sq. ft. Capacity: 175 seated; 200 reception 8 9
Observatory & Terrace Located on the 4th floor, the new observatory, which houses a 1926 Alvan Clark refracting telescope, is a great intimate event space. With an adjoining terrace that overlooks Columbia s skyline and the Congaree River, the observatory and terrace are prime spots for small dinners and receptions. Special features: Terrace overlook with views of the Congaree River Canal and Columbia s Vista district Located next to the antique telescope gallery Original mill hardwood floors WIFI Availability: Evening Size: 1,400 sq. ft. Capacity: 40 seated; 80 reception 10 11
Palmetto Gallery & Charleston Courtyard Located on the Cultural History floor, the Palmetto Gallery is a multipurpose room that holds up to 300 people in a variety of seating arrangements for conferences, meetings or receptions. At night, the Charleston Courtyard s trompe l oeuile Rainbow Row mural, wrought-iron benches and Doric columns add a garden party-esque flair. Special Features: Adjacent to museum galleries AV equipment and WIFI Availability: Daytime, evening Size: 3,000 sq. ft. Capacity: 200 seated; 300 reception 12 13
Gervais Street Room Featuring a vintage map of Columbia, the Gervais Room is multipurpose room that is great for meetings and other events. An adjoining kitchen allows for easy food and beverage service for meetings and events. Special Features: Adjacent to the Crescent Cafe and mezzanine Private kitchen AV equipment and WIFI Customizable lighting Availability: Daytime, evening Size: 1,880 sq. ft. Capacity: 100 seated; 175 reception Huger Street Room The Huger Street Room, adjacent to the Gervais Street Room, is a multipurpose room great for smaller meetings and events or as an add-on to any event. An adjoining kitchen allows for easy food and beverage service for meetings and events. Special Features: Adjacent to the Crescent Cafe and mezzanine Private kitchen AV equipment and WIFI Customizable lighting Availability: Daytime Size: 445 sq. ft. Capacity: 25 seated; 60 reception 14 15
Museum Extras Launch Room With built-in AV equipment, the brand new Launch Room is ideal for meetings and other events. The room features large windows that overlook Columbia s Huger Street and Congaree Vista. Special Features: Adjoining catering kitchen AV equipment and WIFI Availability: Evening Size: 2,150 sq. ft. In addition to taking advantage of the beautiful rental spaces throughout the facility, you have the option to add additional museum experiences that will create lasting memories for your guests. Your guests can... Explore outer space in one of the largest planetariums in the Southeast Experience a multisensory 4D movie Look through a vintage telescope in a one-of-a-kind observatory Discover four floors of South Carolina art, cultural history, natural history and science. Capacity: 120 seated; 200 reception 16 17
Catering Partner The State Museum is proud to have Southern Way Catering as our exclusive daytime caterer. Southern Way has more than 30 years of catering experience and brings to the table delicious Southern cuisine enhanced by the best in fine dining service. Southern Way s philosophy is to provide the most delectable food, the most attentive service, the most memorable presentations, and the most pleasurable event experience. thesouthernway.com Frequently Asked Questions Who handles the catering? Southern Way is the exclusive caterer for all daytime events, and the preferred caterer for all after-hours events. Can I have a band or DJ at my event? Yes, you can hire musical entertainment for your event. We are happy to provide helpful information and walk through proposed setups. Can alcohol be served? Alcohol can only be served after hours when the museum is closed to the public. Our caterer can assist with coordinating bartending services. How early can I set up my event? Daytime events must be set up within the four or eight hour rental period. After-hours events may begin to set up two hours prior to the public closing time of the museum. Rentals of public spaces may not interfere with public access, enjoyment or safety while setting up prior to museum closing. How early can my event begin? Daytime events can begin as early as 8 a.m. After-hours events can begin as early as one hour after the public closing of the museum each day (public operating hours are posted and subject to change). How long can my event last? Daytime events can be either four or eight hours long. After-hours events may last up to four hours and must end no later than 12 a.m. Can I just rent the whole museum? Yes, it is possible to rent the entire museum for an after-hours event. We will be happy to walk through the options and costs on-site with you to determine if this is a desirable option for you. Rental Contact Our in-house event team is eager to assist you throughout the planning process. For information about renting the State Museum or to schedule an appointment, please contact the museum s Facility Rentals Department at 803.898.4901 or facilityrental@scmuseum.org. Are rehearsals included in wedding rentals? We will accommodate a wedding rehearsal at no additional cost based on our available space and time. Normally, these occur between 4-6 p.m. on the day before your wedding, but we will make individual arrangements with you in the planning process. Are there any items not allowed at my event? The museum does not allow glitter, confetti, birdseed, helium balloons, open flames, candles, fireworks or live animals (other than service animals). Sparklers for wedding receptions are subject to museum approval. 18 19
Rent the Museum 20 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201 I 803.898.4922 I scmuseum.org