Even the most outdoors oriented vacations will involve some indoor activities, something you can explore and enjoy on rainy days, too warm days, or just because you are interested in history, art, and the area you are visiting and your Fripp Island getaway offers a surprisingly large number of museums in which you can do just that. Offering, exhibits of talented artists, a peek into the complicated and complex history of South Carolina, and even amusing artifacts sure to bring a smile to your lips, today we have prepared this guide to the museums near Fripp Island that make us happy. Located in nearby towns and on surrounding barrier islands, visiting any of these wonderful spots will give you the opportunity for a road trip, and because all roads lead back to Fripp Island Resort, a comfortable and luxurious ending to another idyllic day in paradise.
To make the most of your Fripp Island vacation, be sure to take a look at our free Vacation Guide to learn about the area’s best attractions and activities!
Nature Center, 8 Veranda Beach Road, Fripp Island
You won’t have to go far to find the first museum on our list, the Nature Center, located right here on Fripp Island. Not your typical museum, in that you won’t see walls covered in colorful paintings or find glass cabinets filled with exquisite artifacts, the Nature Center does offer wildlife encounters in which travelers can meet and greet the animals that make Fripp Island their home, including programs that explore the lives of amphibians, gators, and turtles. Most of these encounters will take place outside, so this might not be the best rainy day activity.
The Kazoobie Kazoo Factory, Museum, & Gift Shop, 12 John Galt Rd, Beaufort
Not all museums have to be stuffy adventures where children are expected to talk quietly and keep their hands in their pockets and the Kazoobie Kazoo Factory, Museum, & Gift Shop is the perfect example. We can’t even keep the giggles away as we tell you that this interesting museum offers the largest collection of kazoos in the nation and even features the opportunity to build your own kazoo at tour’s end.
Beaufort History Museum, 713 Craven Street, Beaufort
The Beaufort History Museum, the first of our more normal museums, is housed in an 18th century arsenal and offers a deep dive into the history and culture of Beaufort. Exhibits include a tour of the interior of the arsenal built not long after our nation became an independent one, explorations into the original inhabitants, and even a peek into the history of Beaufort and movies; did you know that “The Big Chill” house is located right here in our town?
Penn Center, 16 Penn Center Circle E, St. Helena Island
Penn Center is the first school for Formerly Enslaved West Africans and is known as the epicenter of African American education and for social justice for the Gullah Geechee people. Today this National Historic Monument still serves to protect the history and culture of the Sea Islands and will open your eyes to a unique way of life.
The Sandbox Children’s Museum, 80 Nassau Street, Hilton Head
Besides spending the day at a beach, it can be difficult finding activities that your tiniest travelers will enjoy, but the Sandbox Children’s Museum is the exception that proves the rule. Offering interactive exhibits that make learning fun, your kiddos can actually learn about shrimping while scrambling all over a miniature shrimp boat.
Choose Fripp Island Resort
All of these museums (and many more we simply didn’t have room to include) can help enhance your South Carolina vacation experience! Reserve your beach house today!