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Area Attractions
Columbia Frankie's Fun Park A 14-acre family amusement center with three go-cart tracks, bumber boats, batting cages, three 18-hole mini-golf courses, laser tag, an arcade and a pizza restaurant. Daily 10 a.m.-midnight (May-Aug.); Mon.-Thurs., 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri. & Sat., 10 a.m.-midnight (Sept.-April) No admission cost, pay per activity. Columbia Museum of Art The largest fine art museum in South Carolina has a world-class collection of American and European fine and decorative art that spans seven centuries, from early Renaissance through Contemporary. Wed., Thurs., Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fri., 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (10 a.m.-5 p.m. in Dec.); Sun., 1-5 p.m. $5 aults; $2 students; $4 military and senior citizens 60 and over; free for children age 6 and under. State Farmers Market Fresh fruits and vegetables arrive daily at the largest produce market in the Southeast. Visitors and buyers welcome. Mon.-Sat., 6 a.m.-9 p.m. The Children's Garden is a wonderful place to relax and encourage imaginative play. The centerpiece of the two-acre garden is Pooh's garden, complete with Eeyore's house, Owl's house up in a tree, and a sandpit in the center for digging and playing. Open daily 8 a.m. to dusk. Free. Riverbanks Zoo & Garden Riverbanks is a 170-acre park featuring two distinctly unique areas along the scenic Lower Saluda River and houses more than 2,000 animals in natural habitat exhibits, 70 acres of woodlands, gardens, historic ruins and plant collections. Daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $9.75 adults; $7.25 children; $8.50 military; $8.25 senior citizens; children under 3 free. Chestnut Cottage Bed & Breakfast Chestnut Cottage was the war-time home of Mary Boykin Chestnut, author of "Diary from Dixie." President Jefferson visited in October 1864 and gave a speech to the citizens of Columbia from the front porch of the Cottage. South Carolina State House One of Columbia's and South Carolina's most historic buildings. Construction of the State House began in 1855 and withstood Sherman's march on Columbia in 1865. Today, six bronze stars mark the impact of shells from Union cannons. The building was completed in 1907 and a major restoration was completed in 1998. Lake Murray Offers fishing for striped bass, bream, shellcracker, crappie and largemouth bass. A number of commerical boat launching facilities available. Some SCE&G areas provide bathroom facilities and picnic areas. Challenger Learning Center The center is an exciting, hands-on faciltiy where students and educators work in teams to solve real-life math, science and technology problems during a space flight mission simulation. For 5th-8th grade students. Mon.-Fri., 9-11 a.m., 9:15-11:15 a.m., noon-2 p.m., 12:15-2:15 p.m. Richland County Public Library Richland County Public Library was named National Library of the Year in 2001. It includes a 242,000-square-foot Main Library in downtown Columbia, nine branches strategically located throughout the county, and a bookmobile. The Children's Room at Main is the home of the "Where the Wild Things Are" mural by renowned author and illustrator Maurice Sendak. The Wachovia Gallery displays numerous exhibits throughout the year featuring a wide variety of art, from pastels and watercolors to mosaics and mixed media. Mon.-Thurs., 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., 2-6 p.m. Columbia Fire Department Museum The Columbia Fire Department Museum is a non-profit organization that provides tours of the museum and fire department. The museum is open to the public and is located at the Columbia Fire Department Headquarters. It features a collection of artifacts related only to the history of the fires service in the city of Columbia. Free. EdVenture Children's Museum This 67,000-square-foot facility houses eight spectacular galleries, a 200-seat community theater, a library, two unique resource centers and the world's largest child, Eddie. Designed for children 12 and younger, this high-tech and high-touch educational facility boasts 450 individual exhibits that help meet South Carolina's Educational Curriculum Standards and supplement the education of South Carolina's children. Tues.-Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m. $6.95/child; $8.95/adult; children under one free. Fort Jackson Museum The Fort Jackson Museum is loacated on the military insatallation. Their mission is to exhibit artifacts pertaining to the training of the individual soldier with emphasis on basic training at Fort Jackson from 1917 to the present. There's also a static display with an assortment of tactical vehicles. The post is open to the public, but visitors must show a picture ID, vehicle registration and proof of insurance. Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. McKissick Museum The building at the head of the University's historic Horseshoe features changing exhibitions of art, science and regional history and folk art. Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. South Carolina State Museum Visit the state's largest museum with extensive exhibits in the disciplines of art, science and technology, cultural history and natural history. Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., 1-5 p.m. $5 adults; $4 seniors 62 and over; $3 children; ages 2 and under free. Columbia Riverfront Park and Historic Canal The city's original 1906 waterworks with the pump house still in place and the first hydroelectric plant anchor this peaceful setting for cycling, jogging, walking and picnicking. Daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. Finlay Park An 18-acre park in downtown Columbia. A popluar place for concerts, picnics, festivals and other events. Provides walking paths, a café, porch-type swings, two large playgrounds for children and a waterfall that leads into a large pond. Features a community center with a gymnasium, playground area, a beautiful water fountain, a baseball diamond, and lots of wide-open grassy areas for playing. Martin Luther King Jr. Park is also the location of the Five Points Farmers Market. This park, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, features a 30-acre lake, trails and picnic areas and a campground and offers canoe and kayak rentals. Mon.-Sun., 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; (7 a.m.-9 p.m. DST) $2; SC seniors $1.25; 15 and younger free. Riverbanks Zoo & Garden Riverbanks is a 170-acre park featuring two distinctly unique areas along the scenic Lower Saluda River and houses more than 2,000 animals in natural habitat exhibits, 70 acres of woodlands, gardens, historic ruins and plant collections. Daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $9.75 adults; $7.25 children; $8.50 military; $8.25 senior citizens; children under 3 free. |
