Columbia Blowfish

Columbia is home to the Columbia Blowfish; a member of the Coastal Plain Baseball League. The 15-team league consists of college baseball players. The games are played during the summer in Columbia at the Capital City Stadium. Please visit their website for a complete schedule.

500 South Assembly Street
Call 803-254- FISH (3474), for more information. Or visit http://www.blowfishbaseball.com/

The Colonial Center

The Colonial Center is the largest arena in the state of South Carolina with 18,000 seats, and the tenth largest on-campus basketball facility in the nation. Located on the beautiful University of South Carolina campus, this one-of-a-kind facility features 41 suites, four Entertainment Suites, and the Frank McGuire Club, a full-service hospitality room. The state-of-the-art facility also features plush seating, a technologically advanced sound system, a four-sided video scoreboard, and a one-of-a-kind selection of unique concession foods that will delight fans of all ages

Call 803-576-9200 for more information. Or visit http://www.carolinacenter.net/

Cayce Historic Museum

The museum presents the local history of Cayce, the site of one of South Carolina's earliest towns. Exhibits include the areas of Colonial trade, Indians, agricultural development and transportation from the 18th century to the present.

The Cayce Historic Museum chronicles the history of the first European settlement in the Midlands of South Carolina. The Museum interprets the agricultural, social, and cultural heritage of Saxe Gotha, Granby, and Cayce.

1800 12th Street Extension
Call 803-739-5385, for more information. Or visit http://www.caycesc.net/

Columbia City Ballet

Founded in 1961, Columbia City Ballet is one of the largest performing arts organizations in South Carolina. Columbia City Ballet presents 41 full-length performances a year, reaching more than 51,000 people each session.

Call 803-799-7605, for more information. Or visit http://www.columbiacityballet.com/

Columbia Classical Ballet

Columbia Classical Ballet was founded in 1991. The company brings together a combination of internal talent, choreography and artistry that provides South Carolina with true classical ballet programming.

Call 803-790-9122, for more information.

Columbia Inferno Hockey

The Inferno, Columbia's professional ice hockey team, is in its second year of East Coast Hockey League play. Last year the Inferno posted the fifth best finish ever by an expansion team in the League. The Inferno, a Vancouver Canucks affiliate, plays 72 games (36 home and 36 away) October to March. Home games are at the Carolina Coliseum.

701 Assembly Street
Call 803-256-7825, for more information. Or visit http://www.columbiainferno.com/

Columbia Marionette Theatre

Founded in 1988, the Columbia Marionette Theatre, is one of the premier children's theatres in South Carolina. All productions are created entirely in-house, including script, the puppets and the sets. The Theatre presents traveling shows and in-theatre performances

401 Laurel Street
Call 803-252-7366, for more information. Or visit http://www.strungout.org/

Columbia Riverfront Park & Historic Canal

Planned around the city's original waterworks and hydroelectric plant, the park features the original pump house, jogging, bicycling and walking paths

312 Laurel Street
Call 803-733-8331, for more information.

Columbia Regional Visitors Center

The Columbia Regional Visitors Center can provide information about attractions, events and more. The Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday,10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 pm on Sunday.

1101 Lincoln Street
Call 800-264-4884 or 803-545-0002, for more information. Or visit http://www.columbiacvb.com/

Confederate Relic Room and Museum

The Wade Hampton Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy, organized the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Museum in December of 1895 to memorialize the service of South Carolinians who fought in defense of South Carolina during the War Between the States. The Museum features a relic collection from the Colonial Period to the Space Age with emphasis on the South Carolina Confederate Period.

The Museum is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is open the first and third Saturdays of the month from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

301 Gervais Street
Call 803-737-8095, for more information.

Criminal Justice Hall of Fame

The South Carolina Criminal Justice Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring officers in the criminal justice field. Included in the museum are exhibits relating to John Dillenger, known as Enemy #1 in 1933, and other exhibits related to the FBI, Secret Service and the Highway Patrol.

5400 Broad River Road
Call 803-896-8755, for more information.

Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties

The Council provides a calendar of cultural events available at the Council's web site www.getcultured.org.

Call 803-799-3155, for more information. Or visit http://www.getcultured.org/

EdVenture

EdVenture, a hands-on children's learning center, is scheduled to open in late summer 2003. The center will feature exhibits, programs and events.

211 Gervais Street
Call 803-779-3100, for more information.

Finlay Park

This 17-acre park in the heart of a historic Columbia area features a 1-acre man-made lake with an island stage and 40-foot cascading waterfall. It offers an amphitheatre, walking paths, playground, and café.

930 Laurel Street

Governor's Green

The Governor's Green is a nine-acre complex consisting of the Governor's Mansion, built in 1855; the Lace House, built in 1854; and the Caldwell-Boylston House, built in 1830. There is a gift shop in the basement of the Boylston House.

800 Richland Street
Call 803-737-1710, for more information.

Hampton-Preston Mansion

Built in 1818, this home was the center of family and social gatherings for the Hamptons and later the Prestons. This mansion was spared during the burning of Columbia as it was used as a Union general's headquarters. It houses many fine and decorative arts.

Call 803-252-1770, for more information. Or visit http://www.historiccolumbia.org/

Historic Columbia Foundation

Historic Columbia is a multi-faceted organization with the ultimate goal of preserving historic structures and sites, and educating the public on Columbia's history. The organization manages four historic house museums: The Robert Mills House, Hampton-Preston Mansion, Mann-Simons Cottage and the Woodrow Wilson Family Home. Historic Columbia offers education activities for all ages, special exhibitions, events, lecture series and workshops, as well as guided walking tours and trolley tours.

1616 Blanding Street
Call 803-252-1770, for more information. Or visit http://www.historiccolumbia.org/

Koger Center for the Arts

The Ira & Nancy Koger Center for the arts demonstrates the cooperative spirit present in South Carolina. Its construction is the product of a shared dream and a shared labor of love for many in the community; a combined effort, with both public and private entities contributing to make this dream a reality.

In an average year, the Koger Center hosts approximately 535 different events. In addition to the public performances, such diversified events as The State of the State Address, The South Carolina Body Building Championships, and The South Carolina Science Fair, Freshman Orientation, and The Conductor's Institute are held in the building. Far from being under-used, there is a lack of space on the calendar to accommodate all of the various groups that wish to use the building.

1051 Greene Street
Call 803-777-7500, for more information.

Mann-Simons Cottage

Built in 1850, this was the home of Celia Mann, one of only 200 free Blacks in Columbia at the time. The house contains the history of this family of Black citizens, who represent the picture of how free Blacks of Columbia's antebellum period lived and worked.

1403 Richland Street
Call 803-252-1770, for more information. Or visit http://www.historiccolumbia.org/

McKissick Museum

The University of South Carolina museum includes history, art and science collections and exhibitions, and folk art. Permanent exhibits include collections of gemstones, minerals, university history and silver.

The McKissick Museum offers adult and children education programs, scheduled tours, and public exhibits.

USC Horseshoe on the University of South Carolina campus
Call 803-777-7251, for more information.

Nickelodeon Theatre

The Nickelodeon Theatre is an all-volunteer, non-profit arts organization whose aim is to stimulate discussion and enhance appreciation of media arts by making available a variety of cultural and artistic films and videos.

937 Main Street
Call 803-254-3433, for more information.

Riverbanks Zoo & Garden

Riverbanks Zoo houses more than 2,000 animals in natural habitat exhibits. Each area of the Zoo offers a combination of animal exhibits, graphics and special feedings to make your visit enjoyable and informative. Riverbanks Botanical Garden is 70 acres devoted to woodlands, gardens, historic runs, plant collections and visitor facilities.

I-126 at Greystone Boulevard
Call 803-779-8717, for more information. Or visit http://www.riverbanks.org/

Robert Mills House

This house is one of the few remaining residences designed by Robert Mills, a South Carolina native and the first federal architect who designed the Washington Monument and other federal structures. The home is a classical symmetrical style.

Call 803-252-1770, for more information. Or visit http://www.historiccolumbia.org/

St. Peter's Catholic Church

St. Peter's Catholic Church dates from 1906 and replaces the original structure built in 1824 and later destroyed by the fire. The architect of the State House, John Niersee, is buried in the church's graveyard.

1529 Assembly Street
Call 803-803-779-0036, for more information.

Seibels House

Dating to the 18th century, the house sits on the original two-mile square of the City of Columbia and is located in the fulcrum of its historic district. It is headquarters for the Historic Columbia Foundation, and the Foundation's preservation resource center.

1601 Richland Street
Call 803-252-7742, for more information. Or visit http://www.historiccolumbia.org/

South Carolina Governor's Mansion

The South Carolina Governor's Mansion became the official residence for state governors in 1868.

Built in 1855 as a residence for officers of Arsenal Military Academy, the building was spared during the burning of Columbia in the War Between the States.

Tours are available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 11 a.m. (Except holidays and event days)

800 Richland Street
Call 803-737-1710, for more information.

South Carolina Philharmonic

Founded in 1963, The South Carolina Philharmonic is the resident professional orchestra of central South Carolina and, when possible, extends its activities statewide.

Call 803-771-7937, for more information. Or visit http://www.scphilharmonic.com/

South Carolina State Museum

The S.C. State Museum is a major attraction. The Museum features four large floors of art, history, science and natural history with changing and permanent exhibits.

301 Gervais Street
Call 803-898-4921, for more information.

State Farmers Market

Fresh fruits and vegetables arrive daily at this market, one of the largest produce markets in the southeast.

1001 Bluff Road
Call 803-737-4664, for more information.

Town Theatre

The actual Town Theatre building was constructed in 1924. It is the oldest community theatre building in continuous use in the United States and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Town Theatre has one of the largest auditoriums of any Columbia theatre group. The seats are filled at an average of 90% capacity at every performance.

1012 Sumter Street
Call 803-799-2510, for more information. Or visit http://www.towntheatre.com/

Trustus Theatre

Trustus Theatre provides high quality, unique and diverse theatrical experiences. Trustus presents the newest award-winning plays and offers free educational outreach including the Apprentice Company and the Multi-Ethnic Acting Workshop.

520 Lady Street
Call 803-254-9732, for more information. Or visit http://www.trustus.org/

USC Horseshoe

The Horseshoe is the physical, historical and sentimental "heart" of the University of South Carolina. Its buildings, constructed between 1805 and 1855, survived Sherman's burning of Columbia during the Civil War.

The USC Horseshoe is the original campus of the University of South Carolina chartered in 1801. A stroll along the Horseshoe offers a delightful view of early 19th century architecture. The buildings have been restored to their antebellum appearance and are used as living quarters, classrooms, and faculty houses

University of South Carolina
Call 803-777-0169, for more information.

Vietnam Veterans Monument & Memorial Park

The monument portrays contributions of each branch of the armed forces. Two granite walls are engraved with names of South Carolinians who either died or are missing in action in Vietnam.

Gadsen and Hampton Streets
Call 803-733-8331, for more information.

Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home

This home represents the Victorian fashions of the 1870s. Wilson, the 28th President of the United States, lived in this house as a teenager when his father was a teacher at the Presbyterian Seminary. The house contains several Wilson family pieces.

Designed and built by Wilson's parents, the house is furnished with family pieces.

Call 803-252-1770, for more information. Or visit http://www.historiccolumbia.org/

Workshop Theatre

The Workshop Theatre of South Carolina's mission is to provide theatre of the highest quality for audiences of all ages. Workshop Theatre is committed to training in theatre arts, both formally in an educational program and informally through production experience.

1136 Bull Street
Call 803-799-6551, for more information. Or visit http://www.workshoptheatre.com/