On Site Tours and Programs

The blue crab’s life cycle begins with millions of microscopic eggs that eventually develop into active predators with powerful claws. Learn all about the intriguing life of the Atlantic Blue Crab and the important role they play in the coastal ecosystem and lowcountry history. Experience recreational harvesting, cooking, cleaning, and eating of the blue crab! (This is a hands-on learning experience and includes just a taste of blue crab meat).

FAMILY FRIENDLY
April-October: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30–11:30am.
$15 Adult / $10 Child (ages 4-12) / Children under 4 are free.
Reservations required: call 843-689-6767 ext. 223 or register online.

Get up close and personal with some native butterflies! Learn about local butterflies and see all four stages of their life cycle (egg, larvae, chrysalis, and adult butterfly) during a guided walk through the Karen Wertheimer Butterfly Habitat. Discover just how easy it is to attract butterflies to your yard and how to increase butterfly numbers in the wild. This tour includes a 20-30min interactive indoor presentation prior to a guided walk through the Karen Wertheimer Butterfly Habitat.

May: Fridays from 3:00-4:00pm.
June, July, & August: Tuesdays from 3:00-4:00pm AND Fridays from 11:00am-12:00pm.
September & October: Fridays from 11:00am-12:00pm.

This is a FAMILY FRIENDLY indoor/outdoor experience.
$10 Adult / $5 Child (ages 4-12) / Children under 4 are free.
Reservations required: call 843-689-6767 ext. 223 or register online.

The Civil War is one of the most important events in the history or our country. South Carolina played a key role in the development and ending of the war. Hilton Head Island was home to thousands of Union soldiers during the Civil War. Find out why they were here and how they spent their time. Historic photographs, maps and artifacts tell the story of Hilton Head from 1861-1865.

Thursdays from 3:00–4:00pm
$7 per person (ages 7+) / No children under the age of 7 please.
Reservations required: call 843-689-6767 ext. 223 or register online.

Drop in and explore the Coastal Discovery Museum’s Discovery Lab!! Visiting the lab is a fun educational experience for all ages. Get a closer look at some live lowcountry animals like fish, horseshoe crabs, hermit crabs, frogs, lizards, snakes, and a friendly alligator. Discover unique and fascinating stories about the lowcountry’s history and environment through hands-on, interactive displays and games.

Open House:
April & May: Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:00-4:00pm.
June, July, & August: Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:00-4:00pm.
September, October, & November: Mondays from 2:00-4:00pm.

“Locals Lab Discovery” – One Saturday a month.
Geared to our local families who may not be able to attend during the week, but all are welcome!  Saturdays 6/16, 7/21, 8/18, 9/22, 10/20, and 11/17 from 10:00am – 12:00pm

No reservations required.
Suggested $2 per person donation.
FAMILY FRIENDLY. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Everyone must have fun!!

Begin your Honey Horn experience with this guided tour around the museum’s picturesque and historic grounds. Visit the salt marsh, see historic buildings, and learn about the gardens, plants and trees on site. Your museum guide will share stories about Honey Horn’s past and its natural history.

Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:00am-12:30pm.
$10 Adults / $5 Children (ages 4-12) / Not recommended for children under the age of 4.
Reservations required: call 843-689-6767 ext. 223 or register online.

Experienced professional photographer Scott Moody provides an opportunity for a unique family portrait experience at the Coastal Discovery Museum. The beautiful Honey Horn setting with its majestic live oaks, salt marsh boardwalks, and historic buildings is a great alternative to the beach for your family’s portrait. The fee includes the photography session and printable high resolution images.

Scott Moody has worked as a professional photographer for over 30 years in the Lowcountry. He provides professional portraits captured digitally. The customer then has the ability to print products and images on your own.

Time vary with the sunset. Portraits are offered Sunday through Friday. All reservations must be made over the phone. Please call 843-689-6767, ext. 223 to arrange your session.  $300 per session.

This is a casual “Meet and Greet” to learn more about the alligators, snakes and other critters that share Hilton Head Island with us. Joe Maffo, owner and founder of “Critter Management” will bring along some of his “friends” to share with everyone. Take this opportunity to walk-in and see these animals up close, take a picture and learn more about them. No reservations are required.

FAMILY FRIENDLY. Children must be accompanied by a participating adult.
June, July, and August: Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:00am-2:00pm.
$10 Adults / $5 Child (ages 5-12) / Children under the age of 5 are free.
No reservations are required.

Descended from horses brought to the Lowcountry in the 1500s, there are now around 300 Marsh Tackies left in existence.   Learn about the history of these adaptable horses and take a trip to our historic barn. There you will meet the museum’s two resident horses Comet and Hawk and learn about their care and conservation.

September-May: Fridays from 2:00-3:00pm.
$10 adult / $5 child (ages 4-12) / No children under the age of 4 please.
Limited to 15 participants.
Reservations required: call 843-689-6767 ext. 223 or register online.

Step off the beaten path with our curator on this exclusive tour and learn to identify some of the remarkable plants on our property – from the largest trees to the tiniest flowers.  Some are edible, others are used medicinally; some attract insects, others are natural repellents.  Discover how plants provide for us and other animals and learn how they communicate with each other.

Mondays at 3:00-4:30pm.
$15 Adults / $10 Children (ages 6-12) / No children under the age of 6 please.
Limited to 6 participants.
Reservations required: call 843-689-6767 ext. 223 or register online

Join a Coastal Discovery Museum volunteer for a guided tour of the 19 outdoor sculptures on site for the 2018 Public Art Exhibition.  The 2018 Public Art Exhibition on Hilton Head Island features 20 large-scale sculptures created by artists from across the country, placed along the lush, magnificent one-mile walking path of Coastal Discovery Museum – one selection will be installed at the Hilton Head Island Airport. The event runs four months and is open during regular Coastal Discovery Museum hours.

Each sculpture selected for the exhibit was placed in a specific location on the historic Honey Horn property – to complement its materials, subject matter or scale.  Be sure to vote for your favorite piece of sculpture at www.hhipublicart.org/.

September 28th – January 25th: Fridays from 1:00-2:00pm.
$10 Adult / $5 Child (ages 8-12) / Not recommended for children under the age of 8.
Reservations required by calling 843-689-6767 ext. 223.

Alligators, snakes, and turtles oh my! Take a closer look at the fascinating and unique characteristics of local reptiles and amphibians. Interact with a few live critters and discover the importance of these often misunderstood animals. Learn how to protect these amazing creatures and safely enjoy sharing the lowcountry with them.

This FAMILY FRIENDLY indoor experience is also a nice escape from the afternoon heat or rain!
PLEASE NOTE: This program only accommodates 24 participants. Reservations are HIGHLY recommended.
June, July, & August: Tuesdays from 1:00pm-2:00pm.
September, October, and November: Wednesdays from 3:00pm – 4:00pm.
$10 Adult / $5 Child (ages 4-12) / Children under 4 are free
Reservations required: call 843-689-6767 ext. 223 or register online.

The Salt Marsh is a unique environment with a fascinating tale that is often overlooked. Most coastal creatures depend fully or partially on the Salt Marsh. The role the Salt Marsh plays as a filter for water and a nursery for many of the creatures that inhabit the coast is vital for the functioning of the coastal ecosystem. Learn from an expert how and why this particular environment is so important. Considered one of the most productive ecosystems on earth, the Salt Marsh is a place worth visiting and exploring while on Hilton Head Island.

September-May: Fridays from 10:00-11:30am.
$10 adults / $7 child (ages 4-12) / Not recommended for children under the age of 4.
Reservations required: call 843-689-6767 ext. 223 or register online.

Sea turtles live an extraordinary life. Explore the amazing journey of Loggerhead Sea Turtles from egg to adulthood. Discover just how easy it is to help protect these fascinating sea creatures. You will not see live sea turtles but this is a hands-on, eye-opening, experience filled with unique educational materials to see, touch, and interact with.

This FAMILY FRIENDLY indoor experience is also a nice escape from the afternoon heat or rain!
June, July, & August: Thursdays from 1:00pm-2:00pm.
$10 Adult / $5 Child (ages 4-12) / Children under 4 are free
Reservations required: call 843-689-6767 ext. 223 or register online.

Want to learn about nature and have fun at the same time? Take a narrated Segway tour! Travel through the property, traversing wooden boardwalks over the salt marsh, winding through the Live Oaks draped in Spanish moss. Catch a glimpse of historic Marsh Tacky horses. All while standing tall on your off-road, pollution free, Segway. Great for seniors, families, and friends. Ages 8 and older. Tours range from 1 ¼ to 1 ¾ hours, including training. Extended tours (14 and older only) leave the plantation to nearby Jarvis Park. $69 to $89 per person depending upon the length of the tour.

All booking for these tours is arranged through Segway of Hilton Head. Book online by clicking here or call 800-800-0424. If you don’t find the tour online, please call for availability.

Learn about the history of the Sweetgrass basket, one of the Lowcountry’s best known art forms, from a local Gullah basket maker. Then, try your hand at starting a basket of your own using locally found natural materials.

Select Saturdays at 10:30am.
Upcoming classes:    9/15, 9/29, 10/13, 10/27, 11/10

$65 per person.
Please note: A minimum of 5 participants is required for this class to occur.
Reservations required: call 843-689-6767 ext. 223 or register online.

Please call the Museum if you have a group interested in a Sweetgrass Basket Class on a day that is not on the schedule. Special arrangements may be possible.

Hilton Head Island has a fascinating history, from the earliest Native Americans inhabitants that harvested oysters and hunted Black Bear to the modern day residents and visitors who flock here to play tennis and golf. The island has gone through numerous changes and uses by diverse groups of people, from logging to farming, to hunting and finally today mostly as a tourist retreat and home to over 35,000 full time residents. Learn from a museum docent about these changes, and the tale of its participants from Native Americans, to Gullah islanders to modern day residents.

September-May: Tuesdays at 3:00-4:00pm.
$7 per person (ages 7+) / No children under the age of 7 please.
Reservations required: call 843-689-6767 ext. 223 or register online.

What lives under the sea? There is an amazing world of marine life under that sparkling blue ocean. Take a closer look at some of the smaller marine creatures. Find out what lived in those shells you find on the beach, feed a horseshoe crab and watch it chew with its legs, help a hermit crab find a new home, and much more!

This FAMILY FRIENDLY indoor experience is also a nice escape from the afternoon heat or rain!
June, July, and August: Fridays from 1:00-2:00pm. (No program on 8/10 and 8/17).
$10 Adult / $5 Child (ages 4-12) / Children under 4 are free.
Reservations required: call 843-689-6767 ext. 223 or register online.