Coastal Discovery Museum Reviews

We've been to Hilton Head several times, but the Coastal Discovery Museum never seemed to be on our radar. I had read a little about it on trip advisor and thought we should check it out. So glad we did.

We were warmly welcomed when we arrived and opted to do a self guided tour. The staff was very friendly and pointed us in the right direction, describing what we would see in each room of the museum, including the children's room which they said was for adults as well. There was an abundance of reading material on the displays tracing the history of the island and its inhabitants, but our favorite part was the children's room where there were small horseshoe crabs and a turtle in aquariums and an extremely informative video on life forms in the salt marsh. It made it much easier to see some of the creatures when we walked around the ground.

The walk "around the horn" was also interesting. The only slight disappointment was the butterfly habitat. The few butterflies that we saw seemed to be working very hard to try to get out. The camellia garden looked as though it would be spectacular during blooming times. The boardwalks offered a good view of the salt marsh, and since we knew what we were looking for we could see whole colonies of tiny fiddler crabs.

All in all it was very informative and enjoyable, made even more so by the fact that there were very few other visitors at the time.

Came on a rainy day, only able to tour the small museum and shops. A nice break, well done, but definitely a "sunny day" kind of place. Great walking tours of the "low-country!"

The museum itself was small but interesting. I enjoyed the art exhibit but the kids zone was small for my child who is 6. The better experience was the scavenger hunt and walking the grounds. We enjoyed the boardwalks and the butterfly exhibit and the discovery lab. We could’ve spent more time there. Worth the trip!

Visited Sept. 11. The museum has some interesting information regarding the history and wildlife of the islands. There are beautiful trails to walk that should not be missed. I wish I had taken the Gullah bus tour, so arrive by 10:00 or 2:00 to do that.

But, the best part was Michael who demonstrating basket making using the West African techniques of sewing coils of grass to create baskets. He was fascinating to talk to as he related his own family history, how the knowledge of the basket making was passed down through generations, and detailed the history of the people of the islands, all while his hands built more and more of the basket, right before our eyes. Michael described the methods and materials used to sew the baskets and explained the uses of various baskets. Donate to the museum, but be sure to also leave a donation with Michael. The baskets are a work of art.

Great museum. Knew it would likely be a winner as soon as we realized they were associated with the Smithsonian! Very information, lovely gift shop and nice grounds to explore. The Farmer's Market really wasn't worth the stop - that's what brought us but the museum itself was well worth the stop.

We did the Under the Sea tour at 1. Highly recommend! Hubby and sons 18yr old and 9yr old. She talks, shows some videos and then brings some creatures to the bin at the table. We got to see a mussel, spider crab, hermit crabs, and horseshoe crab. This is inside the air-conditioned building. Very interesting and we all liked. I thought that we would see the horseshoe crabs get fed during the Under the Sea tour- she said that was a separate tour just for horseshoe crabs. Then we did the blue crab tour at 2. The 9yr old didn't like this one but the intense heat played a big factor with his opinion and we were outside for an hour and a half. I really enjoyed the tour. We learned about the marsh, the plant life, trees, insects, history. Then walked down to the floating dock and he pulled up the traps- 9-10 crabs and one was very large. The small ones he set on the dock and they raced back to the water. We walked back close to the house and sat around while the water boiled and while the crabs steamed for 10mins. He showed us step by step how to eat them- what parts to discard, what tools to use. We didn't walk around the property afterwards because of the heat. Good afternoon- we will be back for another tour.

The Blue Crab Discovery is not to be missed. You will learn much about the marsh, the ecosystem and most importantly about Blue Crabs: you even learn how to open, cook and eat them. The nearly two hours session is great for both adults and children.

Good small museum of history of Hilton Head . They offer Gullah/Geechi tours with native Islanders. Cost was about $20 per person for the tours.

This is quite a nice place, and it combines a walking tour, museum/gallery, and beautiful gardens. We did a tour with the Activities Director from the resort where we staying and it was fantastic. It’s truly a wonderful and well-rounded way to spend a couple of hours!

We took the tour of port royal forts with Gail Kane as our guide. She was excellent! She was full of relevant facts and information about the period and area. She even dressed in clothes of the period! The tour had us taking a short drive through port royal plantation to the sites and there were signs and displays at each location to give you a feel for what the area looked like back in the 1860s.
I highly recommend this tour for the family.
Thanks, Gail, for a most memorable day.

The Gullah bus tour with Emory was excellent! We’ve been visiting Hilton Head for years and finally had time to learn about the history of the island. He helped us envision what HHI looked like as he was growing up there. Told us stories of the farmers and families that lived there, and some still do. Great way to learn about HHI before tourism took over. Highly recommend!

We have been to Hilton Head Island many time and this year decided to visit the museum. We're really glad that we did as we learned some very interesting things about the history and the environment that is uniquely Hilton Head. There was a beautiful display of quilt art as well. I'm not sure how much children would enjoy it but they did have a nice area inside the museum with hands on activities specifically for children. I believe they offer programs for children that might be worth checking into. We enjoyed walking around the grounds as well. We didn't do a tour, just looked around on our own and had a very nice time.

Open to the public with free parking and no entrance fee, this place is a convenient stop on your route if you want to learn more about the history of Hilton Head Island. Allow 1-2 hours. The main house is a museum with many artifacts and displays. There are several walking trails so you can explore the site at your leisure. The main house houses the museums and has restrooms, souvenirs and limited food and drinks. Seasonal activities can be found on their website.

The four of us really enjoyed this walking tour despite the rain. Larry, a volunteer guide, was very knowledgeable and passionate about sharing the history of the Coastal Discovery land and pertinent info about HHI history in general. Appreciated seeing Indigo, sweet grass, learning the facts about the state tree. The inside of the museum was enjoyable to walk through (self guided), too.

We took the bird discovery hike on Pinckney Island, it was wonderful. We hiked through, and the guides, Steve and Carlos were exceptional!! They pointed out over 50 species of birds, alligators, salamanders, turtles, etc. I highly recommend this hike!

This was a great place to visit to learn a lot about the history and ecology of Hilton Head Island. We spent and enjoyable morning here and learned a lot about Hilton Head Island. We especially enjoyed the camellia garden and the lantern display.

The Coastal Discovery Museum was a nice treat from the normal vacation fair. It contained a display of mainly historic photographs with narratives on how island life evolved in history from Revolutionary War forward. It shared the Gullah history development and how Hilton Head changed ownership over time. There was a special room just for children to discover about ocean and island life forms.

We also went outside to enjoy the nature trails to several boardwalks out into the tidal marsh. This was my favorite part, as I enjoy the outdoors and how nature works. We were a little confused on where to start at first, but soon figured it out. Most of the trail was in the shade, which was nice on the day we visited. Would recommend for families with chilrden

We loved the butterfly garden and the museum was enjoyable. My favorite was the turtle who follows your finger in the tank. So cute. The history of Hilton Head is right there. The Gullah baskets are beautiful. The little gift shop is fun for the family. We enjoyed rocking on the porch rocking chairs and taking time out. The magnolia trees are magnificent.

Pleasant exhibition with historical and cultural information, friendly staff. The walks outside the 'museum' building are short, and there's not much to see.

our friends and us enjoyed the museum; very well set up, along with local artists' exhibition, as well as shelf of local authors' books including a few I had picked up at my library back home before coming. The market on Tuesday was not very busy nor very many booths but all those at the booths were very friendly and helpful

Wonderful Trail - lots of variety and interesting wildlife and history to find out about. Great to see an Osprey fishing and feeding young. AMAZING. Staff very friendly and welcoming

Carol was an awesome guide! We really enjoyed hearing about the history of the area and all the nature around there. She was very knowledgeable and informative. We learned quite a bit about the nature in the marshes around the museum. She is also a wonderful photographer and was able to show us some pictures that she has taken to be able to explain some of the nature we were seeing. Thanks for a wonderful tour Carol. The museum itself was very informative also. They had a great area for kids that was hands on.

Very disappointed in the dolphin tour. The weather was perfect, great temperature. The boat captain and mate very friendly. The docent from museum did not show up so the captain did his best to entertain and give facts. We only saw 3 dolphins in 1.5 hours. Last rime I took this tour over 5 years ago, Captain Amber not only took us to 4 or 5 places where the dolphins were abundant, but also a few spots where they dropped a microphone and told us what school of fishes were around the boar! Much more enjoyable and well worth the money spent.

The Coastal Discovery Museum was a lovely activity for our family during our recent trip to Hilton Head. The museum is free although donations are recommended. It is a self guided tour and we spent about 1.5 hours exploring. The butterfly house was my 7.5 year old daughters favorite part. Be prepared and use bug spray before you go. The mosquitoes were ferocious and we ended up with a lot of bites.

We had a great time on the Blue Crab Tour at the Coastal Discovery Museum! It was both educational and interactive — perfect for all ages. We learned about the ecology of blue crabs, then got hands-on with catching, cooking, and even tasting them.

Our guide, Lauren, was outstanding — knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly passionate about what she does. This tour is a unique and fun way to experience the Lowcountry. Highly recommend!

We had a cold day on HHI and were looking for non beach things to do in the chilly weather. Based on the excellent reviews here, I suggested the museum, but it was a definite fail for our family. The "museum" portion is really just two rooms of signs to read, all beyond my 1st grader's ability. We walked out to the end of the wetlands boardwalk to hopefully spy critters and regain his attention and faith in mom's ability to plan fun things on vacation...but there was nothing to be seen but snails. The whole family decided to bail at that point and head back to the house and just relax instead. Total time spend <30 minutes.

We did the Coastal Critters program. They had alligators, snakes, turtles, frogs and toads. The information was fascinating and Kelly did a phenomenal job teaching us all kinds of wonderful things about these beautiful indigenous animals. She was very interesting and engaging. The museum had wonderful exhibits and great information about the natural surroundings and culture in the Lowcountry. The grounds of the Coastal Discovery Museum were beautiful and fun to explore as well.

Surprisingly disappointing for a a wealthy nice island such as Hilton Head. The small museum building was cute but the grounds were bare and unkept. It just seemed like we were walking around an abandoned farm. No butterflies in the butterfly house. Nothing in bloom in the rose garden. It's free but not worth the extra trip. Wish we had taken the time to do one of the local wildlife refuges instead.

Enjoyed the museum and the walk around the grounds. We decided to sign up for the salt marsh kayak tour.

Our visit to Coastal Discovery Museum was unplanned and sporadic. It’s worth a planned visit though. The staff was knowledgeable and the exhibits provided a lot interesting information on the area. The outdoor marsh boardwalks were enjoyable too.

We visited in February, so we didn't get to experience their outdoor butterfly exhibit. They do however have a farmers market on the grounds (once a week I believe) and that more than made up for the cold weather and no butterflies. So if you're interested in fresh vegetables, home made desserts, or chips and salsa (very good), make sure to attend on the day when the farmers market is open.

We stopped by the Coastal Discovery Museum based on a tip from Tripadvisor. I'm glad we did. The museum is free and the volunteers were very helpful. We learned about some of the island's history, the ecosystem, and the culture. The boardwalk to the marsh to see the fiddler crab was also fun. We met a couple of men who were weaving sweetgrass baskets in the front of the museum and had a great conversation with them. Their art is impressive. Don't miss this hidden gem.

We found this museum to be a very pleasant experience during a winter visit. Nicely presented information on the local area, and informative signage on the trees and bushes. Hope to visit again during Spring or Summer.

The museum has a number of good exhibits focusing on the Hilton Head area and the salt marshes. I also had booked a tour of the surrounding historic Honey Horn plantation. The docent, Ken, did a great job showing me and explaining both the marsh and upland areas. The extensive Camellia Garden (over 135 species) was in bloom and beautiful.

Very nice free museum and great volunteers who were very helpful! On the surface the museum looks very simple, but take the time to go to the link (referred to as an app) that provides quite a bit of detail about the different locations across the property.

The outside exhibits can be easy to overlook, but take the time to slow down and you will be surprised. See small fiddler crabs, tiny fish, blue point crabs, the differences in the marsh grass and shore grass, the different butterflies, native plants you may have in your backyard, carnivorous plants, we even saw a wood crane for over. We easily spent 2 hours walking and listening to the tour. They had a great scavenger hunt pamphlet for younger children with great questions that made our 9 yr old think. There is a small reward for completing the hunt, which was fun too.

Loop was a very easy mile walk on boardwalks or gravel paths and we took about two hours to walk the path, inside exhibits, and gift shop. We rushed the last few outside exhibits, because they were about to close. Would recommend 3 hours, with a picnic lunch break somewhere in the middle.

The website references an app to download, but it's actually a webpage that you can go to and listen, no downloading required. There are wifi hotspots across the property to assist with the audio, but my cell coverage was fine the whole time, so I didn't need to connect to their WiFi.

Keep your belongings and hats close by, because it can be very windy and difficult to retrieve if dropped.

Would go back! Next time we would allow more time and pack a lunch.

This place had lots of cool things to do! A small museum with history of the island and the people/animals that live there! A walking route that takes you to other interesting spots, a barn, a dock, and a butterfly house. The butterfly went ready when we went but it was still very cool to see and a great way to spend an afternoon.

We toured the museum and the grounds. A great way to learn about the local history and lands. We came back for one of their lectures which was excellent. Also came back for the farmers market which was small but we did pick up a few things

The woman in the gift shop/ticket area does not have an ounce of southern hospitality. We arrived at 435 pm. My sister in law needed to use the restroom and we opened the door and asked if she could use the restroom or where is the closest restroom she could use. In the most rude tone, this woman tells us we should keep an eye on our watch and come back tomorrow. We still had a half hour before the outdoor areas closed. Even if we were still in town tomorrow we wouldn’t come back. Maybe she had a bad day but don’t take it out on someone who is asking a simple question. As we were closing the door we heard her and the other woman commenting about “some people”. Please consider hiring someone with at least an ounce of southern charm. Thank you!

Wow! The 3 of us needed a break from the beach and signed up for the Turtle Talk program and thought we would explore the butterfly pavilion. Our experience was way more than that! The center is beautiful with lots to explore! After the Turtle Talk with Emily we signed up for the scavenger hunt! Emily and Abby gave us the directions and parameters for the hunt and we raced to complete it in time! The scavenger hunt is an awesome way to learn fun facts and even do some goofy things! We would highly recommend this center and both the Turtle Talk and the Scavenger Hunt! The center is free but we paid for the Talk and the Hunt and was well work the money!

This should be number 1 activity in December see the Cameilla Garden so beautiful go go on Tuesday morning for Farmer and artist market, Inside building beautiful art and the Live oaks outside are magnificent.

Visited to tour museum and to take Gullah Tour, which was great!! Self-guided tours of the outdoors area. Other visits with grandkids have included animal visits.

So educational and informative!! Get one of the tour guides to show you the grounds and learn about the salt marshes and Hilton Head!!! And don't forget the camellia gardens in the Spring!!!

Knowledgeable and friendly staff. We learned a lot on our blue crab discovery tour and we have a new appreciation for marsh land.

Wonderful museum with both inside and outside exhibits. The museum is free but they also have lots of paid educational programs. We did reptiles lecture which was a lot of fun because you get to see and touch animals.

I had 4 kids with me (ages 5 to 11) and we stopped here out of curiosity. So glad we did! The kids really enjoyed the scavenger hunt, which takes you through all of their exhibits. The girls loved the butterfly enclosure. They said it was peaceful, colorful and beautiful. 🦋 The Discovery Lab was amazing! We learned so much. 🐊🦀🐢🐠🦎🐝🐍🐸 The lovely people working there were friendly, super informative and have an obvious passion for what they do. I would recommend scheduling your trip around the lab’s hours since it is only open for a few hours on certain days.

We thought it was going to rain today, so we planned indoor activities. It didn't rain but we enjoyed visiting this museum, both the inside part and the outdoors stuff. It is well laid out and offers a variety of topics. Admission is free, but is certainly well worth paying.

We spent a very interesting and activities filled day at the discovery museum. There was plenty of parking, interesting indoor exhibits, book fair, outdoor farmers market, story book hour for kids and opportunity to walk the simple but scenic trails.
In the museum the staff was very pleasant and helpful. There is an activity room for children. Some of the exhibits are nature related, others show various aspects of the history of the island. The butterfly habitat was obviously affected by the season of the year. The marsh and wetlands walk allows for birdwatching. Of some interest might be a little garden of insect-eating plants. We visited an old cemetery on premises and the mysterious shell ring.
The gift shop offered also interesting teas and jams.
One of the outdoor barns features a large piece of space vehicle which fell years ago nearby.
We also really enjoyed the Farmers Market with souvenirs, produce, and food.
Coastal Discovery Museum is one of the Island's major tourist attractions for people of all ages.

We did a 30 minute “Under the Sea”, hands on show and it was so great! It’s a small group, nice and air conditioned, and perfect for our 3 and 6 year old! Would definitely go and do another one! Plus we got to check out the cool tanks full of other critters before we left.

We toured the Museum and grounds and found it quite interesting. We also took the Blue Crab Discovery tour with Carol Horowitz who was a knowledgeable and friendly guide, and the Dolphin and Nature Cruise which was a blast. Both were excellent and well worth the cost of admission!

We visited the museum in September the day they have the farmers market. Nice to stroll through and see the crafts and food items. The museum is small but nice focusing on the coastal habitat and culture. The grounds are very nice to walk with boardwalks into the marsh and butterflies, birds galore.

Wife and I have gone to HHI for 20 years. First few years we didn't see it. After going once, we never miss it during our trips.

It’s got to be better in the spring or summer, not so great in December. Did learn things. Good walking trail.

Butterfly Discovery discussion and hands on tour in the live butterfly exhibit was enjoyed by all generations on our tour. This is a don't miss experience.

A friend and I went on a self guided tour December 2020, despite the time of year it was a lovely experience for us as we enjoy nature! The Live Oak trees and the 425 year old Southern Red Cedar were beautiful to behold. The Camellia Garden was stunning. The walk was pleasant and there was a lot of historical information posted along the path. We are so glad we visited and look forward to returning one day.

This is great place to get an overview of HHI history and development. You also are given opportunity to observe and interact with nature. The reason for the 4 star instead of 5 is that exterior exhibits are looking a little tired and could use a little sprucing up. However, keep in mind this is a place that relies on donations to operate and doesn’t charge a fee so be mindful of this when you see the donation station:-)

The exhibits were very informative. It was a lovely day to stroll the plantation grounds. The butterfly house was a delightful surprise!

Stopped by on a rainy day. If you like to read, there is an hour or so of information posted about the home that gives a lot of information on the history of the area and location. Outside there are gardens to see, bee hives, and a horse descended from the Spanish settlers.

Beautiful area! Has good information on history of area, and some lovely walking areas. Good photo opportunities! Staff was very helpful and informative.

We really enjoyed taking our time in the historic house that is a free educational museum It was very informative with written explanations and photos. The huge old oak trees are massive and remind one of the time and history they have endured.

My family decided to visit this museum on a Tuesday since it was their farmers market day. This was a very small farmers market (in my opinion). They had a table with information on the museum, a table with fresh squeezed lemonade (which my family all agreed was the best fresh lemonade we have ever had!!!), a table with delicious chips and salsa, and only 3 or four additional tables.

We then walked over to the museum which was nice and cool inside. My family enjoyed walking through the indoor exhibits while taking breaks from the heat. They have a nice small butterfly enclsure, beautiful landscaping, and information about some individuals that played important roles in making the island what it is today.

I enjoyed my visit. There is a variety of things to see inside the museum - history, art, info on animals. But I enjoyed my walk around the grounds most. There were stops along the trail that were well marked, with signs along the way on what you might see at the location. There was a butterfly house that I am sure is amazing during the butterfly season. Overall it took me 1.5 hours to tour the house and the property

Nice casual informal place to visit. Easy way to get some history of the Island. Small shop also. Much bigger than it appears from the outside.

We loved learning about the history of the island here as well as seeing some lovely displays and walking around the grounds. It was too hot to stay too long, the whole place is really nicely done.

I attended a Sweetgrass basket Class and it was great. It is not easy but the instructors gave us great advice and were hands on in showing us how to “sew” with the palmetto strip. Don’t expect to make a basket in two hours but you will go home with a piece you can use as a coaster or ring holder. I hung mine on my kitchen wall, it resembles a comet to me with its tail.

A gem of a place. Wish we had more time to spend here. Beautiful grounds, educational insights, awesome staff. All ages enjoyed the museum, boardwalks, butterfly pavilion, and carnivorous plants.

We did the Jarvis Creek kayak trip on 4/6/2023. 2 hour trip. The guy was crabby, and spent 1 hour talks about the kayaks and safety. That left 1 hour for kayaking at high tide going against the tide. I have to say when he ended it at noon, a lot of folks were upset so he said we could kayak longer. We settled on a 1/2 hour more. Wouldn’t recommend this kayak trip. Too many other places on HHI to go out of.

This morning I took my granddaughter to Honey Horn to see the live animals. It was so much fun. They had chickens, alligators, frogs and turtles and a corn snake. She got to touch each one.
The Discovery Museum also has a butterfly house and many indoor exhibits. It never disappoints. Fun for all ages!

Beautiful grounds! A nice walk, beautiful flowers and rare bushes/trees. Maintenance of the area was fantastic, great job. Something to see!

We did the Under the Sea class. There were 4 adults and 2 kids ages 11 and 13. Everyone seemed to be engaged during the half hour class. They had us at two tables with a bin of water in front of us. Through the class the instructor put different little sea creatures in the water for us to look at and touch. They were a mussel, hermit crab, spider crab and horseshoe crab. She talked about each one, we could ask questions. The only thing I would say we were a little disappointed with was that in the description of the class it talked feeding a horseshoe crab but we never did that. We also walked around the museum and the property a bit. It's a nice place. Friendly staff. Museum is free but the classes you need to sign up for and they cost a fee.

We really enjoyed the Civil War Era talk - Jim the presenter was excellent. He gave an overall view of how the Civil War started which was really interesting and then a more detailed explanation about how the Civil War affected Hilton Head. The presentation slides were great too and aided the overall presentation. Thank you Jim - we really enjoyed it. Best Wishes Karen & Graham

Great overview of not only the history of the island but what the island has to offer now. Great for children, lots fro them to do and learn. Great place to start your vacation on Hilton Head Island and then go explore what interests you.

We booked three tours through the museum and each one was excellent. Spent a day on Daufuskie Island on our golf cart, did a history tour of Hilton Head, then did a Gullah tour. Each tour was unique, professional and excellent. Then we spent time at the museum, walked around the walking path, got fruit at the Farmers’ Market and thoroughly enjoyed our activities and visit.

I attended a wedding here and it was such a lovely backdrop for a celebration. The pavilion was fabulous.

We attended the Hilton Head Seafood Festival here. There was a good selection of seafood and meat vendors here as well as very good cooking demonstrations. The spacious layout kept it from feeling crowded.

This was the best informative presentation we have ever heard about butterflies. The presenter( I cannot remember his name) was the BEST. He was very attentive to all age groups and explained and answered question completely. He was passionate about his job and butterflies. After learning things we never knew about butterflies , we went to the butterfly house and saw the butterflies and eggs and learned how butterflies survive. God's creation is wonderful!! We certainly will look at butterflies differently in our yard. God's creation of all creatures continues to amaze me. It is a must see.

This free museum and its grounds are well done and would have been more interesting in spring, summer or fall. The inside displays are informative and tell the history of the area. The butterfly house was empty and most plants outside were dormant. The highlight was the camellia garden….many beautiful varieties in full bloom.

Relaxing walk through time. Some local craftsmen on site weaving baskets. Really enjoyed the butterfly exhibit

Walk around the grounds. Good museum and tours are offered which I did on my next visit in January. Going back in November too.

We took our 3 year old granddaughter her in April. The paths were well marked and were easy to walk. Enclosures enabled easy viewing of the wildlife.

We visited the Coastal Discovery Museum while on vacation in Hilton head Island. There are many things to see and do including informative exhibits about the geography and history of Hilton head. In the discovery lab building there are live crabs, fish, turtles, and many hands-on educational exhibits and activities that would delight children of all ages. There’s a small butterfly garden enclosure where different kinds of butterflies fly around you, a monarch caterpillar/egg were under a leaf and various chrysalis in different stages were on display. Fascinating! There are many areas to walk around to experience plants, animals, and habitats of the Lowcountry.

The volunteers and staff are all very friendly and knowledgeable! We enjoyed talking with them. The museum is definitely worth your visit.

Put in your walking shoes and go on a Tuesday for the Farmers Market( a little sparse this time of year but good quality vendors).
Take to time to in the museum and walk along the walkway to learn about those important people contributing to
The development of Hilton Head Island.
Stroll the Camellia Garden and the small cemetery on the grounds.
There are other walking trails as well.

My wife and I did the "Forts" tour and thoroughly enjoyed the two-hour history lesson. Gayle not only knew her history, but she obviously enjoys what she does, which make the tour that much more fun. If you have any interest in SC history, and Civil War history in particular, check it out.

Small museum but very interesting. The children’s room looked like it would be fun for little ones. We did not walk outside although I wish we could have.

We loved the Coastal Discovery Museum. We walked the lovey Discovery Trail and then stayed for an interesting and informative presentation on the Civil War on Hilton Head Island. Our lecturer also discussed what factors lead up to Secession in South Carolina. We learned a great deal. I highly recommend this event.

We took this boat trip yesterday, and it was excellent. We know seeing dolphins is hit or miss, but the boat captain led us to an area where we must have seen a total of 20 dolphins in the 90 minutes. And once finding them, he lingered and circled to maximize the experience. We have also been to several afternoon talks at the Coastal Discovery Museums, and all were excellent. They bring in experts, give a great presentation, and answer any and all questions. You can't go wrong if you enjoy this type of nature activity in booking with the Coastal Discovery Museum.

We managed to get into a workshop to make a tie dyed shirt with real indigo. Lots of fun and very educational about idigo, its history and cultivation. The museum is small but very well doen and offers different programs daily.

The Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn is an excellent stop for adults and children. No wonder the Smithsonian Institution has adopted the museum. The docents are very helpful and the static display inside are varied and interesting. The best part of the museum is the expansive outdoor walking paths to the tidal flats and gardens. This venue is the place where lots of Hilton head Island events are staged because of the huge parking fields and great shady walking paths and gardens.

Great!! Amazing time!! Really loved it! The marshes were stunning very informative! Love carol she was great!! Would go again!!

An awesome experience. We learned a lot on the scavenger hunt. I highly recommend the Gulah tour-it was fantastic!

This museum is gorgeous! Such a variety of wildlife and flora. From the beautiful and varied marsh birds to the Camellia Garden, and field birds we had a wonderful day. A bonus was the piece of rocket that was salvaged and is stored on the property. Staff is very accommodating and gracious. We've been back twice during our vacation here. The horses are a nice touch.

Because of the positive reviews on trip advisor, my husband and I visited this museum. What a special place. We really enjoyed reading about the history of Honey Horn. We walked the outside path and enjoyed all the beautiful piers and scenery. The gardenias were lovely. I really wanted to see the marsh tacky horses, but they must have been in the barn. There were hibernating butterflies in the butterfly house. There was a lovely gift shop with some beautiful ornaments. There was a gentleman there making sweat grass baskets, which were outstanding. It was nice to admire these amazing pieces of art. The museum was free, but donations are encouraged Beautiful place to visit and step back in time.

This place is great. Booked a last minute 2 hour lab “free of charge” to learn about ocean animals and went on a scavenger hunt around the museum grounds. It was very hot outside so bring water but it is definitely worth it. We also booked the beach discovery toor last minute and it was cheap thing to do while learning a ton of interesting things about the beach life. Will definitely go on more tours with them on our next trip!

Stayed about 40 mins inside the museum. Not much there actually except for the history of Hilton Head Island which was interesting. Also had a art museum which looked like my 5 year old grandson could do better. (Sorry but not my thing).

We had a beautiful walk around the discovery center- They had a scavenger hunt for the kids that basically is a self guided tour- we all enjoyed it and they gave the kids a prize at the end.

My sister took me to the coastal discovery Museum today, it was a bit chilly but we endured. They have a nice hot older plantation home with great information about the area because all a G, Flora, fauna, history. There are classes offered which I would love to take but didn’t have time on this trip. And then there are walking tours that are self guided where you can see lots of indigenous Birds and animals. There’s a butterfly garden and just beautiful grounds to walk. I would love to come back in warmer weather, the weather dipped into the 30s this week on my vacation week so we didn’t get to experience fully what we wanted, but I could tell what we did experience was great. They offer so many classes and trips and educations it was really impressive.

We did the Blue Crab Discovery tour. Our docent was Jim and he was incredibly knowledgeable about blue crabs and the salt marshes. We learned so much from him. We did not expect to be eating the blue crabs at the end of our tour, but what an unexpected pleasure. We would highly recommend this tour.

Visited on a rainy day and very glad we did! The set up of the tour is great and the information of history was very interesting. The trees and butterfly house were a highlight to this vist.

HUbby and I enjoyed the Coastal Museum and walking the boardwalk trails. The artwork was beautiful and I liked the sculpures, trees and plants on the grounds. Very nice place to visit.

A hidden local museum that talks about the indigenous wildlife and activities that lead to the development of Hilton head Island. The museum is free and you can purchase guided tours on the various topics. They have a butterfly garden several docks extending out into the marsh a house museum with paintings, sculptures and information about the Island. Families would enjoy coming here. It is on the north end of the island and will take you about an hour to tour if you self guide.

Nice mix of indoor and outdoor activities. The kids got something out of “skimming “ while the wife read everything lol.

Good time was had by all.

This tour was fantastic from beginning to end. I owe our thanks to Carol was our tour guide and a Lowcountry Master Naturalist. She does know her stuff! For 2.5 hours we were entertained, educated, and entralled with the salt marshes. I did not know about their strength and beauty until that tour. She was not afraid to walk into the marshes and get down and dirty (mud and all) to pick up tiny crabs for us to see and feel. If you get a chance, please visit this hidden gem in South Carolina. And if Carol is your tour leader, you are in for a very special treat!

Great museum and grounds. Very unpretentious. A nice "room for kids" to learn (puppets of sea creatures, live critters, video of animals of the area). My 10 yr. old granddaughter spent a lot of time in the butterfly enclosure watching the cocoons, butterflies and lizards. $5 donation for museum. Animal and plant conservationists. Enjoyed it immensely.

We had a great time doing the Blue Crab experience. We learned so much about the marsh inhabitants and the ecosystem of Hilton Head. A great facility and tour guides. Also loved the grounds! The carnivorous plants and butterfly house were fun.

This was a very interesting and worthwhile talk. The museum itself is small and nicely laid out. The Civil War presentation was professional and taught us much about the Islands history. Would highly recommend this experience.

We guided ourselves around the museum and property. This is a must do. We learned a lot about the wildlife on the island, the Gullah people, and there was a fantastic art exhibit from young children on the island discussing the effects of pollution on the island. We didn’t have a scheduled tour and all we did was donate $5 (that’s all we had cash). We don’t have kids but they have activities for kids at certain times which honestly looked like a lot of fun and I wish I could have participated.

This was our second visit to the Coastal Museum. I think it's a fine place if you need an extra hour or two with nothing to do. The gift shop is nice as well as the butterfly enclosure. However, it is not a 'must see' at Hilton Head.

This splendid little museum and nature center is a must see for any visitor to Hilton Head. It has a recent affiliation with the Smithsonian Institution. The Discovery Center has extensive ground and a board walk over a salt march. The Center provides a great overview of the history and natural history of Hilton Head and the low country barrier islands. The receptionist was most helpful and passionate about the Center and Hilton Head.

My sister and I found this on line before traveling to Hilton Head. We stopped there one day and also booked a "Beach Tour" on line for a different day. The museum and grounds were quite lovely, although the foliage wasn't in full bloom yet. And the Beach Tour was very informative and that was AT the beach so maybe a 10 minute drive from the actual museum.

Great experience, tremendous amount of history conveyed + ability to visit War Between the States forts on private property!! Our docent was wonderful!!!

Our docents were terrific, patient and knowledgeable. The views of the marsh were stunning and there was one surprise (the good kind) that we never thought we would find on a tour of a plantation. Highly enjoyable and worth the investment to learn more about this beautiful property and its history. The knowledge of the plants on the property and the visit to the Camellia garden were great.

69 acre quiet plantation with an easy short and flat trail with points of intetest along the way. Pretty main house with gifts but did not go through it as we were taking an info tour about the Marsh Tacky horse. Sue was very lively and had so much info about this wild breed and then led us to the barn to meet 2 horses. Just a little disappointing to not be able to see a few more esp since the one Marsh Tacky was being trimmed and otherwise indisposed. But she made it fun to learn about the Island and the horses. Sue did say sometimes they have more horses there. It made for an easy afternoon. Lots of room for kids to run around.

This was my favorite place to go while we were on HHI. We spent quite a bit of time there.

There is no admission fee but donations are welcome. The camellia garden has over 130 varieties planted in it and some were loaded with blooms so soon some of the fall and winter bloomers should be beautiful. There were very few blooms when we walked in.

A couple of guys who make sweet grass baskets were on the grounds when we arrived. We couldn't afford their prices but their work was terrific. I did get a couple of Palmetto roses from them and made a donation to their school project fund. They go to local schools and teach children how to make baskets.

Nice walking trail around the property. We love visiting historic sites as much as possible while we are in an area and this one did not disappoint.

We walked around the grounds on the paths. There were a variety of signs to describe the plants, buildings and sculptures along the way. We also walked through the small discovery center that also had a small store. Nice way to spend an hour or so.

This is a must see while in H.H. and it is free. I lost a ring here and they went overboard to help me find it ( not found) but I appreciated this very much.

The museum is positioned on lovely grounds complete with a one-mile loop that takes perambulators by striking water views and through a camellia garden. The museum has a diverse array of exhibits, ranging from an introduction to the Gullah culture in South Carolina, a temporary display of coral-themed art, and dioramas of the native fauna, including now-extinct species.

This museum is free and provides a solid overview of the history, natural wonders, and culture of South Carolina. It is worth a visit to learn what areas might pique your interest and spark further exploration during your stay in the Palmetto State.

Beautifully maintained museum and mile-long nature trail with deck walks over the mud flats. The flowering plants, huge live oaks, and birds of many varieties are a treasure to remember.

This is a delightful 1.5 hr. boat ride on the river skirting Bluffton and Daufuskie Island, which we were lucky to enjoy on a perfect spring day with our visiting daughter and 2 grandchildren, 11 and 18. Everyone loved it! Captain Steve was delightful, and his two beautiful golden retrievers that accompanied added to our enjoyment. We spent some time watching and photographing some friendly dolphins who swam close to our boat, spied on the beautiful houses along the river, and appreciated the quiet peacefulness of the river. This is a friendly, simple cruise in a smallish pontoon boat that was the perfect start of a visit to Bluffton's historic district and shops.

The tour was very informative the property is beautiful. I never knew it was there, until I looked for some things to do while my sister and brother-in-law were down. The tour was supposed to last 1-1/2 hours but our tour was 2 hrs, our guide was that good! Just remember to wear good walking or hiking shoes so you can do some of the trials after your tour.

Their Mission Statement reads, "The Coastal Discovery Museum inspires people to care for the Lowcountry." I would have inserted "educate" somewhere since that seems to be the focus of the indoor Museum and the outdoor trails and exhibits. It has been mentioned, repeatedly in these reviews, that the Museum is "small" or "little." Yes, but to be sure, the exhibits are very well done and impressive. The signage around the grounds is excellent.

Although we get to Hilton Head only once a year, we were so impressed that we decided to become Supporting Members.

We spent a great morning with our grandkids at the Coastal Discovery Museum. Entrance was free, donations accepted. There is a scavenger hunt for kids - that takes you all around the grounds to explore the various features. We dropped by the Barn to meet the horses. The girls learned all about loggerhead sea turtles and completed a free craft. We stopped by the carnivorous plant exhibit and learned about the Venus Fly Trap (native to the area.)

We enjoyed learning about the history of the island and the area. The specific locations around the walking area were well labeled and described- heritage garden, oyster area, dragonfly pond, etc. I especially liked the Butterfly enclosure- there were so many beautiful butterflies! The staff were super friendly and helpful! The walking trail was nice and leisurely.

The Marsh showed the ecosystem for this landscape. The museum was very informative of the life in Hilton Head years ago. It was so interesting and put together well.

Pam and Lou were so knowledgeable as our discovery guides. We learned so much and so enjoyed eating the blue crab as the end of the discovery.

While the weather on the day of our visit was not conducive to touring the grounds, we very much enjoyed the museum located in a beautiful old home. Many informative exhibits with interesting facts about the flora and fauna of the Lowcountry. Cute interactive kids room. Lots of Lowcountry history. We enjoyed the Fiber Art exhibit, gorgeous pieces! Beautiful and unique gift items available in the gift shop including handcrafted jewelry and baskets, books, handy laminated field guides, local honey, tea, spices, etc. Great place to visit! We look forward to returning and touring the grounds as well.

The museum is a grouping of houses that have displays showing history and ecology of Hilton Head. They also had a temporary display of straw grass baskets. The person weaving was very informative and answered questions about the process. Outside they have a trail that takes you through the grounds with 3 piers over the salt marsh. It was low tide and not much to see as to wildlife. The trail took you through gardens. The camellia garden was just blooming and some of the bushes were beautiful. In another few weeks, it would be in full bloom, so I want to go back. They have a butterfly house but that was past its season as well. The trail goes past an old cemetery and a open barn building which now houses a piece of “space trash” that washed ashore one day and NASA confirmed was a piece of a rocket. They did not want it back so the museum now houses it. It is a very relaxing way to spend a few hours and walk outside.

We took a one-hour tour with Carol Clemens that lasted more like an hour and forty-five minutes as she was so enthusiastic about her subject matter. Great interactive and engaging tour!

We went to the museum for the marine invertebrates program. It was very fun and informative for my kids (ages 3,6,7). Would recommend! They got to touch a few different creatures and were entertained for about an hour.

I highly recommend this activity with young children :-). We returned for 2nd time and my boys couldn't wait to take part again! Its absolutely beautiful place with volunteers, that love helping to a good cause. They will guide you through beautiful natural habitat of Hilton Head and show you how to catch a blue crab, cook, crack and of course taste at the end :-). This activity has limited places to offer, so please do book in advance.

Has some wonderful art work and basket displays. It’s run on donations, no entry fee. A nice walkway around the outside with viewing areas, artistic statues, a camellia garden ( in bloom when I was there in February), and scattered displays. I do wonder who put the beehives next to the old outhouse though 😜 worth the stop. Plan on at least an hour.

Our 2 year old grandson had a great discovery visit at the centre. He began by sitting in outdoor rocking chair with me. He enjoyed our walk about on the grounds and boardwalks extending into the marsh where he was fascinated by the hermit crabs on the mud flats, schools of fish and eagles, ospreys and vultures soaring overhead. The highlight however was the children’s room where he actually shrieked upon seeing the live horseshoe crabs and turtles and stuffed raptors - owls, hawks etc
We intend to return to purchase some of the many age-appropriate children’s books available

many informative posters, beautiful \, well laid out walks. wonderful butterfly exhibit, and the carnivore plants1

So much fun! Definitely recommend fir anyone visiting Hilton Head or Bluffton. I did it on my own but will be taking my family when they visit.

Enjoyed the self guided mile walk tour with narration on my phone. Flowers were beautiful and learned a great deal. Docents were helpful donations of $5 support the programs. Many additional programs available.

Beautiful location to visit on Hilton Head Island. We attended the Civil War program which was very interesting. Museum gives a nice history about Hilton Head Island and how it progressed through the years. The museum is small, well kept, clean. I highly recommended the museum.

Every time we visit HHI, we love to stop at this museum. Our children are older but still enjoy it. It is beautiful and family friendly.

The Gullah tour was one of our top experiences while visiting Hilton Head Island. The tour operator/owners are a Gullah family. Our guide had over 70 years experience explaining how the island has changed while diving through The many Gullah neighborhoods. A great combination of fun sightseeing and historical context. I’d recommend the trip for everyone.

This little museum is quite the gem. It has a lot of walking trails throughout that really showcase some beautiful scenery. We especially loved the butterfly garden and watching the fiddler crabs scurry across the marsh.

We visited the discovery museum on our first visit to Hilton Head. We had intended to go to a reptile program but arrived too late. The museum is very cute and well worth the time. There is a room for children with puppets, games and creatures. The staff were amazing at answering my son's reptile questions and they had an outdoor scavenger hunt for him. The butterfly exhibit is wonderful and the staff member there spend extra time with us as well.

I actually love the Coastal Discovery Museum, but the Blue Crab Discovery was a complete waste of money. Two years ago, my family and I participated in the Blue Crab Discovery and loved it. We took a complete tour of the grounds, learned a great deal about blue crabs and other indigenous creatures, and were each treated to our own individual whole crab (freshly caught and prepared during the tour). I expected the same experience this time, but unfortunately, it was terrible. Our tour guide was very nice, but we only went to one dock and did not tour the grounds. Although several nets were cast, only one crab was captured. There were nine people in our group and we had to share one crab! It did not look as if any bait had been left in the traps. Yes, I realize that there is no way to set the number of crabs captured, but it would have been nice if they had fresh crabs for everyone. These could have been purchased or captured earlier on the grounds. Our tour was supposed to last 1.5 hours, but ended in about 45 minutes. It was a complete waste of money!!! I do recommend visiting the Coastal Discovery Museum and attending their other programs, but do not waste your time and money on the Blue Crab Discovery.

This museum is so very well done. We learned so much of the local history and even more of the local wildlife. Well worth the admission fee. I also talked to the staff who mentioned that they have special programs for kids for times when school isn’t in session.

When we were tourists, we never visited Honey Horn. We missed a lot. Now it is a must see place to visit and to take guests. There are nature tours, history tours, crabbing pots, lectures. displays, and a camellia garden to die for. Also public art, marsh tacky horses, and a lab in which young people can learn about the wildlife, fauna, and all that makes the lowcountry special. Although there is a charge for the tours, entrance to the site itself is free and self guided pamphlets are available. On some days, you can see skilled Gullah weavers at work.

First time here. Very interesting. The staff was very helpful in explaining the self guiding tours and answered all our questions. Beautiful Camilla flowers now and next few week.

What a wonderful Smithsonian Museum the Hilton Head Coastal Discovery on Honey Horn property. We stopped by to see the well cared for property and grounds with quite interesting displays inside on Hilton Heads history. The museum staff was very helpful and friendly. We learned quite a lot about our new retirement community. The museum grounds are superb and the 300-year old Live Oaks, elevated walkways over Jarvis Creek, and a interesting Butter Fly house and garden with Butterfly nesting poles. The most interesting section in the gardens are a dozen memorials to local Hilton Head residents who inspired and lead the island’s nature oriented development, hospitals, schools, transportation, and Gullah community.

Mel was an amazing tour guide for the Gullah Heritage Tour. He is a retired educator and is sixth-generation on Hilton Head. He had interesting personal stories tied to almost everything we saw, and is a treasure of historical knowledge. We took the opportunity to go through the Coastal Discovery Museum afterwards. I highly recommend both!

Carol was great and very knowledgeable! We learned so much and will definitely go back to learn more about the flora and fauna of SC

I love the exhibits and be sure to try a guided tour.🦉The marsh and Gullah tours were fascinating as was the Camilla garden.

If you are just here for the golf, tennis, pickleball, beach and restaurants you are missing out on hundreds of years of history. Go visit and learn something about this incredible island.

This is a gem! We decided to walk all the trails and explore. Beautifully cared for grounds and lots of wildlife to see!

This is a somewhat educational site with grounds that aren’t especially we kept up. The most interesting area was the museum which featured a lot of art and photos done by talented high school students. We went in April and the mosquitos were plentiful and very hungry.

We eat lunch under the huge magnolias as 3 generations enjoy the day. We make use of each active and space, and my son finds new interests each time he visits. Membership helps the museum so consider purchasing one. Booking your water tours through the museum helps them and local guides. When you arrive and depart the island make sure to say "Hello Myrtle or See you next time Myrtle." One museum visit will introduce you to Myrtle.

Nice, informative museum. Loved the paintings, art snd stories. Wonderful Gullah history. Do put this on your visit to do.

We took the birding tour with Carlos. It was excellent. He was very well informed and could spot the birds way off in the distance. I would highly recommend this event

Really nice grounds to walk and take in natural beauty and stting of the area along with a museum with nice exhibits.
We also.took the may river maritime cruise which was offered through the museum.the cruise was quite enjoyable and our capt. Was a source of local info and really good.enjoyed both.

Took the 6 grandkids here and they enjoyed the museum and the walk around the grounds. Staff was very kid friendly.

There isn't much to see here. Walked by the salt water marsh and seen nothing. This is our second (and last) visit and both times, there was no wildlife.

Really enjoyed the self guided tour of the grounds. We used the audio guide downloaded from the QR code on-site. We started our visit by viewing and reading all the displays inside the house. Very fascinating - highly recommend. No admission but a donation is HIGHLY recommended and is deserved. If you go on a Tuesday - check out the Farmers Market from 9-1.

The volunteers are very nice & Helpful. Very nice art exhibit on right now. Guided walks & great info about Hilton Head Island.

Great Museum for Hilton Head history and wildlife! Beautiful property with nature paths and butterflies. We learned many very interesting things about Hilton Head and it's importance in the Revolution and the Civil War. My daughter has a degree in History and was very excited about this museum. Well worth a visit!

The inside displays were good and our toddler loved the kid's room. The local art display inside was good. Our favorite was the walk to see all the flowers.

Cool museum the horses were not out that sucked. The staff were friendly and the facility was beautiful. Will be to do a tour

Great FREE!!!! place to walk trails, see nature, learn some history and visit a great gift shop. The grounds are beautiful!

This place is beautiful. So much to see and places to relax and watch the butterflies. There are large gorgeous pavilions to have lunch or do crafts with the kids. They had a nice little gift shop with books, art, and things to buy local from the island. The staff really pride themselves in knowing their facts and are great at sharing their stories about everything from owl pellets to plankton. Huge live oaks are shading the paths and nice boardwalks on the water to bird watch. Really a peaceful place to escape for a few hours!

Doris Niles and her partner, ___ Austin, were perfect exemplars of the steady, calm, supportive Lowcountry demeanor as they reassured us uncertain craftspeople that our efforts would turn out fine and there was no such thing as a mistake in weaving a sweetgrass basket. We did come to appreciate the skills and patience required to create a basket - and the time necessary for a large basket. Ours were very small but attractive and after several hours we were happy that we managed to get that tiny circle to look like a basket at all - some made coasters. It was a great experience. finding that we were working with Doris, who has a basket selected for inclusion in the Smithsonian's collection was very impressive indeed!

We did the Island Queen cruise booked though the Coastal Discovery Museum - as two adults with no kids we were a little apprehensive that it might be too 'family friendly' for us.....we were pleasantly surprised. Yes there lots of kids but the boat is spacious, everyone moves around, and they added to the fun and awe at spotting Dolphins....of which there were many!

Had a lovely informative cruise.

Great information on about the creek, HHI and Dolphin behaviour.

We learn every time we touch base with CDM

The Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn is always a favorite when we vacation on Hilton Head. We love the displays, the history, the natural habitat and all the little things that make this a special and unique place.

So beautiful and interesting. Staff is helpful, cheerful. I learned a lot, especially the exhibits. I was moved by the basket weaver who told me all about his craft as he worked. Admire him and his culture. Everyone should go there.

A friend and I learned how to make a seagrass basket using only seagrass, palmetto palms, scissors, and a tool fashioned from the end of a spoon, all of which were provided. We had wonderful - and patient! - teachers from The Gullah Dream Weaver who got us started and guided us as we learned to add seagrass then secured the rows with strips of palmetto palms by weaving. We were so happy with our finished product, a new and unique family heirloom. We have a new appreciation for the time and effort that goes into making these baskets and now understand why the baskets are so pricey. I highly recommend taking this class if you have the opportunity.

Lovely walk on the edge of the marsh with wonderful boardwalks out into areas where there was amazing bird watching. The gardens and various plantings on the grounds were lovely even in the dead of winter. Cute gift shop. We were traveling with two families and three teenagers and there was something fun for everyone.

We had a great time exploring the beautiful grounds and attending the amphibian and reptiles 60-minute program at the lab. We had a very small group with extra attention. Naturalist was very knowledgeable, and the program was great for young kids. Despite the program not being listed as hands-on, we had opportunities to touch and take photographs with the animals. Convenient parking. Clean bathrooms. Highly recommended.

Visited with family (myself, wife, & 2 teens) during a summer trip to Hilton Head. It was a nice late morning outing to discover the area. We got to read about some local history, the staff was friendly, and the museum grounds were very peaceful. The museum is well kept, but there wasn't really a lot to see, hence our visit was less than an hour. It is worth a stop if you're looking to break up your beach trip and learn about the area.

Had an amazing tour guide,Carol Clemens, who taught us so much about the wonders of a salt marsh. It was an easy walk on the boardwalks as we went out over the marsh and saw the balance of nature in the area. My husband talked me into going and I’m so glad he did. To be honest, I was concerned about alligators but was assured right away that alligators don’t like salt marshes-whew. I then relaxed and enjoyed the whole walk. Carol made the experience so worthwhile. I highly recommend taking this tour when visiting Hilton Head.

We loved our visit to the museum. The staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome and provided us with plenty of information to make our visit the best it could be.

Linda, the guide was great, giving us detailed information about the history of the Civil War era on Hilton Head. Geography, battles, technology of the era, lives of local people. Very informative.

This venue is offers a variety of activities throughout the year. It appears to be well organized & managed. Keep an eye on their events calendar.

We used to stop at the Coastal Discovery Museum at the beginning of every visit when it was adjacent to the welcome center. Their new location isn't as convenient but they have greatly expanded with more space. If you like Hilton Head you should visit to get a sense of the island's history and expand your knowledge and appreciation of the area's environment and wildlife. Enjoyable for children and adults and a lot can be gleaned in a short time if your schedule is tight.

Amazing museum but more impressive grounds!! A must do in Hilton Head. Also, the classes are amazing!!

I attended in March with my daughter and found the site well maintained with some nice wetland lookouts and good self guided interpretation. The site has voluntary/suggested fees for the actual museum but I also attended the Reptile and Amphibian lecture. The museum has numerous programs that you have to pay for but their cost, comparative to other activties on Hilton Head, are quite affordable. Unfortunately, they don't have a family rate for extra activities, so if you are a large family budget accordingly. The do a lot of interpretation on local insect life and bees, and have numerous habitat features around the site to attract insects. Bees were abundant and docile around much of the site. So if you have an allergy, bring your usual epi-pen - if you have a camera there is some great photo opportunities! Several of the exhibits are probably best enjoyed in April and May when parts of the site, like the butterfly house, are in full operation. Gift shop was well stocked with a variety of choices. The site has relatively few steps, so is also well suited to those with mobility challenges. The staff were friendly and helpful.

This review is only for the sweet grass basket weaving class that occurs on Saturdays 1-2x per month. The cost is $65 per person. Three of us attended. This was the biggest waste of money and time ever. We would like the museum to refund us. The instructor was over 1 hour late. Staff were unable to get her to answer her phone when called. She finally showed up 75 minutes late when they were going to refund us. The instructor had a completely full Wendy's soft drink in her hand when she arrived indicating we were clearly not her priority when she was already significantly late. We were promised a small history lesson about sweet grass basking weaving along with general information about harvest and material preparation in the advertisement and when I called to ask about it with staff. What we got was a woman who could not even string a sentence together and who complained about heat and sun. There were 3 materials we were using and she consistently changed the names of them over our time there. After a 75 minute wait, we waited another 60 minutes to get any instruction because we were the last 3 of the 7 to be shown anything. You are provided with a 2 inch circle that is already started. Once we got instruction, we were still lost. We came to find out all of the materials were old and rotten. She kept saying "Everything....week old...not good...needs to be used in a week." Several made attempts to ask about the harvest of materials and she stated, "It's not me....I don't like....too hot." We all left with nothing more than we started except frustration and disappointment. She shoved her business cards at us as we walked out and then told us if we wanted more instruction to come to the next class and not tell the Museum and she would cut us a deal. She then procced to make some inappropriate remarks about my body that were humiliating. I ran as far and as fast as I could. I regret not telling her off and immediately going to the museum staff to complain. This class offering is a disgrace to the Museum and the Low Country. Stay away. And, no, I will not remove my review in exchange for a refund!

This is a great place to walk around and explore the grounds. It is definitely better in the summer time, when there is more wildlife around to see. It is free, so that is always something good on this island.

We booked a Sea Turtle Life educational session.
We were running late but were able to join when we got there.
The instructors were very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. They even offered to reviewed what we missed.
A bad storm rolled in about 20 mins into our visit. We tried to wait it out in the main house but it did not show signs of letting up.
However, while we were in the main house there were many interesting displays and history items.
The women working were very informative with the displays. They also were able to recommend a few local restaurants. One we went to, Hudson's, was delicious!!!!
I'm glad I asked for recommendations.
We really wanted to go back for the Critter Meet and Greet on Friday and explore more when it wasn't raining but we were unable to make it back out.
This is a great place for kids and adults.
Make sure to bring your walking shoes if doing the full tour.

Went to Discovery Coastal Museum not sure what to expect and were happily surprised. The museum building is small but well done and informative. We walked all the trails which are well marked and maintained. But what we enjoyed most were the magnificent live oaks. There were so many, one was more beautiful than the next. They have a huge pavilion with a large fireplace, perfect for an event. A very pleasant way to spend a few hours.

We enjoyed the exhibits and learned a few new things about the island. The walking tour is easy and had great views. Worth the time to visit and learn about the history of Hilton head

The dogent was very knowledgeable and made the tour enjoyable. We learned a lot about the ecosystem of the area and the history of Honey Horn.

We signed up for a lecture here.....and then discovered all the history, displays and wonderful trails for exploring. Highly recommend visiting!

I really enjoyed this museum. It provides an interesting history of the area and the settlement of the island. It doesn’t take that long to go through the building but you can also walk around the grounds. It’s also a good option on a rainy day.

This is a former plantation with a number of buildings on it including the main residence, some out buildings and a wetland behind. On Tuesday's you'll find the farmers market on the front lawn. It's a very pretty and peaceful place to explore. It has a number of enormous old oak trees that spread out horizontally across the property.

GAIL ! Great docent (tour guide - new term for me); she even dressed in a period costume. She is very well knowledged in local history, especially the 1800s. She is friendly and interesting. She is interactive without being pushy at all.
The ruins of the forts are so-so, but Gail's accounts enable you to visualize the culture of the times and the people and soldiers of those years.
An A+ experience, and better if you like history.

My wife and I signed up for the indigo tie dye workshop, and had a blast. Emily, our instructor, was very knowledgeable about the history of the area, and was a lot of fun.

The Sweet Grass Basking Making class was a wonderful experience. The teacher, Dino, was a terrific teacher. Very knowledgeable and experienced with this craft. Highly recommend!

Beautiful, mostly quiet beaches. I’m sure it’s much wilder in the summer. You can definitely ride a bicycle on the beach at low tide. Will very likely return next spring

We stopped by the Coastal Discovery Museum on a rainy afternoon. Started indoors and looked at the exhibits, then headed outside so the kids could do the scavenger hunt once the storm passed. It's a good way to spend an hour or two. Lovely property and lots to learn. We liked the butterfly house and the boardwalk out on the marsh. We did not participate in any of the scheduled activities or tours, but there are lots of things you can sign up to do!

A nicely interpreted museum in a great old house. Several nice boardwalks out into the tidal marshes.

Kayak on Jarvis Creek. Great selection of kayak types and explanations by Mark help set the mood and tone for the tour.We learned so much about the natural and human environments. If you’re looking for an educational trip this is the one. Make sure to bring water and a hat. We saw mostly birds, a pair of bald eagles and several herons including the blue and the green.

Love the museum at Honey Horn! You can learn about the history of the island here. You can learn about the wildlife and living by the sea. There are trails and a butterfly house. It beautiful at Honey Horn. The museum is free. I go for a visit every time I go to Hilton Head.

The Coastal Discovery Museum is a hidden gem on Hilton Head Island. They offer something for everyone and it is a nice change from spending the day at the beach. This trip, I did the Indigo Tie Dye activity. It was fun and informational. You learn a little bit about the history of making dye with seeds from the Indigo plant and then you get to make your own tie dye shirt using Indigo. They even let you bring other things to dye, such as scarves, hats, masks, etc. do yourself a favor and take a break from the beach or golf course to visit this place - lots to do inside and outside. Make sure you check their weekly activity schedule but you can enjoy it without a planned activity. The gift shop is very nice too.

We did the Blue Crab Discovery (I think that is what it's called). What a wonderful learning experience. Our docent was very knowledgeable and had done her homework well. We learned so much about the salt marsh life from her talk and the visit to the marsh. We also had a chance to sample freshly caught and cooked Blue Crabs. Surely a must do activity on Hilton Head. The grand children also adopted a turtle nest and that has been an awesome experience. Lots of info being shared with us all the time.

We took our five grandchildren (ages 3-11) to the Butterfly Discovery Program, and it was excellent! It was well suited to all ages. Even the adults learned a lot. The docents focused on the children and explained the butterfly's lifespan and stages clearly and at their level. The time spent outside in the butterfly house was superb.

The Coastal Discovery Museum was a perfect way to spend an "ok weather" afternoon on Hilton Head. The staff was very friendly and the options for kids were gerat. We thoroughly enjoyed the walking tour and the kids based scavenger hunt. The Discovery lab was a great way to finish the visit.

Four of my family did the Pinckney Island early morning birding walk with Carlos and it was great - lots of birds and Carloe was impressively good at spotting them, and brought his telescope so we got a good close look at them as well as looking through our binoculars. He also knew all about other natural history stuff so we learned about Spanish moss and how it reproduces, armadillos and how they are spreading, oyster beds, etc

We did 2 of the water activities: the May River cruise and the Jarvis Creek Kayak tour. Both were fun and interesting, with excellent guides. Learned so much on both!

Enjoyed the very educational amphibian and reptile talk. The children ages 5, 6 and 9 loved it. The speaker and assistant were excellent and full of knowledge which made our visit top rated. We enjoyed the museum, grounds where we saw an alligator and rail, many butterflies, enjoyed the live oaks and grounds, and the kids enjoyed playing in the puzzle room.

Jeff is our volunteer tours guide, he is doing very excellent job, even though my wife and I were the only two peoples in the tour and our English is not very good, he explain everything very detail to us, the whole tour is about 90 minutes.

Great place to stroll around for a few hours. The grounds are absolutely gorgeous. We did not take a tour but just got a map of the grounds and walked around. Farmer’s market on Tuesday was ok but small.

This place is beautiful. We did a few butterfly activities with a 7 year old and she loved it! This is perfect for families as well as couples. Perfect for taking pictures. It's really pleasant, especially a little later in the day when it isn't so hot. We are definitely returning! All in all, this place is a great day trip.

Nice historical plantation house and surrounding grounds. Enjoyed seeing descendants of the Marsh Tacky horses.

Great place and very informative. Nice gift shop, also. We will go back another time to stroll around to see what we missed. No butterflies in the enclosure. Not sure why.

I attended the 2hr sweetgrass basket class. Michael & Dino were so very informative/knowledgeable! I’ve lived in the area for 13+ years & learned so much about the natural materials used to create such beautiful baskets. Those of us in class were able to create a coaster with guidance from both instructors. As I’m local, I chose to save my “project” to return for the upcoming 3 day class in November. I can’t wait!!! So lucky to have these knowledgeable men who are willing to share their gift with us!

This is a nice place to stop and visit. We went in February when a lot of the plants and butterflies were not available, but we still found it to be worth the trip. There is no cost to visit the museum, but donations are welcome. There is an interesting gift shop with a wide variety of gifts and books. The grounds are well kept and all the exhibits are explained well. It was not very crowded this time of year so you could take your time and stroll through the trail of exhibits.

Been to Honeyhorn for the car show for years, but never toured the property. We walked the trails and the wondered at the magnificent Live Oaks and blooming Shubs and vista’s.

We went as part of a tour group and did three activities. The first was a talk/demo of the wildlife in the area. The second was a self-guided tour of the house and the third was a walk/talk in the marsh area. The first and last were very good and informative about the Hilton Head natural areas. The house exhibits were just average. The guides were enthusiastic and made the visit worthwhile.

This was a perfect little adventure at the end of the dock at low tide to learn all about what creatures live in and depend on the marsh to thrive and survive. Cameron was an excellent teacher and very engaging with a 4 and 5 year old! As a native lowcountry girl, I learned a thing or two myself! We had her all to ourselves with the new restrictions and the children were able to touch and look at the creatures she was speaking and reading about. Great stop for learning and the butterfly house and museum are a great as well. A great way to "Stop that Summer Slide!"

Tour guide skipped over whole rooms and displays, but instead spent a very long time talking about the philanthropists and the family that used to live there. Got upset with me for whispering something to my husband (we were in the back and were walking to a different room at the time, so I really don’t think I interrupted). She asked me if ‘there was somewhere else that I needed to be’. Then she asked if anyone else had ‘issues’ and got mad that my son had to use the restroom.
She made people look ignorant for asking questions she thought were dumb.

We took the Dolphin Cruise and had a great time. The captain and his first mate are very informative about the nature around us here in Hilton Head, even some information about the history. They cater to the children, too, including them in talking about the marshes, crabbing, and the dolphins, of course.

We did the 1 hour amphibians lecture then got to hold the snake and baby alligator. Loved the butterfly enclosure. Nice easy walk around property.

This museum is family friendly. They have events so check their website for these special events. We enjoyed the walking path which is about 1 mile and flat.

We had limited time on Hilton Head between overnight stays in Beaufort SC and Savannah GA. Decided to visit the Coastal Discovery Museum for an overview of life in Hilton Head and we signed up for the Honey Horn guided tour. Our volunteer docent was Ken.

Overall, this was a good experience; the museum has some great exhibits (including a temporary art exhibit on coral) and the grounds are large and diverse. Ken was knowledgeable.

However, our 60-minute tour turned into a 2-hour tour thanks to a larger-than-expected crowd (while we signed up weeks in advance, others were able to join at the very last minute even though the tour had technically already reached capacity). In the end, I'm not sure we learned anything via the guided tour that was different from a self-guided tour, and it certainly took longer.

I would recommend looking at some of the other tours if you'll be in the area; the Gullah tour in particular sounded intriguing. And definitely see the grounds, but there's plenty of signage if you want to do it on your own.

Also I REALLY wish they had a small cafe on-site for lunch...even just some minimal take-out (salads, sandwiches). That would have been a great way to end our tour, and a good way for this site to make some additional $$ as well!

Great tour, saw tons of dolphins. The captain and crew were very knowledgeable. Took my mom for her 80th birthday and she had a great time

It's free, so make sure to stop in if you want to know your way around the area and find out what's around. You can book a boat to Dafuskie Island from here as well, also a must-do thing while in the area.

The art displays, the basket making demonstrations, the Camillia gardens, the board walks, the live oaks draped with moss, the market on Tuesday... and all for free. There is so much to see and do here that we made several visits during our stay. Do not miss it!

Absolutely worth a visit! The museum is informative concerning local culture, and preservation. It’s sits on a stunning property with beautiful, old growth trees and an amazing camellia garden. The employees are knowledgeable and welcoming, and really seem to want guests to get the best experience possible. Bonus is the farmers market held on Tuesday mornings which was small but had some great options for art, produce and gift items.

How can you visit Hilton Head without knowing about the place and how it came to be? When we have friends visit we always start here for them to see how it all came to be. Highly recommended.

Kayaking in the coastal waterways surrounded by the tall grasses and drooping live oaks was a wonderful experience. Learning about the tide and all the creatures that depend on this ecosystem was very interesting.

Snakes, alligators, history, butterflies, camellias all in one fun place. A definite stop while visiting.

Well, it is free so you cannot expect too much. Visiting in December there is not much blooming. It is a nice walk around outdoors and there are displays inside which makes it a good rainy day activity.

The information provided was fascinating and made even more relatable by our docent Rita Etherege! Absolutely excellent experience!

We loved this museum! We didn’t do any of the formal tours, but we walked through the museum itself (they had art, the history of the island, and a fun room for the kids), then took the walking tour which included the butterfly exhibit, a couple of piers walking out to the marsh, and other little outdoor exhibits. It’s on the smaller side, but a great thing to do with the family for a couple of hours. Staff was super nice too!

We enjoyed a guided birding excursion to Pickney Island. The leader was extremely knowledgeable and personable. I have very little birding knowledge; my son is a Master Birder -- we both learned a lot. Getting started early in the morning helped to minimize the heat, and the two hours passed too quickly.

I thought I knew something of the Low Country, but was I wrong. The displays, photographs and structures located on this museum is a treasure of knowledge. Wonderful staff with local knowledge and outgoing attitude. Don't miss the stop if you are in Hilton Head.

We had visited the very interesting visitors center before but had never walked the trail. The Camelia garden was in full bloom and the rest of the walk was interesting. Highly recommend

Definitely not a place for small kids. Lots of history. Not really interactive. But some good stations and displays.

This was a neat little place to explore. We spent about 2 hours here with kids ages 9 and 12. The ladies at the welcome center were so sweet and knowledgeable. They gave the kids a little scavenger hunt game that they had to find different things and got a small prize when it was competed. The butterfly house was so cool to walk through and see. We met one of the Marsh Tacky Horses they have on site and he was very friendly, even allowed the kids to pet him. Nice little gift shop in the main house that we were able to find some neat non beach shop type souvenirs. The entire thing is free to explore but they recommend a $5.00 donation. We went in late June one afternoon and it was empty.

Thanks to the many wonderful staff members here! Quite an in-depth look at the Lowcountry experiences. This is a fantastic Smithsonian Affilate and features a number of programs activities and events!
There are seasonal educational exhibits & very interesting panels on low country plants animals and habitats all about the property too!
An Extremely fabulous gift shop with rare & great finds for any occasion... Sedgeways are available for rental & are possible ways to get about to check out the Horn Trail markers. We really loved the remodeled old farmhouse, heritage garden, butterfly enclosure, grape arbor and beehives...
Thanks to all y’all for the support to keep this place here on Hilton Head Island in such wonderful condition!!!
Impressive.

We had a great morning at this "museum" - which is so much more than a museum. We went on a Tuesday when they had a farmer's market. We bought fresh fish, crab cakes, shrimp and produce which made a spectacular, simple to prepare dinner at our condo that night. We went into the house that now holds many interesting sign boards about the area and environment plus a beautiful sea turtle. We went out on the boardwalks over the marsh and walked around about half of the property. There was much more to do but our bellies were rumbling and we headed off to lunch in the area.
This is a great find for a nice weather day with so many different things to interest everyone!

We visited a couple of times for different reasons. The blue crab tour was very informative and tasty. The museum is cute and the area is beautiful.

A great one and a half hour tour giving us a history of the island and also its wildlife and plant life. It’s also a Smithsonian affiliate.

I did the tour of Ports of Fort Royal (Civil War) tour And it was great! Our guide was very informative and interactive and shared so much knowledge and she was even dressed in a period outfit to make the experience more memorable. It was a great way to see places that are not available to the public and I highly recommend the tour.

We thoroughly enjoyed the three boardwalks and the one mile path that leads to a variety of discoveries at The Coastal Discovery Museum. Two hours is sufficient to take it all in. We especially enjoyed the numerous varieties of blooming camellias. At this season there isn’t much happening in the butterfly house, but in season I’m sure it’s fascinating when they are active. The creek was also pretty quiet at low tide in this season. There was a nice art exhibit in the main building and a children’s discovery room that looked interesting. The museum offers a variety of regularly scheduled and special programs.

We heard very good things about this museum, so we made a visit and took a few of their tours. Excellent!

Our kayak guide told us about this Museum - she told us that if we hadn’t been it’s a must! We took her advice and was very glad we went. Lots of history about the area here. Beautiful artwork about saving our lands by local students. Especially like the exit that showed things to use verses things not to use that improve our environment. Beautiful artwork. The grounds are beautifully kept with markers telling the various types of plants. The butterfly exhibit was awesome. Only one type of butterfly so far but there were many going through the stages of metamorphisms. Also had the historical Marsh Tachy Horses, the history behind they’re arrival to Hilton Head Island. Was so excited that I found several local artist books in the book store - can’t wait to start reading them!! Highly recommend visiting while on the island!! Wanted to mention lady in gift shop was super friendly.

This is a nice indoor/outdoor museum. We visited during a display of quilts made by local artists that was installed inside the house. Outside, there’s an excellent walk through the grounds that includes boardwalks over the marshes (where we saw fiddler crabs and many birds) and through the grounds that gives you a good overview of the local flora and fauna. At a $5 suggested donation, it was well worth the visit.

We did the self guided tour of the museum. It was rich with history and we really enjoyed it. The outdoors was very well kept and managed. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience. Would definitely recommend.

We've been to Hilton Head many times but have never visited the museum for some inexplicable reason. It's easy to get to, free (donations appreciated), in a beautiful setting with 200 year old live oaks, and very interesting. It has local information on animals and history, and also includes a small butterfly habitat and boardwalks over the marsh. When we were there, an Art Quilt exhibit was there as well as local sweetgrass basket weavers. It even has a very nice small gift shop. I highly recommend a visit.

Great historical tour. We learned a lot and found the property so interesting and beautiful. It is definitely not your usual experience at Hilton Head but one that is very worthwhile and unique

This was a perfect blend of nature and history. Rita took us around the wonderful grounds of Honey Horn, sharing her knowledge of trees, flowers, and history. We could have spent hours listening to her!

We did a Beach Discovery Walk with Joan and she was GREAT! We learned so much about the beaches of Hilton Head.
The Coastal Discovery Museum is a must visit during your Hilton Head stay. We have done several tours and classes over the years and always time well spent!

This property is beautifully maintained and offers a wealth of local history and nature. Our self-guided tour starts in the museum and includes photos and short readings to give you an understanding of the local history of the property. There is a nice little water filling station (including ice) you can use to refill your water bottles or cups. We then took a walking tour and visited the osprey nest in the marsh, a butterfly habitat (which should not be missed), observed a variety of plant life (all labelled), and some of the support buildings. It was a beautiful walk and allowed us to observe nature at its best. This location is FREE and donations are accepted.

Their gift shop provides the best source of books on local nature and history that I could locate on the island.

When I signed up for the basketweaving class, I was under the impression we would be making a small basket. That might be my lack of understanding of how detailed and time consuming the process is, but the cost of the workshop was high give. We were only able to make small coasters in the 2 hour time frame. Instructors were nice and helpful and the environment was fun!

Gail,the tour guide made this informative and interesting tour 5 stars. If you enjoy Civil War history and learning about the people that lived in Hilton Head during this era,this is a great nearly 2 hour tour. Gail has thoroughly researched the various topics and people and had extensive notes along with pictures.Stops included the site of a pneumatic gun and sites of Forts Sherman and Walker. We rode in Gail’s car as we were the only couple on the tour. Gail had on a face shield and we were masked.We felt very safe. Gail also should open a bakery as she gave us samples of cookies she made from Civil War era recipes. The applesauce and ginger cookies were fabulous. Gail also gave us a list of other historical things to visit on the island. So glad we did this tour with Gail.

We came to the site to take the Gulla Tour and while we were waiting we walked through this museum. Nice small art gallery, nice selection of gifts in gift and book store, History of area and educational presentations offered

Awesome stop on the way into Hilton Head! Great for all ages. Very beautiful and wonderfully educational. Great chance to enjoy nature and good weather.

Nice guide and great locale for the birds! I think it is a treasure trove for new and seasoned birders.

We've been coming to the island for 30+ years and never made time for this. Now I wish we had! We visited the museum and did the walking tour around the property. Inside were fabulous displays of wildlife, water life, and historical life. It answered a lot of questions we didn't even think to ask. We walked out into the marsh area at low tide and loved seeing the critters. There were some great, old live oaks, old time plants, camelia garden, a nice walking trail, a display of 1500s soldiering equipment! What a fabulous place to belong to the island, preserving history!

It is free to get in but they hope you give a donation. It was very interesting and we did learn a lot about the island. There is a beautiful walk way area around the property. The lady at the front desk was very informative and helpful. They have a lovely gift shop too. We enjoyed our time there and would recommend it for any age.

The Gullah Heritage Tour is a must for your next visit to Hilton Head. In only a few hours (and in comfort on the coach) you will see parts of the island that tourists normally don't get to. And you'll see some of the more trafficked parts with new eyes.

Our guide Melvin and driver Jimmy were terrific. Both are Gullah descendents. Melvin's first person history of how the island has changed since his birth in the 1940s made the experience even more impactful. We even stopped at an Art Center featuring local Gullah artwork and learned some Gullah phrases!

Great free museum with photos and info on local birds and beach environment and inhabitants. Visit the butterfly habitat. Be sure to see the live turtle which was a win. Artwork displayed and for sale, as well as, gift shop items. This is worth checking out when you need to escape from the sun or when the weather isn’t perfect.

Small museum, most of the items outdoors….which made it rough since it was raining heavily while there. Maybe due to rain but very litter butterflies in exhibit as well.

Spent about an hour walking around this charming & mostly outdoor museum. Kids loved the butterfly enclosure and running around the trails. Perfect place to spend a couple of hours seeing beautiful trees, marsh views, plants, turtles, birds, butterflies and more.

This place was just minutes away from where we we staying. There is no admission charge. It is in an old antibellium mansion. It has a lot of art work from local people. There are quite a few stuffed local wildlife on display. There is also a gift shop. Outside is a trail with sculptures. at various spots. Nice place.

We did the kayak tour of Jarvis creek and coastal marsh tour. Both great programs! Would recommend! Very nice volunteers that ran the museum.

I attended the Island History talk yesterday. It was a one hour lecture with slide show and full of interesting information. Certainly recommend to get to know more about the island you are visiting or residing

Great way to spend a couple of hours on a pretty January day! Free museum and open grounds to visit with lots of information about the area's history. Staff were knowledgeable and helpful and proud of their museum. We were there while the camelias were in bloom on the grounds and they had over 100 types - very pretty. Small gift shop. Donations accepted to help defray the operating costs.

No wonder Smithsonian Museum supports Honey Horn Coastal Discovery Museum. What a
wonderful coastal South Carolina Low Country museum with great i door artifact and nature displays, interesting docents to guide your visit. The best part of Honey Horn Coastal Discovery Museum is the outdoor trails, covered marshland walkways , and gardens. A definite fun historical stop while visiting Hilton Head Island.

We stopped by the museum on a cool, cloudy day and it was a nice way to spend our time. The butterfly house was very nice and the little critter show was informative. The kids couldn’t touch anything due to Covid restrictions but we made the best of it. For us, it was a one and done experience. Got the job done.

What a great hidden gem! We visit at least once every time we are in HHI. The farmers market on Tuesday’s is a treat. This time we also booked a dolphin cruise that did not disappoint. Thanks for a great visit!

I wasn’t really certain what to expect but I did know that I wanted to make a point to visit this particular museum on this visit. The grounds are definitely well kept and maintained and you enter a quaint home and upon going inside you go from one small room to another so there actually isn’t really a lot to see indoors.

I did glean a few nuggets of knowledge from some of the material that was posted and some of the art exhibits were interesting regarding the history of Hilton Head Island. I was just hoping for more of an indoor establishment as it appeared that a large portion of this museum is dedicated to appreciating the outdoors.

I explored some of the walking paths and did see a variety of wildlife on the grounds. But I can imagine that if the weather is inclement in any way, it’s difficult to really appreciate it. On the day of my visit it was overcast and mild; ideal for hiking and walking.

Worth a short visit but don’t go in with high expectations.

We loved this small museum and natural area. So many beautiful scenes as well as trails to see so much. The museum is great with historical artifacts and art as well as learning options. The gift shop had some goodies for the family too. The live oaks are awesome as well.

i took my two grandchildren ages 3 & 5 to the drop in live animal classroom. it was maned by two knowledgeable volunteers who informed us about the baby alligators horseshoe crabs bees turtles etc .
there were hands on activities on the tables that the children could bring home with them. we spent an hour in the classroom and then explored the active butterfly garden. we all loved it ! go!!

We found this item in the 101 Things to do magazine. The walk around the grounds was very nice and the people in the small museum were very helpful.

We visit Coastal Discovery Museum, and today is a sunny and warm day.

Lots of folks, families, and school children visit this educational museum.

Today two bus loads of local fourth graders were visiting, and Coastal Discovery Museum sent out an SOS to local volunteers.

Coastal Discovery Museum is a Must visit for us.

We recently visited the Coastal Discovery Museum while staying on Hilton Head Island with our nine-year-old son. It was such a treat and we learned so much about the coastal wildlife that live in the marshes around the Island. We were also very intrigued that the Museum has pieces of a NASA Rocket that washed up on the shore of the beach on the Island in 2010. The Museum has a scavenger hunt for children to do, and it helped us learn interesting facts about the nature of the Island. We highly recommend spending a couple of hours visiting this hidden gem during your visit to Hilton Head Island.

The Coastal Discovery Museum is a gem. Thoroughly enjoyed our first visit and continue to return with guests. We are even going to attend classes offered. Very educational!

While the museum is a bit small with limited but interesting reading, the extra charge bus trip around HHead's black heritage sites was truly enlightening. Ante-bellum and reconstruction came alive with a first-hand narrative by a native descendant of former slaves. What happened there should be more widely known.

Beautiful grounds. Interesting exhibits in building. COuld hear many birds and saw some. Lovely location for afternoon walk.

The museum is well kept and very informative. The clerk is kind and helpful. Different areas from history, to wildlife and insects.

Visited for the free "discovery room", cool wildlife, kind folks to educate the kids. Walked the grounds. Lovely place

The Coastal Discovery Museum was a great place to spend the afternoon. Very informative indoor museum and very nice outdoor paths leading to nature viewing and historical buildings.

We just hiked the trail. It was really pretty. We enjoyed looking at the flowers. The staff are the sweetest. Some things we couldn't do because of field trips but it was still a good experience

Birdwatching in Pinckney Island, was just wonderful! Our guide Carlos is highly trained, passionate and with a unique ability to spot birds. His explanations and stories were really interesting and made our walk, in the enchanting Pinckney Island absolutely unforgettable! When we will return to Hilton Head Island we will definitely book the tour again. Thank you Carlos!

Kids enjoyed seeing local animals and touring the garden and marsh. The day we attended they got to hold animals (from chickens, to bunnys and snakes and aligators).

Excellent museum with information about Hilton Head, history, animals and more. They have a great 1mi walking path that is ideal in spring, summer or fall (not much to see in winter). There is a kids room and they have activities scheduled where kids can see reptiles, history walks for families and more if you plan ahead. They also have an excellent farmers market in Tuesdays. Educational and worth a visit, especially since it’s free (cash donation if you like).

I went there to follow the trail for a very special sculptures displayed before the winner of announced. On arrival, I was given a map, clearly labeling the items and locations. It was a decent walk but most amazing was to discover the collections of camilia flowers shrubs. On another occasions, I returned to attend art shows and visited the shop which has a good selection of items, particularly of butterflies which is my latest passion in my art work. The quality of art displayed allowed me to learn and be stimulated. All these visits, there were no entrance fees charged which was a surprisingly treat.

Went here with party of 4 (myself, wife, 6 year old, 3 year old). We did the "Preschooler Program - Wonderful Wings" and also the "Reptiles and Amphibians of the Lowcountry" educational programs and also walked around for a couple hours. Individual reviews for those programs are lower in this review

They have a plethora of programs that you can sign up for online (recommended to do so in advance), they aren't free, but aren't expensive IMO. Admission to the "facility" itself is free. They do have one or two air conditioned rooms and real bathrooms. Most of the exhibits are outside and in the shade, so it is manageable on a hot day. There was also a farmers market going on the day we were there but we did not go over to it. The facility in general has several unique art installations and a self guided tour you can take through exhibits and a flower garden. We didn't get to see everything, but we saw quite a bit

Preschooler Program - Wonderful Wings review: My kids had a lot of fun at this. It did not start at the butterfly exhibit, and we were a little lost, but the lady running it came and found us and was very nice. They took the kids out on the boardwalk and did some hands on activities about butterfly life cycles. After that we went to the butterfly exhibit and they gave everyone magnifying glasses so we could see things a little better. The staff were great with the kids and it was a very positive experience.

Reptiles and Amphibians of the Lowcountry review- This was a Powerpoint presentation with some serious show and tell in their lab. They passed around several things the kids could touch (snake skins, skulls, shells, etc) and brought around several kinds of wildlife. At the end the kids (and adults!) can touch a baby alligator and hold a snake if they wanted to. There's a cool tank in the back with a lot of local aquatic life in as well. The staff was mostly nice (see below) and the presentation was informative. The lady leading it was unable to answer my questions about some things she skipped on the Powerpoint. She was a volunteer so I can understand she may not be an expert on every single thing. The one thing I found unacceptable was that she stopped several times to complain because kids were making noise and even threatened to ask people to leave at one point. Now it is a noisy room (lots of echos) and she didn't have a mic so I can sympathize, but kids are going to babble and talk a little bit no matter what you do and I didn't feel like anybody's kids were really "misbehaving". She actually singled out my daughter in this regard for asking a question (she just said "whats that?) when pointing to one of the animals they had out. I think you need to be a little more flexible with young children, particularly at a program that was billed as appropriate for young children. I think possibly getting a mic system for the presenter would help on this front as well.

This museum is very quaint and provides information boards covering the history of Hilton Head, the local flora and fauna, and also has a gift shop and art gallery. What we enjoyed most was the outdoor walk through the grounds with several points of interest along the route. A lovely hour spent being outdoor and learning. What more could you ask for?

On 12/27/19 we enjoyed the low country raptors presented by Lila Arnold. The presenter was stuck in traffic ( Christmas on I-95 the worst) , the museum very kindly called to let us know in advance. The room was filled about 40 people of all ages. The talk was worth waiting to see, Ms Arnold was knowledgeable, informative, humorous and shared her love of the beautiful owls that came with her. We look forward to many more activities here. We are lucky enough to live here and visit often.

Ellen was our tour guide - very informative and funny. Nice walk around the grounds, history of the area and sense of some of the native plants.

Enjoyed the museum, friendly staff and reasonably priced gifts in the store. Loved the Gullah exhibit and wandering the grounds.

We took the Marsh Tour and loved every minute. Our guide, Carol, was so knowledgeable and kind. She showed us so many things, and my 11 year old learned so much. We would definitely do this again.

We found out about this place just in time to spend about a half hour before they closed. They helped us learn about using red lights instead of flashlights on the beach at night during nesting season, and we were even able to purchase headlamps with red settings right inside the museum so that we could safely walk the beach that night hoping to spot a sea turtle. Beautiful art inside as well as the land outside. We adopted a sea turtle nest to help support their mission of protecting sea turtles. Didn't get a chance yet to look around at all they have to offer, but from what I can tell so far this place is amazing and they're doing awesome things. I'm looking forward to arriving earlier in the day with more time to spend here.

What a beautiful gem. This is a quiet museum that is free. They have a donation box which I recommend. The grounds are filled with giant Spanish moss covered oaks, a salt marsh, camillas, plants and sculptures. The butterfly house is inactive right now. The display inside the main building is a artist using recycled materials and are for sale. It was a gorgeous peaceful walk around the museum grounds.

Be sure to stop and spend a bit of time at the Discovery Cove Museum where the Gullah Heritage Tour originates. It’s a tiny beautiful museum with clear and concise descriptions of the human and environmental histories of Hilton Head. You can also walk the grounds or have a guided tour.

MikeandSpike.com -- As my doggie and I make our way across the vast United States, I have to say this was the best stop we've made thus far. After Spike's unfortunate and unexplained paralyzation, this couldn't have been a better stop to restart our American journey. The hospitality, mental engagement, friendliness, and equine information was awesome. This is a day trip that I would recommend to anyone who wants to learn about the area, the history of the site's horses, and go for a wonderful meadow stroll. It is a beautiful experience.

Note: We didn't make it to the museum as I thought Spike would be more interested in the horses and the meadow, which he was...he actually ran for the first time since he had been paralyzed!! But I have to say as an educator, there is more to be seen; so, go and enjoy a wonderful day!!

Learn about the history of the area, walk the path and see the beauty of the marsh area and the property. Visit the Farmer's Market on Tuesday and look at local art in the gallery.

The museum artifacts were very interesting. the museum is free but accepts donations. The staff are very knowledgeable and can provide answeres to questions you may have.

Fun for all. We were able to experience the critter meet and greet which was a lot of fun for my 9 year old. We also explored some of the grounds, learned a lot in the museum, and went into the butterfly experience.

We went with a group ranging from 9 to 80. It was pleasant. A small, interesting museum but a small exhibit space. Outside there was a nice walking trail. It was a pleasant morning but not amazing.

I brought our 4 young children here for a mid-week break from the beach. The museum part has a children’s room and my kids enjoyed the puzzles, the mural search on the wall and watching the turtle and horseshoe crabs. We did a brief walk through the rest of the museum and the went directly outside. My two oldest were given a scavenger hunt map for the outdoor nature walk. They loved following the guide map and answering the questions.
I highly recommend a stroller for the outdoor parts for little kids. We didn’t have ours, so we only made it through the first half of the walk. It was a hot day and the baby and toddler were tired, but my two oldest were so disappointed to leave without finishing the map.
My favorite part was the butterfly house. We enjoyed going in and interacting with them.
We all learned some cool facts about the island and will definitely come back on our next visit.

The museum is interesting and the artwork was great. This time of the year, (February) there wasn't much to see in the grounds, except the beautiful camellia garden and the gigantic live oaks.

We totally enjoyed the Butterfly Tour with Lori Kelly! She ready knows her stuff, is extremely patient and kind to the children, and allowed a very hands-on experience. My granddaughter is 4 and it held her attention for the whole hour. The other children we're about 2 1/2 and 9 mos. That was too young. I recommend 4-12 age group

Went here in early spring. It is a pleasant outdoor way to experience the native area. We spent about an hour here. Would be better in later spring. I think it would be too hot in the summer.

We found the museum well done and very interesting, plus enjoyed walking the grounds. It is beautiful spot with helpful docents.

Well done mostly outdoor museum that explains the area and the environment. Loved the nature trail and gardens. Well worth the time.