the south carolina cotton museum

A warm welcome was extended to us when we entered. After a small charge, we enjoyed a very presentation on the history of growing, harvesting, grading, removing seeds, carding, spinning and cotton. Actual equipment and machines were on display. Worth the trip!

It was hot but worth it. Very interesting history of cotton. We did this after seeing Pearl's garden in Bishopville. SC.

Sometimes I spontaneously follow the signs on the freeway while on a road trip. This week I did just that and enjoyed 30 minutes or so at the South Carolina Cotton Museum in Bishopville. There was a $6 entrance fee, which was well worth the air conditioning, clean bathroom and a tour of the history of the South Carolina Cotton Industry. Not being from the area, I learned a lot and appreciated the effort that has been made to make this museum educational and fun. There were some fun things in the gift shop, and the staff was very friendly. This would be a really fun place for families or anyone who is driving through the area. The front of the museum isn't clearly marked (It is marked, but old and a little difficult to read) but there is parking in the dirt lot across the street. My 30 minute stop was a great break in a long day's drive!

Ok, fair play, they don't reeeaaallly have the Lizard Man, although he was known to appear not far from there in the swamps around Bishopville. You could buy a nifty t-shirt with his picture on it in the gift shop however, without having to tromp through hot, snake and mosquito infested bogs to see him. Now the Giant Boll Weevil (a normally small beetle that infests cotton) is right there in the museum, big enough for a small child to ride on ( but they don't let them do that....), along with every thing you ever wanted to know about those small puffy white (or brown or green) balls that get picked and used to make cotton cloth. I passed this place numerous times without stopping because it looked pretty dull, located inside what used to be a car dealership ( as I recall..). However, they have used what is a relatively small space with a great deal of creativity to bring an important aspect of the agricultural heritage of the South to life. It usually takes me about 40 minutes to an hour to go through, longer if you look at everything. They have a nice gift shop as well, that sells books on local history, SC honey, miniture cotton bales (the big ones play music), and yes, Lizard Man shirts. Take time to drop in if you're in the area

Exhibits of cotton growing and processing. The kids may enjoy the giant bow wevel. Nice little gift shop also. There is also a gentleman who lives in the town who does topiaries ask the personel for directions.

Our friends ,who we were travelling with had been told about this fascinating museum, so we were looking out for it. Bishopville is a small town and you could so easily drive by without knowing it was there. The museum details the history of cotton with lots of hands on exhibits which made it so interesting for the whole family.I didn't realise how important cotton was to the country.There was such a lot to see and was definitely worth a visit. If you are in the area I would encourage you to visit.