Coastal Discovery Museum

This is a real gem on HHI. A great place to visit for its interesting features about island history, local gift items and the spectacular grounds and gardens. The giant live oak trees, loblolly pines and walking trails are beautiful. We enjoyed it so much that we visited 3 times during our stay. Highly recommend a visit. You won’t be disappointed.

we loved it. we learned a lot about Hilton Head Island and its origins. we also learned abouts terrapins, horseshoe crabs, the American alligator and hermit crabs. we enjoyed the butterfly conservatory and walking around the property. total A+ experience.

Loved stopping at this hidden gem in Hilton head. My 3 year old had the best day exploring this place. There are Qrs for listening to information as you go through the park, the boardwalk was such a peaceful stroll, lots of wildlife to see. Myrtle the turtle and the kids discovery room were so much fun! Our little family had the best day and will come back when we are back in the area!

Lovely free museum, with huge grounds full of stuff to check out like a butterfly garden, carnivorous plant garden, and a whole boardwalk. Unfortunately, it was raining that day so we could only enjoy the Discovery House. But there's plenty to do in there that took up about an hour and a half... Lots of exhibits to view, Myrtle the turtle, gift shop, and a lovely bee photography show.

Beautiful, serene place. The scenery is gorgeous. I also love that they offer tours and unique workshops, such as basket-weaving or wildlife photography. They have a “programs” schedule on their website that you can check out whenever you decide to visit. It’s a gem of a spot!

Really lovely place - the spot for local history, natural history, art and a solid gift shop. We LOVED the Aldwyth art exhibit, it is not to be missed! There's an outdoor path through a beautiful camellia garden, some boardwalks out into the marsh, and even a section of an Atlas V rocket (that I almost walked right past - there's no display or anything.) If you want a longer walk, there's a pleasant nature trail around the property that's only about a mile or so. Admission is FREE, though they do take donations. It makes me want to stop here every time I come into town, just to see what's in the art space and shop.

Beautiful way to explore the ecology of the area. The docents were helpful and the grounds were laid out thoughtfully to use the grounds to their fullest. The camellia garden was in bloom and the variety was wonderful.

I have attended several lectures here on various topics including salt marsh, gators, and coastal birds. I most recently participated in the "Forts of Port Royal" tour and learned a tremendous amount of history about the area. The tour leader/guide was very organized, informative and personable. I highly recommend CDM and their quality programs!

I have been to Hilton Head many times, and had no idea this place existed. We always come in winter and now I want to make a spring trip just to see this place at full bloom. You start at a natural history museum and art gallery. Currently there is an exhibit on Aldwyth. Truly a life changing artist. She does such a good job at taking normal art and spinning it to make you ask how did that happen. She is truly a gift to the world. I can't wait to see her art in more locations. Outside you walk all types of gardens including butterfly, marshes, labyrinth, and camellias which bloom in winter.

I found some confusing aspects here; for one thing, Google Maps seemed to think you needed to pay to get in. You do not, though there are a variety of paid events and tours. The map was also wrong and led me into a dead end that is probably a back entrance for deliveries or something. The real entrance is only slightly down the road. Having said that, the idea of a "museum" seemed sterile and uninteresting relative to the dynamism of the coastal environment, but as it happens, this site does capture quite a bit of what makes the area so captivating. There is an air conditioned building where one gets an introduction, but much of the facility is outdoors, including no less than three separate boardwalks into a creek in the saltmarsh, which is claimed to have tides up to eight feet. This makes for a dynamic experience. Other things to see include a butterfly-filled enclosure, a carnivorous plant garden, and a trail leading around what was once a farm. The fact that you can just walk in and out without paying makes it a great stop on the way to the island, and seeing it at different tide levels would be informative. The exhibits themselves included photography of many sites around the region. For me, this was largely an experience of "hey, I've been there", as I've been traveling to various nooks and crannies of the Lowcountry for years. But for newcomers, the museum offers a great introduction and a road map to how one might go about exploring the surrounding region.

For decades we have visited Coastal Discovery Museum in its various locations. Coastal Discovery Museum is a labor of love for many Hilton Head residents. The docents are local volunteers who love their work. Coastal Discovery Museum is a great activity center for children and for adults. Ask a volunteer what to do on grounds - outside. The Marsh walk is interesting to folks who may be considering Marsh living. Do take some tome to meet Marsh Tacky horses.

We had an amazing time at Friday Feeding Frenzy with Amanda. She was so informative and the kids had lots of hands on time feeding horseshoe crabs, baby alligators, turtles, and crabs.

Lots of reading/signs inside, but if you are looking for a place to check out the history of the area and just to stretch your legs, this is a great stop. Clean bathrooms and parking on site.

While visiting Hilton Head for the first time we checked out the museum as a break from the sun/pool. I loved all the visiting artist's work. There was a low country quilters and another room had huge pictures of microscopic images. Very cool and gross! We also did a Dolphin and Nature Cruise through the museum. The prices were great for two adults and an awesome way to see more of the wildlife. Our guide mentioned he's been doing it for 10 years and only had two groups not see dolphins. We ended up coming across a couple dolphins and the captain made sure to follow them so we got to see them as much as possible. The guide, David, did a great job explaining how the island life works with the marine life. We got to see photos he had of hurricane destruction. All the crew members were beyond nice. Offered to take pictures of people on the boat. It was a super cool way to find out more about the island! The museum has historical artifacts and information on how Hilton Head came to be. There is a garden, butterfly garden, discovery lab and horses.

Having vacationed on Hilton Head Island regularly since the late 80s, I never knew the Coastal Discovery Museum existed until our friends got married here. Our family has spent most of our time in Hilton Head on the south side of the island (Sea Pines). The Coastal Discovery Museum is located towards the north side. It's actually close to where 278 splits between William Hilton Parkway and Cross Island Parkway (the toll road), so not long after entering the island. According to the museum's website (https://www.coastaldiscovery.org/about-us/#history), it was founded in 1985 and moved two times to where it sits now at Honey Horn. Honey Horn was previously known as "Honey Horn Plantation," but like other places on the island and elsewhere, the "Plantation" part of the name has been dropped. For example, I remember when Sea Pines Resort's official name was "Sea Pines Plantation." The word "plantation" has connotations to slavery, hence why more and more places have understandably dropped it. The Coastal Discovery Museum has been a Smithsonian Affiliate since 2015, a nice distinction. The entire property is over 68 acres. The wedding we attended took place in and around the 4,000-square-foot Mary Ann Peeples Pavilion (named after the wife of former Hilton Head mayor Tom Peeples). It was entirely outdoors. The ceremony took place in front of a majestic southern live oak tree (one of many picturesque live oak trees on the island), the cocktail hour was next to the pavilion (surrounded by beautiful live oak trees), and the reception took place in the pavilion. The weather was perfect, not too hot or humid, with a gentle breeze. Catering was provided by Signature Catering & Events by SERG: https://www.yelp.com/biz/signature-catering-and-events-by-serg-hilton-head-island. They did an outstanding job. The pavilion was an ideal size for the guest count which was about 120. Everything about the wedding was gorgeous and went off without a hitch. Leopold's Ice Cream (https://www.yelp.com/biz/leopolds-ice-cream-savannah) even made a surprise appearance. I loved it. We unfortunately did not get to explore the museum's exhibits, historical buildings, and gardens. We'll have to save those for a future trip. The museum also has regular events, open to the public, and conducts land tours (walking), water tours (boating and kayaking), and private tours (for group sizes of 10+).

Pleasantly surprised by our Civil War Era on Hilton Head Island Talk with Jim Murphy. He made it very fun and shared his knowledge in an interesting manner. Thank you, Jim!

Go, if you have time. This nature area should appeal to most anyone. First, it's free though donations are accepted. Second, the paved trail makes a nice walk and boardwalks with explanatory signs describe various aspects of the surrounding marshes. An enclosed butterfly garden has flittering monarchs and swallowtails. Occasional sculptures provide interesting visual elements. The small museum holds displays about Hilton Head's former and current inhabitants--both human and non-human. We toured everything in about an hour and a half.

This museum was absolutely beautiful. You start off in the house which has tons of informative and even a kids room. Then you walk the grounds which were beautiful. Tons of flowers, plants, and gardens to see.

This is a quiet, pretty spot to visit and wander the grounds. They have a boardwalk area where you can watch the tidal landscape change depending on the water level--egrets and herons when the tide is high, crabs and oysters when it is low. The museum is small but nice. It has a lot of interesting history about the wildlife and development of the island that you can read about. There is a kid's section for the younger folks as well. Outdoors, there are gardens and walking paths to check out. Admission is free, but you are welcome to leave a donation. Worth a visit when you are on the island!

This museum in Hilton Head is a nice diversion from the beaches and the crowds while shopping. I only ran into a few other people while walking around on my own to discover the garden sculptures, the butterfly gardens, the wetlands, and the museum itself. You can even do Segway tours and they have special events too, but ours were limited due to visiting during COVID. Give this place a look, I guarantee you'll love it and learn something, too!

Fun spot for both kids and adults. You don't need to have a child with you to enjoy it. We visited after "butterfly" season but still saw dozens. They have a lot of educational information about the islands history and wildlife. Highly recommend!

Having only moved to the local area recently I'm still very much a "tourist" but I've actually visited this place numerous times with my 1st grader. Nice place to go for a little stroll and learn a thing or two. They have lots of events for kids so that has been great. The little one and myself are quite obsessed with the butterfly house :D

Disappointing visit. Unfortunately no one is maintaining this property which is a shame because it does have historic significance.

Our favorite place to take the grands while giving the parents some time to themselves. No devices, just time to explore, encourage curiosity and bond. The children's room to do a puzzle, see a turtle nest, touch and see things. The butterfly enclosure and pier to discover little things, ever-changing exhibits, freedom to walk around and talk and tell stories. We enjoyed special programs over the years, including getting to see and touch baby wildlife, taking the Gullah Tour viewing local art. It's always on the list for adult guests as well.

We thoroughly enjoyed this museum. It's listed as free, but the suggested donation is $5. We visited rooms in the museum educating us on the history of Hilton Head, including the people, livelihoods, and wildlife. There were numerous trails and boardwalks, and what I particularly enjoyed was the camelia garden, all species designated with signage, and luckily, they were in bloom! It was a worthy stop.

Such a nice place. We went in end of July, in the afternoon. I wouldn't recommend that to anyone as it was so hot but the grounds were still amazing and my kids were excited to learn because if you check in at the desk when you arrive there is a scavenger hunt and a small prize at the end. This museum was free or by donation only. My kids got a kick out of all the little crabs in the marsh! They were quite funny! I would love to go back in the fall when it wasn't so hot. I think we would be able to see more and really take our time more with everything on the grounds.

Beautiful grounds with lots to see. The grounds boast several docks that go out over the water and provide views of the local waterways. During low tide you can catch Fisher crabs scurrying about and oysters in the musdy shallows. Inside the plantation house you will find a small gift shop featuring local goodies, history of the island, a small kids room with two tanks ( on with a young horseshoe cream and the other with a turtle. Towards the back of the plantation house you will find a room that often displays local art. Back on the grounds you can find a butterfly house, insect house, amphitheatre, several statues/art installations, a open air pavilion for hosting events, the Camilla gardens, and the barn with a Marsh tacky pony. If you are looking for a nice break from the beach, Head over to the coastal Discovery museum and learn about the island culture, history and wildlife.

I came across this museum when I searched for Gullah-Geechee culture. At first glace of the web site and description of the place I was not very keen to stop here during the road trip but we decided to check it out since it wasn't very far from one of the stops we had just made. AND I am so glad we did. This museum is not huge but it has a quaint display of art and other local cultural items so you can get a little insight/education into the local history of Hilton Head Island and the Honey Horn Plantation. It's free (they take donations) and air conditioned, something needed in the Aug heat in SC :-) We enjoyed the souvenirs available there as well. They also have segway tours, a walking tour you can take yourself on and a Gullah Geechee tour available. We did not do those as the museum and its artifacts were enough for us considering we were not even going to stop in. Very pleasant experience and surprise.

Phenomenal local museum, great for an afternoon out after a morning at the beach. We did the scavenger hunt for kids, and attended their turtle talk. The museum itself is free but they charge a small fee for the activities like the turtle talk which is completely worth it IMO.

We needed a place to take our visiting grandkids. This is the perfect place!! For a reasonable cost/donation, the kids can pet a rabbit, pick up a chicken and a baby duck and sometimes play with baby alligators and sea turtles. A short walk to the marsh and you can see oysters, crabs and other local inhabitants. They also sponsor or promote excursions. The sign says they're part of the Smithsonian. Be sure to visit the butterfly habitat where you can see several species in different stages of their life. The volunteers provide excellent insight. They also have carnivorous plants such as the venus fly trap and others outside where, if you're lucky, you may see them capturing insects.

It's a great place to visit with or without kids. You can book private tours from their website. They do require masks for in door and some tours. They have a butterfly habitat. The grounds are beautiful! They have a kids room that allows e kids to play and explore!

This is a wonderful place to visit for a few hours. Small but interesting museum describing the history of the plantation and the flora and fauna of the area. Take the nature hike and visit the various outbuildings, too.

Great fun! Butterflies and space ships. Yes a butterfly room and a real piece of the space shuttle in one place.

A very worthwhile stop while staying on the island. The property is beautiful and inside the main building you can learn about the wildlife and history of Hilton Head prior to it becoming a vacation hotspot. In addition to the museum, walking around the grounds you can see a bee hive, butterfly garden, and the marsh where its easy to spot some small crabs. We easily spent a good hour or two roaming around and exploring. I would recommend making this a small stop on your trip.

Great outdoor place to visit. Gorgeous property that you can roam around on. 2 docks that go out over the marsh to look at nature - better at high tide though! Looks like they are building more roads out over the marsh, but not the museums fault. The butterfly enclosure is awesome - it is outdoors so it is dependant on the time of year obviously. Very kid friendly. They also host the farmers market which is a great gathering of local items.

Awesome. Wonderful people and lots of exciting things to discover with kids. My kids are notorious for hitting the "I'm borrrrred..." stage three seconds into any new activity and this kept them fascinated and excited for hours...*in the rain* no less. It's a really beautiful place with lots to teach--check it out.

It's free and lots of history, super butterfly garden with lots of butterflies. Nice art gallery. Worth a visit

Looking for something fun and educational to do in the area. We came and checked out the coastal discovery museum. We played around inside the museum a little then headed out to hike the trail. The marshes had a lot of great little fiddler crabs everywhere. Then my daughter loved the butterfly habitat. Lots of great butterfly pictures. Next we went to the carnivorous garden. Lots of venus flytraps and pitcher plants. Walked under all the giant live oaks clothes and resurrection ferns and the giant knobby southern red cedar trees. Amazing! Finally looked at the piece of space junk stored away in the barn area. Headed out having learned a little more about the local wildlife.

We had the best time here while on vacation. We like to visit different museums with our kids to learn new things about the towns history and culture. It was nice to view the different stops along the trail. If you are looking for something to do that's free, this is a nice little stop.

I visited here with my family a few days ago. The museum is very informative and was free. Donations are accepted. There is an outdoors area with a mini butterfly garden and boardwalk. If u go on the day there's a farmer's market, the ice cream is yum! Would recommend for a short and pleasant visit.

Wonderful place for kids! No admission fee which is a plus...however there is a donation box!

This is a nice place to go and have a bit of time away from the beach. We didn't get to spend as much time as we wanted here. It had just stormed the night before and it was a bit humid on HHI so we got eaten up by mosquitos in the first 30 min we were here so had to leave (I had my 2 year old son with me, if he was older we would have been more tolerant of the bug bites better I think). Maybe bring bug spray for your visit... I'm not sure if it is allowed because of the animals though. We spent a bt of time in the kids room and butterfly are and it was great. The butterfly room was really neat for my son, because he got to see caterpillars, cacoons, and new butterfly coming out of its cacoon! Really neat!

Nice place to spend a half hour or so to learn the history of this amazing island. Right off then cross island highway with plenty of parking.

What a delightful place! We so enjoyed looking through the museum and learned more about the Gullah culture and life in the early days of the Island. The staff was so welcoming and knowledgeable. Will definitely return with family and friends!

We rode our bicycles here for a short adventure. The museum is in fantastic condition and staff is very pleasant. This is a great place to take your family while visiting Hilton Head. The gift shop is delightful! While the museum visit is free, donations are accepted. They also have many things to do throughout the season, free and at charge, everything reasonably priced too.

Was excited to see the museum with our family and researched to be sure it was open since everything is still going on with the COVID pandemic. Online it showed regular hours so we decided to go. The gates were opened and everything was opened. We looked for people but couldn't find anything until a lady approached us and very rudely told us we couldn't be here and needed to leave immediately. Would've been completely understandable and okay with it if she didn't come up so rudely to us. Other people were there also and she didn't address them. The area and landscape was beautiful but we will not be returning when reopened due the how rude this woman was to myself and family when she could've been more kind about it.

The educational program we participated in was a fun experience, and visiting the grounds and indoor exhibits were a nice way to spend a couple of hours. It is free to visit, but donations are suggested. If you go on their web site you can sign up for various educational programs for all ages from around $5 to $15 dollars per person. Their Facebook page has better descriptions of the events. Highly recommended if you have a couple hours in Hilton head or need a break from the beach. Bring sunscreen and water!

This is one of the best kept secrets of Hilton Head, SC. It's on 68 acres and has something for everyone. From fiddler crabs to bee boxes to the best camilia garden that I have ever seen. There's lots of room to spread out and there's even horse stables and an enclosed patio that can hold over 250 people when not in pandemic mode. This place is amazing! A great place to see huge native trees and bushes.

Really fun experience! We went for the butterfly house tour and despite it being oriented for kids, we (2 adults) really enjoyed it. Got lots of great pics! Highly recommend for a small break from the beach.

Very interesting, and we were able to take a bus tour of the Gullah areas, which we found very interesting and enjoyable. Better than the self-guided tour on Daufuskie Island with a golf cart.

Beautiful place to take the family! We went on vacation. I loved all the trees! The children's area had a nice loggerhead egg display & info on the children that worked all day to crack oysters in the early 1900's. The monarch butterfly area was a nice experience.

This was a very interesting place. Outdoors & nice walk about. Relaxing atmosphere, and very informative.

Neat place. It was a cooler day while visiting and the beach wasn't an option. We went out to the Costal Discovery Museum for something to do with the kids and it was the perfect spot. Plenty of things to see and do, space to play, and information to learn. Fascinating to learn about oysters -- I never knew they were so important to the ecosystem. Highly recommend.

Cute. Loved the children's area and the butterfly garden. Kids loved it and the walks were perfectly short since it was the end of a long day at the beach.

Staff is super rude. Place is beautiful but wow what a rude encounter with the museum staff. Will not be back. There are plenty of beautiful places on the island to explore that do not come with such attitude.

Fantastic museum. We learned a lot and enjoyed exploring inside and out. Their kid's room provided fun, hands on learning and we loved the butterfly house. It's definitely worth a visit while you are on the island.

Pleasant enough to walk around the grounds and read the signs for free. The blue crab tour was oversold, not particularly educational if you know anything about crab, and only lasted a little over an hour. Not worth the money. We would have held an alligator, but that would have been an additional 25 bucks for our family.