Discovery Lecture Series | Coastal Discovery Museum

Discovery Lecture Series

The Coastal Discovery Museum’s popular Discovery Lecture Series is held most Wednesdays at 2:30pm (Sept-May). Guest presenters (authors, university professors, artists, environmental educators, historians, museum directors, archivists, librarians, not-for-profit directors, archaeologists, and more) share educational and fascinating stories about our unique Lowcountry environment, history, and culture that will appeal to residents and visitors alike. Whether your interest is learning, preserving, or exploring ways to make an impact, the Lecture Series gives you access to the experts throughout the year.

This year’s speakers will include authors, university professors, artists, environmental educators, historians, museum directors, archivists, librarians, not-for-profit directors, archaeologists, and more as guest speakers enriching our community’s engagement with its culture, history, and ecology. Join us to connect with all the Lowcountry has to offer!

$7 per person.

Reservations are required and may be made by calling 843-689-6767 ext. 223 or by clicking Register Now.

Scroll down to see upcoming lectures. Check this page often to see additional lectures.

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BE IN THE KNOW

MORELAND PLANTATION AND THE
HEYWARD HOUSE CONNECTION

March 6, 2024 / 2:30-3:30pm

The history of Moreland Plantation reaches beyond the boundaries of Palmetto Bluff to historic Bluffton. Join Palmetto Bluff Conservancy’s Assistant Archaeologist, Katie Epps, as she shares the history of the Corley and Cole families of Moreland Plantation, the enslaved families who worked at Moreland and who reside at The Landings Cemetery, and the connection shared with the Heyward House in Old Town Bluffton.

Register Now
MORELAND PLANTATION AND THE
HEYWARD HOUSE CONNECTION

March 6, 2024 / 2:30-3:30pm

The history of Moreland Plantation reaches beyond the boundaries of Palmetto Bluff to historic Bluffton. Join Palmetto Bluff Conservancy’s Assistant Archaeologist, Katie Epps, as she shares the history of the Corley and Cole families of Moreland Plantation, the enslaved families who worked at Moreland and who reside at The Landings Cemetery, and the connection shared with the Heyward House in Old Town Bluffton.

Register Now
CAPTAIN WILLIAM HILTON AND THE
FOUNDING OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND

March 13, 2024 / 2:30-3:30

Behind the pristine beaches and world renown of Hilton Head Island lies a history that dates back to the early exploration of the nation. In 1663, William Hilton, a mariner born in England, was hired by a group in Barbados to find new lands for them to settle. Hilton led an exploration of the Port Royal Sound area, where he named Hilton Head Island as a navigational marker for future sailors. The island began as a sparsely populated area on the fringe of English settlement in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, when it was called Trench’s Island on some maps. Author Dwayne W. Pickett details the life of Hilton, his exploration of the Carolina coast and the founding of an iconic island.

Register Now
CAPTAIN WILLIAM HILTON AND THE
FOUNDING OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND

March 13, 2024 / 2:30-3:30

Behind the pristine beaches and world renown of Hilton Head Island lies a history that dates back to the early exploration of the nation. In 1663, William Hilton, a mariner born in England, was hired by a group in Barbados to find new lands for them to settle. Hilton led an exploration of the Port Royal Sound area, where he named Hilton Head Island as a navigational marker for future sailors. The island began as a sparsely populated area on the fringe of English settlement in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, when it was called Trench’s Island on some maps. Author Dwayne W. Pickett details the life of Hilton, his exploration of the Carolina coast and the founding of an iconic island.

Register Now
SHOREBIRD IDENTIFICATION AND
THE INTERNATIONAL SHOREBIRD SURVEY

March 20, 2024 / 2:30-3:30

Shorebird identification can be a challenging task. Shorebirds migrate and many are not here year-round, they change plumage with the season, and they are often far out on the muddy banks. Local shorebird surveyors, Jane Hester & Wendy Dickes, will share tips to help you identify shorebirds that visit our shores and discuss some surprising facts about these birds. Learn how local volunteers, like Jane & Wendy, participate in Manomet’s International Shorebird Survey, why it is important, and how the Manomet Bird Observatory uses survey results to strengthen conservation efforts in the Western Hemisphere.

Register Now
SHOREBIRD IDENTIFICATION AND
THE INTERNATIONAL SHOREBIRD SURVEY

March 20, 2024 / 2:30-3:30

Shorebird identification can be a challenging task. Shorebirds migrate and many are not here year-round, they change plumage with the season, and they are often far out on the muddy banks. Local shorebird surveyors, Jane Hester & Wendy Dickes, will share tips to help you identify shorebirds that visit our shores and discuss some surprising facts about these birds. Learn how local volunteers, like Jane & Wendy, participate in Manomet’s International Shorebird Survey, why it is important, and how the Manomet Bird Observatory uses survey results to strengthen conservation efforts in the Western Hemisphere.

Register Now
THE COPPERHEAD, AND OTHER FASCINATING
SNAKES OF THE LOWCOUNTRY

April 3rd, 2024 / 2:30-3:30

Snakes of the Lowcountry have captured the curiosities and fascinations of residents and visitors to this region for hundreds of years. Perhaps the most bewildering of South Carolina’s 39 snake species is the Eastern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix). Learn more about common snakes found in the Lowcountry and dive even deeper into the life of the copperhead with Jake Zadik, Brays Island Naturalist and Co-chair for the South Carolina Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (SCPARC).

Register Now
THE COPPERHEAD, AND OTHER FASCINATING
SNAKES OF THE LOWCOUNTRY

April 3rd, 2024 / 2:30-3:30

Snakes of the Lowcountry have captured the curiosities and fascinations of residents and visitors to this region for hundreds of years. Perhaps the most bewildering of South Carolina’s 39 snake species is the Eastern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix). Learn more about common snakes found in the Lowcountry and dive even deeper into the life of the copperhead with Jake Zadik, Brays Island Naturalist and Co-chair for the South Carolina Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (SCPARC).

Register Now
ON THE WING:
EXPLORING BIRD MIGRATION

April 10, 2024 / 2:30-3:30 PM

Every year billions of birds travel thousands of miles between breeding grounds in North America and wintering grounds in Central and South America. Discover why birds migrate across continents and learn about some tools scientists use to understand the movement of migratory birds with Heather Kraus, Education and Outreach Coordinator at Nemours Wildlife Foundation. Heather will also share her experience with one tool, the Motus Wildlife Tracking System, that is making it easier than ever before to track many small flying animals across long distances.

Register Now
ON THE WING:
EXPLORING BIRD MIGRATION

April 10, 2024 / 2:30-3:30 PM

Every year billions of birds travel thousands of miles between breeding grounds in North America and wintering grounds in Central and South America. Discover why birds migrate across continents and learn about some tools scientists use to understand the movement of migratory birds with Heather Kraus, Education and Outreach Coordinator at Nemours Wildlife Foundation. Heather will also share her experience with one tool, the Motus Wildlife Tracking System, that is making it easier than ever before to track many small flying animals across long distances.

Register Now
THE CUBA-HILTON HEAD
CONNECTION

April 24, 2024 / 2:30-3:30 PM

Did you know that for over a hundred years there was a direct connection between Hilton Head Island and Cuba, via steamship? For decades, this connection brought business, trade, and cultural connections from Cuba to our island, including Honey Horn Plantation which was owned by Cuban Americans after the Civil War. Dr. James Shinn is a historian that specializes in studying Cuban American history and has spent years research the connections between Cuba and the US throughout history. This presentation will talk about how Hilton Head Island and Cuba were connected in the late 1800 and early 1900s.

Register Now
THE CUBA-HILTON HEAD
CONNECTION

April 24, 2024 / 2:30-3:30 PM

Did you know that for over a hundred years there was a direct connection between Hilton Head Island and Cuba, via steamship? For decades, this connection brought business, trade, and cultural connections from Cuba to our island, including Honey Horn Plantation which was owned by Cuban Americans after the Civil War. Dr. James Shinn is a historian that specializes in studying Cuban American history and has spent years research the connections between Cuba and the US throughout history. This presentation will talk about how Hilton Head Island and Cuba were connected in the late 1800 and early 1900s.

Register Now
WHO ARE THE YAMASEE
REALLY?

May 1, 2024 / 2:30-3:30 PM

Hannah Hoover is an archaeologist who has been studying the Yamasee for years. Her recent archaeological research has produced brand new information about who the Yamasee were and what their lives were like for the time they spent living and working in Beaufort County. Join us to learn from Hannah as she discusses her groundbreaking research about the lives of Beaufort County Yamasee.

Register Now
WHO ARE THE YAMASEE
REALLY?

May 1, 2024 / 2:30-3:30 PM

Hannah Hoover is an archaeologist who has been studying the Yamasee for years. Her recent archaeological research has produced brand new information about who the Yamasee were and what their lives were like for the time they spent living and working in Beaufort County. Join us to learn from Hannah as she discusses her groundbreaking research about the lives of Beaufort County Yamasee.

Register Now
Mon.-Sat. 9am-4:30pm | Sun. 11am-3pm FREE ADMISSION