Charleston’s Greatest Museums

David Mantek

Charleston Museum• Founded in 1773

• “America’s First Museum.”

• Museum mile exists along Meeting Street

• Hands-on exhibits allowing visitors to examine cultivation tools and sweetgrass baskets that slaves used to harvest and cull rice in the fields.

• -The museum also owns 2 historic houses, The Heyward-Washington House And Joseph Manigault House.

Gibbes Museum of ArtThe Gibbes Museum of Art is located in Charleston’s Historic District at 135 Meeting

Street (2 blocks south of the Market between Cumberland and Queen Streets).

The Karpeles Manuscript

• Holds the worlds largest collection of historic manuscripts.

• Originally a methodist church, the structure also served as a hospital for the Civil War.

• Sponsored by philanthropist David Karpeles.

American LaFrance Fire MuseumNorth Charleston holds the nation’s greatest collection of American LaFrance firefighting trucks, all admiringly restored. The museum contains shiny engines and horse-drawn fire wagons providing visitors with a lesson in

America’s firefighting history.