The newest addition to the museums and attractions in Augusta reminds visitors of the city's close ties to the Savannah River. The Augusta Canal National Heritage Area Interpretive Center opened in April, and in October, the first of two 49-passenger Petersburg boats began plying the canal.
Back downtown, three distinct attractions along Riverwalk Augusta provide plenty of distractions for the traveler. Walking less than a mile along the Savannah River, visitors can see a 1917 steam locomotive, a 1930s gas station and a replica cotton gin at the Augusta Museum of History, or experiment with hands-on exhibits at Fort Discovery Science Center.
In the Augusta Riverfront Center, the Morris Museum of Art features a world-class collection of works by Southern artists and touring exhibits.
Just down Reynolds Street from the museums is Augusta Golf & Gardens, which highlights Augusta's golf heritage with statues of professional golfers.
Across the street at Springfield Village Park is the city's most prominent piece of outdoor art, The Tower of Aspirations, by Chicago artist Richard Hunt. The park honors the 18th-century residents of Springfield, a community of free and slave blacks.
Patrick Verel, Staff
AIKEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS: 122 Laurens St. S.W., Aiken; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday; (803) 641-9094. www.aikencenterforthearts.org.
AIKEN COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM: 433 Newberry St. S.W., Aiken; exhibits include Aiken County History Room, miniature circus, model train room, old drugstore, log cabin and one-room school house; 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 2-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; donations accepted; (803) 642-2015 or aikenhistoricalmuseum.aiken.net.
AUGUSTA CANAL INTERPRETIVE CENTER: 1450 Greene St., Enterprise Mill; interactive exhibits on the canal's 158-year history; center admittance $5 adults, $4 seniors and military, $3 youths, age 6 or younger free; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1-6 p.m. Sunday; weather permitting, guided excursion on 49-passenger Petersburg tour boat, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, $6 adults, $5 seniors, active-duty military, $4 for age 18 and younger; 823-7089 or www.augustacanal.com.
AUGUSTA GOLF & GARDENS: 1 11th St., Reynolds Street at Riverwalk Augusta; flower, butterfly and coastal gardens, sculptures of golfers throughout; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sundays, closed Mondays; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. First Fridays; $6 adults, $5 seniors, students and military; $4 ages 4-12; 3 and younger admitted free with paid adult; $4 per person for groups of 15 or more; buy one, get one free admission on Super Sundays; guided tours with docent when available; 724-4443 or www.gghf.org.
AUGUSTA MUSEUM OF HISTORY, 560 Reynolds St: permanent exhibits include Augusta's Story, Augusta history from early history through Susan Still's 1997 space shuttle mission; medical history; 1917 steam locomotive and 1930s gas station; replica cotton gin and 56-foot Petersburg boat; Susan L. Still Children's Discovery Gallery; World War II Medal of Honor recipient Jimmie Dyess exhibit; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday; free admission Sundays; $4 adults; $3 seniors; $2 children and free for ages 5 and younger other days; 722-8454 or augustamuseum.org.
CITY OF GROVETOWN MUSEUM: 106 W. Robinson Ave.; renovated century-old McDonald-Fields home; information, artifacts and photographs of Grovetown, Columbia County and Georgia and military gallery; donations accepted 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, 1-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 863-4576 or 863-1687.
DUPONT PLANETARIUM: 471 University Parkway, University of South Carolina Aiken; $4.50 adults, $3.50 seniors, $2.50 K-12 pupils, $1 for university faculty, staff and students; $1 addition for Digistar Laser shows; 7 and 8 p.m. first and third Fridays and Saturdays; (803) 641-3654 or rpsec.usca.sc.edu/dupontplanetarium.
EZEKIEL HARRIS HOUSE: 1822 Broad St., Augusta Museum of History Museum in 204-year-old, three-story frame house noted for architectural detail; 722-8454 for information on hours and admission fee.
FORT DISCOVERY SCIENCE CENTER: Riverwalk Augusta at Seventh Street; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday; $8 for ages 18-54, $6 for 55 and older, active military and ages 4-17, free for members; admission half price after 3 p.m. daily; Paul S. Simon Discovery Theater, $2 adults and children; membership available; 821-0200 or www.nscdiscovery.org.
GERTRUDE HERBERT INSTITUTE OF ART: 506 Telfair St.; Wares Folly Gallery and Walker-MacKenzie Gallery; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, by appointment Saturday; free; 722-5495 or www.ghia.org.
LAUREL AND HARDY MUSEUM AND VISITORS INFORMATION CENTER: 250 N. Louisville St., Harlem; artifacts and exhibits pay tribute to comic duo and Harlem native Oliver Hardy; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 1-4 p.m. Sunday; free; 556-0401 or www.harlem.ga.org.
LUCY CRAFT LANEY MUSEUM OF BLACK HISTORY: 1116 Phillips St; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; 2-5 p.m. Sunday; $3 adults, $1 students; 724-3576.
MCCORMICK ARTS COUNCIL AT THE KETURAH (MACK): 115 Main St., McCormick, S.C.; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Tuesday and Thursday through Friday, by appointment Saturday (864) 465-3216 or marts@wctel.net.
MEADOW GARDEN: 1320 Independence Drive, at 13th Street and Walton Way; historic home of George Walton, Georgia governor and signer of the Declaration of Independence; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, by appointment Saturdays; $4 adults; $3.50 senior citizens, $3 college and high school students, $1 third-eighth grade and 50 cents kindergarten-second grade; group rates available; 724-4174.
MORRIS MUSEUM OF ART: 1 10th St.; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday; free admission on Sunday; other days, $3 adults, $2 pupils, military and people 65 and older; children younger than 6 free with adult admission; 724-7501; www.themorris.org.
PHINIZY SWAMP NATURE PARK: Lock and Dam Road; trails, boardwalks, observation decks, outdoor classrooms, a visitor center and a picnic pavilion; noon to dusk Monday-Friday; dawn to dusk Saturday and Sunday; free; 828-2109 or www.phinizyswamp.org.
REDCLIFFE PLANTATION STATE HISTORIC SITE: 181 Redcliffe Road, Beech Island; 369-acre estate including mansion built in 1859 and three historic buildings including slave quarters; grounds open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday-Monday, house tours 1, 2, and 3 p.m. or by appointment; admission to the grounds is free; tours are $4 per adult and $3 for pupils and youth; (803) 827-1473.
SACRED HEART CULTURAL CENTER: 1301 Greene St.; tours of 103-year-old former Roman Catholic church noted for its stained glass, brickwork and architecture; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; donations requested; 826-4700.
SIGNAL CORPS MUSEUM: Conrad Hall, 506b Chamberlain Ave., Fort Gordon; the Winter Flight School, featuring a Signal Corps pilot and mascot; collection of communications material including Civil War devices, signal flag exhibit, carrier pigeon exhibit, combat photographs by Cpl. Hugh F. McHugh, Arctic explorer and Signal Corps 1st Lt. Adolphus W. Greely exhibit and two exhibits pertaining to Pearl Harbor; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; free 791-3856 or 791-2818 or www.gordon.army.mil/ocos/Museum.
THOROUGHBRED RACING HALL OF FAME: 100 Dupree Place, Aiken; Celebrates Aiken's contributions to equestrian sports; inside Hopeland Gardens, 2-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, weather permitting; donations welcome; (803) 642-7650.
WILD TURKEY CENTER AND MUSEUM: National Wild Turkey Federation, 770 Augusta Road, Edgefield, S.C.; legacy sculpture and garden, outdoor education center featuring two miles of nature and hiking trails, managing land for wildlife demonstrations, wetlands habitat site and pavilion; self-guided tours 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; reservations required for groups of 10 or more; free; (803) 637-3106 or www.nwtf.org.
BOYHOOD HOME OF PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON: 419 Seventh St., 1859 former Presbyterian Manse where Wilson spent formative years during the Civil War and Reconstruction; original and period furnishings; tours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; $5, $4 seniors 60 and older; $3 students; free for those younger than 6; Groups of 10 or more by appointment; 722-9828 or www.wilsonboyhoodhome.org.
IT'S A FACT: When the Augusta Canal was used to haul goods back and forth in the 19th century, it could take as long as two days to pull a boat upstream. The replica Petersburg boat, traveling at 6 knots, make the trip much faster.
