Spring break is just around the corner, and while jet-setting to exotic destinations might not be on the agenda this year, there's still plenty of excitement to be found right in our own backyards. For parents seeking engaging and enriching activities for their families, embarking on a staycation filled with visits to local museums offers a perfect blend of fun and learning.
From uncovering hidden gems in art galleries to diving into the wonders of science and history, local museums provide endless opportunities for exploration and discovery. And we are very lucky here in the Fort Mill area to have a slew of museums within a 2-hour drive that are absolutely worth exploring!
Uptown Charlotte
Mint Museum
📍 500 S Tryon St, Levine Center for the Arts and 2730 Randolph Rd | Charlotte
🗓 Tuesday - Sunday
🕛 Hours vary by location
Levine Museum of the New South
📍 401 South Tryon Street
🕛 Friday/Monday: 10 AM - 5 PM
🕛 Saturday: 10 AM - 4 PM
🕛 Sunday: 12 - 5 PM
Harvey B. Gannt Museum
📍 551 S Tryon St, Levine Center for the Arts | Charlotte
🗓 Tuesday - Saturday
🕛 10 AM - 5 PM
Discovery Place Science
📍 301 N Tryon St | Charlotte
🕛 Monday - Friday, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
🕛 Saturday - Sunday, 10:30AM - 4:30 PM
Museum of Illusions
📍 601 S Tryon St, Suite 138 | Charlotte
🗓 Open Daily
🕛 10 AM - 9 PM (Saturdays open until 10 PM)
Bechtler Museum
📍 420 S Tryon St | Charlotte
🕛 Monday: 10 AM - 5 PM
🕛 Wednesday: 10 AM - 9 PM
🕛 Thursday - Saturday: 10 AM - 5 PM
🕛 Sunday: 12 - 5 PM
Nascar Hall of Fame
📍 400 E Martin Luther King Blvd | Charlotte
🗓 Wednesday - Sunday
🕛 10 AM - 5 PM
Huntersville
Discovery Place Kids
📍 105 Gilead Rd | Huntersville
🗓 Tuesday - Sunday
🕛 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM (Extended hours to 4:30 on Saturday and Sunday)
Noth Charlotte / Concord
Sea Life
📍 8111 Concord Mills Blvd | Concord
🕛 Monday - Saturday: 10 AM - 6 PM
🕛 Sunday: 11 AM - 5 PM
Hendricks Motorsport Museum
📍 4400 Papa Joe Hendrick Boulevard | Charlotte
🕛 Monday - Friday: 10 AM - 5 PM
🕛 Saturday: 10 AM - 3 PM
Rock Hill / Fort Mill
Main Street Children's Museum
📍 133 E Main St | Rock Hill
🗓 Tuesday - Saturday
🕛 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM / 1 PM - 3:30 PM
🥳 Sunday Open for Birthday Parties ONLY
Museum of York County
📍 1444 Brattonville Rd | McConnells
🕛 Tuesday - Saturday: 10 AM - 5 PM
🕛 Sunday: 1 - 5 PM
Fort Mill History Museum
📍 107 Clebourne St | Fort Mill
🗓 Wednesday - Saturday
🕛 10 AM - 4 PM
Rock Hill Fire Station Museum
📍 214 S Elizabeth Ln | Rock Hill
🗓 Monday - Friday
🕛 8 AM - 4 PM by Reservation Only
Union County
Museum of the Waxhaws
📍 8215 Waxhaw Hwy | Waxhaw
🗓 Friday - Saturday
🕛 10 AM - 3 PM
Monroe Science Center
📍 318 E. Franklin | Monroe
🗓 Wednesday - Saturday
🕛 9 AM - 5 PM
Worth the Drive
Kaleideum in Winston Salem
📍 120 W 3rd St | Winston-Salem
🕛 Tuesday - Friday: 9 AM - 5 PM
🕛 Saturday - Sunday: 10 AM - 5 PM
Schiele Museum in Gastonia
📍 1500 E Garrison Blvd | Gastonia
🕛 Monday - Saturday: 10 AM - 4 PM (Saturday 5 PM)
🕛 Sunday: 1 - 5 PM
Children's Museum of the Upstate in Greenville, SC
📍 300 College Street | Greenville
🕛 Tuesday - Saturday: 9 AM – 5 PM
🕛 Sundays: 11 AM – 5 PM
EdVenture Children's Museum in Columbia SC
📍 211 Gervais St | Columbia
📞 Call for hours
Greensboro Science Center
📍 4301 Lawndale Dr | Greensboro
🗓 Daily
🕛 9 AM - 5 PM
Whether you make an overnight of these ideas or try to hit them for a few hours on the days you have open, we hope that this list is bookmarkable and you have a great time exploring!
