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 Updated: 2/4/2017 
Aiken County Historical Museum at Banksia
Aiken, South Carolina
Description

17,500 square feet of amazing Aiken County history in changing exhibits and the following permanent exhibits: The County Room/The “War” Room The Pottery Exhibit The Savannah River Site The Golf Exhibit The Sports Room The Military Exhibit The Winter Colony Room The Hamburg/North Augusta Room The Agriculture Room The Moody Drugstore The Public Safety Room The “Displaced” Exhibit The Circus Room The Nature Room The Musicians of Aiken County The Ladies of Aiken County The Ergle Cabin The China Springs One-Room Schoolhouse

History

Banksia is named for the Banksia rose and is actually two houses joined together on a 3.5 acre lot. The older section is wood and dates from 1840. The large brick section was built in 1931. While the rest of the country was reeling from the Depression, Richard Howe of New York paid $85,000 to build Banksia, which was designed by Willis Irvin. Mr. Howe was 61 years old at the time. Formerly a vice president of International Harvester, Mr. Howe was married into the Deering family. An avid horseman, Mr. Howe used Banksia as his winter home. Look for his initials above the door. The house was sold by Mr. Howe’s daughter in 1951 for $40,000. During the 50s, while the Savannah River Plant was under construction, the 17,500 sq. ft. house was used as a boarding house. It has been used as a college campus on two separate occasions and was once the home of the public library. The Museum moved into the frame section in 1984 and, in 1989, occupied the rest of the building. Banksia has 32 rooms, 15 bathrooms and a ballroom.

Programs

We provide exhibitions, teacher workshops, docent program, tours, lectures, et al.

Facilities
Performance Areas
Governance

County entity governed by the Aiken County Historical Commission whose responsibility is the operation of the museum; and is also responsible for preserving and maintaining the premises and the architectural, historical and cultural integrity of Banksia in conjunction with appropriate County authorities.

Library

Access: Scholars, Staff Only, Members

Appointment required: True

Services
Store

We have some very special store items to choose from as well as those ever popular and delicious “Lumps of Coal” from Abadallah Chocolates Co. and Chocolate Peppermint Bark. And, we have some South Carolina certified raw infused honey from HorseCreek Honey Farms, in the most beautiful bottles. The bottles are one pound and infused with real vanilla bean, bean, chili peppers, cinnamon spice, and lavender. I’ve drizzled the chili-infused over chicken, roasted vegetables and used it in homemade chili. Just that great blend of sweet and heat. I have found a lovely artist who, in looking for ways to use her skills, decided to take her art to a more functional level. I have purchased her hand-crafted tissue boxes and they are both adorable and useful. No more cardboard boxes on my tables! We hope you come in to see what’s new and wonderful in your Museum Gift Store!

Gift Shop
Event Rental
Group Tours
Street Address
433 Newberry Street, SW
Aiken, SC 29801
Mailing Address
433 Newberry St, SW
Aiken, SC 29801
phone: 803-642-2015
e-mail: bbaratto@aikencountysc.gov
home page: aikenmuseum.us
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Hours of Operation
Tuesday - Saturday10 AM - 5 PM
Sunday2 PM - 5 PM

Closed on Mondays and National Holidays.

Admission
Museum Type(s)
Culture
History
Historic House
Historical Society
Park
Staff
DISCLAIMER
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MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

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Saturday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Inn at Virginia Tech

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Hosted by: Virginia Association of Museums

2025 Conference Theme: Looking Back to the Future For the past several years, many museums have been deeply involved in planning programs and events to observe the 250th birthday of the United States of America. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, this anniversary also forces us as a society to reckon with ongoing inequities and challenges within the US that go back to its inception. As museums ask their audiences to look to the past to understand the present and shape a better future, perhaps now is a good moment in time for Virginia’s museum community to take pause and look back at its own history. We are excited to see you in Blacksburg in March 2025 as we take a moment in our hectic schedules to take pause and visit our diverse pasts. Let’s uncover and share our histories to build a more resilient Virginia museum community.

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

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Saturday, March 29 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

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Hosted by: Ohio Museums Association

"Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential

The heart of innovation is transformation – shaking up our established way of doing things by introducing new methods, new ideas, and new approaches to both obstacles and opportunities

Museums across Ohio are not just adapting, but innovating to reach their full potential and better serve their communities. No matter their role, museum professionals are introducing forward-thinking perspectives and initiating creative solutions to launch the field into a future where museums can remain trusted and relevant community cornerstones

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Join us in Athens, March 29-31 as we explore these topics and more at the 2025 Ohio Museums Association’s Annual Conference: Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential.

For more information, please email oma@ohiohistory.org.

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

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Sunday, March 30 - Monday, March 31, 2025

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The primary objective is to provide a platform for museum professionals and others working in the industry to share ideas, best practices, resources and innovative approaches that demonstrate how museums can reach audiences in and beyond our physical spaces. We aim to inspire attendees to think broadly about the potential of their institutions and to foster a spirit of innovation and community engagement.

By facilitating discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities, the conference will empower current and future museum professionals and to expand their impact, embrace new challenges, and create meaningful connections with their audiences and communities.

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

March 31 - April 3, 2025

Washington, Arkansas

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Monday, March 31 - Thursday, April 3, 2025

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Hosted by: Arkansas Museums Association

"From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums

This year, the AMA conference theme is "From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums" As museum professionals we learn and use a wide variety of tools and skills every day

The Arkansas Museums Association is planning its 2025 Annual Conference, which will be hosted by Historic Washington State Park on March 31-April 3, 2025.

The goal of the conference is to support and foster the museum community through a mix of speakers as well as workshops, practical and informative presentations, in-depth discussions, and examples of projects and initiatives that are relevant to museums in Arkansas. Arkansas Museum Association members take ownership in the conference experience as presenters, speakers, panelists, facilitators, and workshop leaders.

For more information, please email arkansasmuseums@gmail.com.

New York Museum Association 2025 Conference in Ithaca, NY

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Ithaca, New York

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Saturday, April 5 - Tuesday, April 8, 2025

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MANY’s annual conference helps museum professionals build a network to share perspectives, tools, and skills that develop excellence across the field. Our goal is to nurture a community of practice, advance institutional change, and create an inclusive and expansive New York team of collaborators who learn together.

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