Upcountry History Museum

Curious George™: Let’s Get Curious!
2024-05-25 10:00 - 2024-10-06 17:00 UTC
Curious George™: Let’s Get Curious!
May 25, 2024 – October 6, 2024*
For 85 years, he’s romped, played, explored and experienced an array of adventures with countless young children eager to know more about the world around them.
Curious George™, the childlike monkey in the popular children’s book series by H.A. and Margret Rey, as well as the star of the #1 PBS KIDS television show – will make Greenville his summer home, when he visits the Upcountry History Museum.
Curious George™: Let’s Get Curious! is an interactive learning experience, developed for children ages 2-8 and their caregivers. Opening May 25, 2024, the 2500 square foot exhibit, designed in partnership with Universal Studios Consumer Products Group, invites visitors to step into the world of Curious George.
The hands-on, bi-lingual (English and Spanish) adventure takes place in the neighborhood where Curious George™ lives with his friend, The Man in the Yellow Hat. Letting curiosity and inquiry be their guides, visitors explore familiar buildings and locales with multigenerational appeal from the Curious George™ book series and television show on PBS.
Encouraging visitors to “learn like George” through direct experience and problem solving, the exhibit emphasizes early STEAM concepts – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. Learning experiences are based on educational standards developed by an advisory panel from the PBS KIDS series, as well as national science, math and literacy standards for young children.
Supporting characters appear throughout the exhibit, helping to provide context, and to deliver both caregiver and take-home messages.
The result is a three-dimensional, fully developed world that resonates with young visitors, while still appealing to the grown-ups in their lives who are just as fond of the loveable little monkey created in 1939 by H.A. and Margret Rey.
Curious George television series merchandise © Universal Studios. Curious George and related characters, created by Margret and H. A. Rey, are copyrighted and trademarked by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company and used under license. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. All rights reserved.

*Please note, the Museum is closed on Mondays.

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Finding the Force...Awakening An Empire
2024-06-15 10:00 - 2024-11-03 17:00
Star Wars: Finding the Force… Awakening An Empire
June 15, 2024 – November 3, 2024*
Since the debut of George Lucas’ “Star Wars: A New Hope” on May 25, 1977, the “Force” has grown stronger through the iconic characters, costumes, and content of each subsequent “Star Wars” movie, creating an empire of distinctive storytelling, collectibles, and audience appreciation.
Finding the Force…Awakening an Empire, a Star Wars exhibition, brings together a unique presentation of the history, the costuming, the creatives, and the characters, highlighting the legends and legacies of this storied franchise, and providing insight into the elements that have consistently connected us to a galaxy far, far away for over 45 years.
Though “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” brought audiences back to the theater in 2015, it had been 10 years since the Resistance had faced off with the First Order. Fans discovered, however, that the same “Force” which guided the now legendary cast of characters through an original storyline of balancing the showdown between good and evil had channeled their legacies into a blend of similarities and differences setting the stage for the introduction of new characters, deeper subplots, and even more intense intergalactic adventures.
The Upcountry History Museum, in partnership with Walt Disney Archives and private collectors across the country, will deliver a once-in-a-lifetime Star Wars experience through a 2000 square foot exhibition of original costumes, props, conceptual drawings, ephemera, and collectibles from the 2015 film, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and the Star Wars franchise.
Visitors will experience the Star Wars universe as characters are brought to life through a dramatic presentation of original costumes and film assets including Chewbaca, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Darth Vader, Rey, Poe, Finn, Kylo Ren, Captain Phasma, and the notorious Stormtroopers. Film assets will include beloved characters R2-D2, C-3PO, and BB-8. Poe’s X-Wing fighter model, maquettes, concept art, and more, will highlight the creative process, encompassing the essence of Star Wars creator George Lucas’ vision and the exciting challenge of translating his iconic characters into a dynamic reality.
Additionally, the exhibit will explore how Star Wars impacted the 1977-1985 Kenner Toys, Star Wars toy line, changing the toy industry and creating the movie collectibles industry. The Kenner Toys are as iconic as the Star Wars movies themselves. The exhibit will feature a private collection that includes every action figure toy (over 200) made by Kenner Toys from 1978-1985 based on the original three Star Wars movies.
Star Wars is an important cultural touchstone across generations, and the Upcountry History Museum is proud to bring this Star Wars exhibit experience to the Carolinas.
*Please note, the Museum is closed on Mondays.

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Away From Home: Native American Boarding Schools
2024-08-31 10:00 - 2024-10-20 17:00
Away From Home: Native American Boarding Schools
August 31, 2024 – October 20, 2024
Away From Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories, a National Endowment for the Humanities national traveling exhibition, will make its only South Carolina stop at the Upcountry History Museum, August 31 – October 20, 2024.
Beginning in the 1870s, the US government attempted to educate and assimilate Native Americans into “civilized” society by placing children – of all ages, from thousands of homes and hundreds of diverse tribes – in distant, residential boarding schools. Many were forcibly taken from their families and communities and stripped of all signs of their culture, even forbidden to speak their own language among themselves.
Up until the 1930s, students were trained for domestic work and trade in a highly regimented environment. Many children went years without familial contact, and these events had a lasting, generational impact.
Some suffered in silence, some struggled bitterly, some succumbed to physical abuse, Tuberculosis or Influenza and lost their lives. Others flourished and built a new sense of self within a wider world, while preserving their identity in their hearts.
The 2000 square foot exhibition explores the off-reservation boarding schools through a kaleidoscope of first-person voices. Stories of student resistance, accommodation, creative resolve, devoted participation, escape and faith in oneself and heritage, speak individually across eras. Visitors will explore photographs, artwork, objects, interviews, interactive timelines and immersive environments, including classroom and dormitory settings.
Boarding schools were designed to remake Native Americans, but it was Native Americans who changed the schools. The exhibit also examines these unintended outcomes, such as a sense of “Pan-Indianism,” the growth of support networks on campuses, and the demand for reform by advocates. Following graduation, many students became involved in tribal political offices, the formation of civil rights, and Native sovereignty organizations.
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Black Pioneers: Legacy In The American West
2024-10-26 10:00 - 2025-03-02 17:00
Black Pioneers: Legacy In The American West
October 26, 2024 – March 2, 2025
“When thinking about the American Wild West, many imagine characters from a classic western movie. But the reality is, the West is – and was – a melting pot. This ground-breaking exhibit fills in the mostly missing historical record of Black people in 19th-century America.”
– Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi
The Upcountry History Museum will invite visitors to experience a first-of-its kind exhibit when it hosts Black Pioneers: Legacy in the American West. The national touring exhibit, organized by The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art, St. Petersburg, FL and Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, artist, renowned historian and one of the foremost experts on African American quilting history and traditions, explores Black history in the American West.
The exhibit follows the path of Black history in the West through a timeline of original pictorial quilts. These colorful, richly detailed works of art chronicle the arrival of Africans in the American West in 1528, all the way through the Civil Rights Movement, bringing to life forgotten stories and lesser-known chapters in history. Dispelling the myth that Black people in the old West were mostly cowboys, Black Pioneers reveals the breadth of their occupations and achievements in society, religion, education, and the arts.
Quilts were chosen as the visual medium for the exhibit to highlight the intersections of African Americans in the Western Frontier while informing visitors about the art form and its important role in African American history. For African American women, quilts have always been at the core of artistic expression, taking form in the social, economic, and spiritual lives of the women who make them.
The 50 quilts, designed for the exhibit, were created by the Women of Color Quilters Network (WCQN) especially for the exhibition. Each quilt features a different Black pioneer, their life story researched and depicted in fabric by the quilt’s creator.
Founded by Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi in 1985, WCQN is a non-profit national organization whose mission is to educate, preserve, exhibit, promote and document quilts made by African Americans.

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White Christmas: The Exhibition
2024-11-16 10:00 - 2025-02-02 17:00
White Christmas: The Exhibition
November 16, 2024 – February 2, 2025
In December of 1941, seventeen days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Bing Crosby made the first live radio performance of a new song called “White Christmas.” Crosby’s unforgettable voice, singing what would become one of the most iconic Christmas songs ever written, went almost unnoticed in the flurry of activity around the United States entry into World War II.
The song had been created by songwriter Irving Berlin, a Jewish Russian immigrant. Its nostalgic view of an ideal snowy northeastern Christmas had to wait until the August 1942 release of the movie Holiday Inn before its popularity would take off. Within a month of the film’s premiere, sheet music and record sales propelled “White Christmas” to the top of the Hit Parade music chart for 10 weeks beginning in November 1942. From that point on, “White Christmas” became an instant classic and one of the most patriotic songs of World War II.
The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1942 and was such a hit, that Berlin decided to write an entire movie around it.
Prior to the film’s release in the fall of 1954, Variety wrote that “White Christmas should be a natural at the box office…with a hot ensemble including Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen, and an Irving Berlin score.” Variety was right; White Christmas became the highest grossing film of 1954 and the highest grossing musical film of all-time.

The Upcountry History Museum in partnership with the Rosemary Clooney House, Augusta, Kentucky and a private collector, will host White Christmas – The Exhibition in the Winter of 2024. Greenville, South Carolina became the second U.S. city to host the 2000 square foot exhibit in 2020.
Original White Christmas film costumes created by legendary designer Edith Head, props, sheet music, cast member’s personal memorabilia, archival materials, replica backdrops and more will invite visitors to experience first-hand the musical genius of Irving Berlin and the making of this beloved holiday film about two WWII veterans who team up with a singing sister duo to save a faltering Vermont lodge owned by the veteran’s former commanding officer.

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Clyde Butcher's America the Beautiful
2025-02-15 10:00 - 2025-05-25 17:00
Clyde Butcher’s America the Beautiful
February 15, 2025 – May 25, 2025

“The earth is a magnificent piece of art… As a photographer, I am only sharing what I witness.”
– Clyde Butcher
Acclaimed photographer Clyde Butcher has spent more than 50 years capturing some of America’s most unique and beautiful landscapes, from the Redwood forests of California to the Everglade swamps of Florida. Butcher majestically captures the public natural lands set aside by the Federal and State governments for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.
As one of the most renowned photographers of our time, Clyde Butcher has dedicated his life to capturing the natural beauty of the world around us. The exhibit showcases his unparalleled talent and features a stunning collection of his best work from his illustrious career.
Butcher’s images of these treasured landscapes, including the Great Smoky Mountains, document the changing environment, capturing what is there today and encouraging us to enjoy the beauty of nature. His images speak for countless diverse places of wilderness and respite found throughout all of America, allowing us an appreciation of our land.
America the Beautiful includes 43 large-scale, black and white photographs of the American landscape, spanning beautiful sites across the United States. Butcher’s views include some of the same locations shot by the photographer Ansel Adams, demonstrating the unique light and clarity that his artistic vision brings to those scenes.
The beauty of Butcher’s photographs is further emphasized by the epic size of his works. The exceptional size of his compositions – the largest is 5 by 8.5 feet – allows viewers to experience the beauty of each site from an almost first–hand perspective.
Butcher’s unique technique enables him to capture a breathtaking amount of detail within his images. He shoots with an 8 x 10 wooden large-format view camera from the 1940s, creating an extraordinary depth of field through a synthesis of wide-angled lenses and a small lens opening. His large negatives, combined with orange and blue filters and a longer-than-average exposure time – up to ten minutes – allow for clarity and incredible detail within his compositions.
Clyde Butcher: America the Beautiful showcases Butcher’s skill in capturing the raw beauty of the United States most precious natural landscapes, while also highlighting his passion for preserving these spaces for generations to come.

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Beautification: The Environmental Legacy of Lady Bird Johnson
2025-03-15 10:00 - 2025-09-07 17:00
Beautification: The Environmental Legacy of Lady Bird Johnson
March 15, 2025 – September 7, 2025
Curated and produced by the LBJ Presidential Library, Austin, Texas, Beautification: The Environmental Legacy of Lady Bird Johnson, focuses on the life and legacy of Lady Bird Johnson, wife of the 36th President of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson. The Upcountry History Museum, Greenville, SC, will be the exhibit’s first stop on its limited national tour.
The former first lady is most often associated with promoting environmental conservation and the wildflowers that brighten the country’s landscape. This exhibition guides visitors through a comprehensive story of Mrs. Johnson’s life, providing more context to her education, family, campaign efforts, acumen as a businesswoman, leadership in education and environmental conservation, and her role as a philanthropist.
Throughout her time in the White House, Lady Bird fought to make American cities more beautiful by planting flowers or adding park benches and by removing billboards and junkyards from the nation’s highways. Her efforts in these areas pushed her further into the political arena, more than any First Lady before her. Even Eleanor Roosevelt, Lady Bird’s declared role model, had not sat in on a legislative strategy session or been given assignments to influence Congressional votes. Lyndon Johnson supported Lady Bird’s efforts, publicly promoting her projects in his State of the Union speeches and during Cabinet meetings.
Beautification: The Environmental Legacy of Lady Bird Johnson will guide visitors through a comprehensive story of Mrs. Johnson’s life, from childhood through her post-White House years. Visitors will be immersed in the life and legacy of Lady Bird Johnson on loan from the LBJ Presidential Library and the Johnsons daughters Lynda Bird Johnson Robb and Luci Baines Johnson include items from Whistle Stop campaign tours, gowns from White House galas, mementos from beautification projects; original art from The Lorax, created by Dr. Seuss; along with letters, photographs, oral histories, home movies, and artifacts – the majority of which have never been shared with the public.

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Janis Bandelin & Bill Fitzpatrick Mountain Laurel Garden Club of Travelers Rest

Privies, Pipes, and Progress...
2025-05-10 10:00 - 2025-10-05 17:00
Privies, Pipes, and Progress…
May 10, 2025 – October 5, 2026

Renewable Water Resources Celebrates 100 Years of Cleaning Water
November 1, 1928, ushered in a new era for the Upcountry as the then Greater Greenville Sewer District began operations at the recently completed Mauldin Road treatment plant. The realization of this “modern sewerage system” in the “first city in the South to be completely sewered” brought with it expectations, opportunities, and progress for the 20th century.
Over the next few decades, upgrades and advanced improvements were made to keep the utility on mission for cleaning water and protecting public health, while additional facilities were built to help meet the demands of a growing region. As the service area and functions expanded, the utility was renamed Greenville County Sewer Authority in 1968, and by 1969, S.C. Act 688 established it as the primary wastewater treatment provider in the Greenville area.
The succeeding years brought increased environmental responsibilities, escalating infrastructure demands, as well as an anticipated expansion in scope of responsibility for surrounding counties. So, the General Assembly authorized S.C. Act 1415 in 1974 to rename the utility to Western Carolina Regional Sewer Authority (WCRSA).
For the next 35 years, WCRSA made pioneering and groundbreaking advancements in numerous areas of wastewater treatment, many of which positioned the utility as the definitive leader at the state and national levels.
By the early 2000s, the utility’s vision had evolved to encompass a more thorough commitment to enhancing the quality of life for its communities by transforming wastewater into a clean, fresh, renewable resource. State legislators agreed and by approval of Act 102 in 2009, the name became Renewable Water Resources (ReWa).
Over the past 100 years, ReWa has established itself as an organization dedicated to protecting Upstate waterways, supporting public health, and promoting a cleaner environment. It has also become a steadfast community partner motivated to lead, engage, and serve.
This exhibition takes visitors on a journey through ReWa’s 100 years and features interactive displays, archived materials from early days of operations, photo collages highlighting the decades, and more.

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Dinosaurs: Land of Fire and Ice
2025-05-24 10:00 - 2025-09-21 17:00
Dinosaurs: Land of Fire and Ice
May 24, 2025 – September 21, 2025

Dinosaurs will roar into Upstate South Carolina, when the Upcountry History Museum presents Dinosaurs: Land of Fire and Ice.
Crossing the threshold of this special exhibition means traveling back in time to explore the Age of the Dinosaurs. As visitors move through the exhibit they encounter unfamiliar landscapes, touchable dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes, and opportunities to investigate clues about what the dinosaurs left behind. The exhibit builds on the popular fascination with dinosaurs and includes science, history, and literacy based activities to challenge all ages.
Dinosaurs: Land of Fire and Ice, designed for children ages 3-10, is the first child-centered exhibit dedicated to expanding the understanding of dinosaur habitat and range. The bilingual (Spanish and English) exhibit features three distinct sections that build on a child’s innate curiosity about dinosaurs: Land of Fire (a warm dinosaur habitat), Land of Ice (a cold dinosaur habitat), and a Field Research Station (complete with a Big Dig experience).
The steamy Land of Fire – present day Montana – introduces visitors to the Triceratops, T-Rex, and the dinosaurs who called this environment home. Children can circle the land in insect costumes, buzz through a volcano with oozing lava, work through a swampy bog, and identify an ecosystem of animals and plants.
No coats are needed for a trip across the Land of Ice where visitors meet the dinosaurs who made their homes in the cold climate of present day Alaska. Activities include exploring an icy cave filled with northern lights effects, breezing down an icy slide, and creating a Cretaceous food chain in an environment based on cold dinosaur habitats 70 million years ago.
In the hands-on Field Research Station children and their caregivers don goggles and research vests, as they uncover dinosaur bones in a dig station and examine fossils to identify dinosaurs.
This immersive exhibit includes sculpted, touchable dinosaurs that feature the most recent scientific findings about the colors, textures and structural form of the dinosaurs. Designed to spark children’s interest in science and history, the exhibit will immerse visitors in meaningful science experiences and activities that use scientific thinking skills; focus on history, natural history, and paleontology; and provide opportunities to build literacy and vocabulary skills through interactive activities.

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Avengers: Endgame – The Exhibition
2025-06-07 10:00 - 2026-01-18 17:00
Avengers: Endgame — The Exhibition
June 7, 2025 – January 18, 2026
“In the comic books and the movies, the story is always the most important element.”
– Stan Lee, Writer, Editor, Comic Book Creator

For over 85 years, creating independent yet deeply connected stories has been the foundation of the Marvel Universe. Conceived from a simple idea of strange tales and journeys in 1939 with the publication of Marvel Comics #1, Marvel began to create a world with visual and cultural impact that has continued to influence readers and viewers today.
As the comic book industry gained momentum in the 1930s, Stan Lee, an aspiring writer, joined Timely Comics, the forerunner to Marvel Comics. In 1940, Timely introduced characters such as Captain America, Toro, the Whizzer, and even Miss America, who with the Human Torch, founded the Invaders, dedicated to combating Nazi forces in Europe. Following the war, the group was renamed the All-Winners Squad with the mission to fight crime in the U.S.
Over the next two decades, new characters in different genres expanded the growing repertoire of stories which furthered the narratives of heroes and villains. By the 1960s, Marvel had risen in popularity. Lee and artist Jack Kirby created the company’s first family with The Fantastic Four in 1961, followed in 1962 with Spider-Man, well Daredevil, Nick Fury, Incredible Hulk, and the X-Men.
In 1963 Marvel created a team of superheroes including Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, Thor, Hawkeye, Hulk, and Black Panther. Named The Avengers, their mission was to stand as Earth’s first line of defense against the most powerful threats in the universe.
By 2012, movies and television shows were the outlets for Marvel Universe characters, the parent company became Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Avengers continued to provide audiences with thrilling storylines based on their mission as seen in 2012, 2015, and 2018 films.
Avengers: Endgame debuted in theaters in 2019 and became the highest-grossing film of all time that year. In partnership with The Walt Disney Company’s Marvel Studios and private collectors, the Upcountry History Museum will present an exclusive 2000 square foot exhibition featuring an extraordinary display of original costumes, props, and memorabilia showcasing the film’s messages of teamwork, courage, and perseverance.
The first exhibition of its kind in the United States, the project invites visitors of all ages to traverse the Marvel Universe. This once-in-a lifetime experience will explore the fourth installment in the Avengers saga and is the culmination of 22 interconnected Marvel films and the climax of a journey. The exhibit’s design and messaging will emulate Avengers: Endgame’s principles of friendship, teamwork, and setting aside differences to overcome impossible obstacles.

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War Dogs: K9 Military Heroes
2025-09-20 10:00 - 2026-02-01 17:00
War Dogs: K9 Military Heroes
September 20, 2025 – February 1, 2026
“I want to pay tribute to the soldiers who served with great sacrifice by creating the sculptural allegory of wounded warrior dogs who were the soldier’s best friend and companion in battle.”
– artist, James Mellick

Since the American Revolutionary War, military working dogs have served with all branches of the United States Armed Forces. First used as pack animals, working dogs have expanded their military roles to include scouting, policing, detection, and combat. U.S. military dogs officially began serving in WWII, following the formation of the Dogs for Defense, Inc. coalition. Today, hundreds of dogs serve with U.S. military forces around the globe assisting with dangerous missions on today’s modern battlefields.
The Upcountry History Museum will spotlight and honor the important role of these four-legged warriors when it hosts War Dogs: K9 Military Heroes. The exhibition combines life-size sculptures designed by Ohio master craftsman James Mellick with combat art and objects on loan from the collections of the National Museum of the Marine Corps, the United States Coast Guard, and the Naval History & Heritage Command.
The project features eight Wounded Warrior and two Canine War Dog sculptures, bringing attention to the history, service and heroism of military working dogs. The collection represents Doberman Pinchers, German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers and Belgian Malinois who served in WWII, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan military campaigns.
One of the sculptures honors Lucca, a Marine Corps war dog. Lucca conducted more than 400 missions during two deployments to Iraq and one to Afghanistan. One of those missions cost Lucca her leg and severe burns but there were no human casualties under her watch. When she retired, Lucca’s handler adopted her.
Twenty pieces of art paint a more complete picture of dogs at work, detailing the most menacing war dogs to goggled high-flying dogs to sleeping warriors and keen detectives. Artifacts include items used by war dogs and their handlers. Dog uniforms, medical kits and Purple Hearts share poignant stories of perseverance and bravery. Military working dogs have served and protected countless lives in war, this inspiring exhibition tells their amazing story.

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Beyond Halloween Land: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
2025-10-18 10:00 - 2026-03-01 17:00
Beyond Halloween Land : Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
October 18, 2025 – March 1, 2026
Just in time for the holidays, the Upcountry History Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, will present an exhibition dedicated to Filmmaker Tim Burton. Beyond Halloween Land | Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas will offer visitors a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the enchanting world of the iconic 1993 stop-action animated film by showcasing a carefully curated collection of models and original artwork used to bring the beloved film to life.
The Nightmare Before Christmas originated from a poem written by Burton in 1982 while he was working as an animator at Walt Disney Productions. Burton then began to consider developing the poem into a short film or a half-hour television special, to no avail. Over the years his thoughts regularly returned to the project and in 1990, he made a development deal with Walt Disney Studios. The project’s production started in July 1991.
Made before the era of computer generated imagery, Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas used 109,490 photographs for the labor-intensive stop animation process. Released on October 29, 1993, the film was met with commercial and critical success, earning praise for its animation, particularly the innovation of stop-motion as an art form, as well as its characters, songs, and score.
In the 30+ years since its release, the film’s creepy holiday magic remains contagious. Now deemed an “annual must-see Christmas classic”, the beloved film tells the story of Jack Skellington, the King of “Halloween Town”, who stumbles upon “Christmas Town” and schemes to take over the holiday, which includes kidnapping Santa Claus. Jack’s plans go awry causing him to state “I’m afraid I’ve made a terrible mess of your holiday” to Santa, and to undoing the chaos that has been created. In return Santa assures Jack that there are no hard feelings between them and brings a snowfall to “Halloween Town”, thereby bringing the Christmas spirit to the town.
Organized by the Upcountry History Museum in partnership with private collectors, the exhibition will invite visitors to reconnect with the endearing yet quirky characters from Burton’s iconic The Nightmare Before Christmas, such as Oogie Boogie, Bone Crusher, Sally, Dr. Finkelstein, and the beloved hero Jack Skellington. The exhibit will weave together maquettes originally crafted for Burton’s iconic film, and an array of artworks, inviting visitors to embark on their own imaginative journeys into the realms of fantasy.

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Sue Reich's The Quilter's Night Before Christmas
2025-11-01 10:00 - 2026-01-11 17:00
Sue Reich’s The Quilter’s Night Before Christmas
November 1, 2025 – January 11, 2026

“A Visit from St. Nicholas,” referred to as “The Night Before Christmas” a poem by Clement C. Moore, was first published in 1823. For the past two hundred years, it has been reprinted in everything from almanacs to advertisements; it’s been dramatized, satirized, parodied, and set to music. It’s been published in newspapers, dramatized on stage, retold on film, recited over the radio, performed on television, and posted on the Internet. And most especially it’s been read and reread to ten generations of children around the world.
The poem’s depiction of Santa Claus as a jolly and generous figure influenced subsequent representations of the Christmas icon and became an integral part of the American holiday tradition. Its enduring popularity and cultural significance have solidified “A Visit from St. Nicholas” as a timeless tribute to the spirit of Christmas.
This holiday classic has been reimagined in a national traveling exhibit titled, Sue Reich’s The Quilter’s Night Before Christmas. Curated by Sue Reich, an award winning quilter, AQS quilt appraiser, quilt author, historian, and lecturer, the exhibit was created by quilters across the country. Each quilter was assigned a part of the holiday poem to interpret in color, theme, stitch, and story.
Reich challenged her quilt-making friends, to pick a stanza from the poem and re-create their “The Night Before Christmas” memories. Criteria for creating each quilt included the size, 24 x 30 inches, and each quilt had to include a miniature quilt or quilted image somewhere in the quilt. The result is a “Night Before Christmas” holiday treasure, featuring 29 quilts, that invite fans of the beloved holiday poem to experience it anew in three dimensions.
Sue Reich’s The Quilter’s Night Before Christmas exhibition, will make its first South Carolina appearance at the Upcountry History Museum, November 1, 2025, through January 11, 2026.

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The Art of Warner Bros. Cartoons
2026-01-31 10:00 - 2026-05-24 17:00
The Art of Warner Bros. Cartoons
January 31, 2026 – May 24, 2026

“Animation isn’t an illusion of life. It is life.”
– Chuck Jones, Warner Bros. creator

For over 90 years, Warner Bros. animation has brought joy to all ages. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies produced some to the most iconic animated characters – Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner, Elmer Fudd, and more.
The classic Warner Bros. short animations were different from any other in that they were made with an adult audience in mind. The funny, exuberant stories with a breath-taking pace were peppered with sharp satire and references to topical matters and real-life phenomena as well as endless verbal fireworks. Six to seven minutes long, the cartoons were originally screened in film theatres before the feature film.
The Art Of Warner Bros. Cartoons, an international traveling exhibition, includes 160 objects and film clips that invite visitors of all ages to explore the history of the legendary Warner Bros. animation studio. The exhibition includes original production artwork, including drawings, paintings, and transparent celluloids used to create some of Warner Studios’ classic cartoon shorts from their 1930 debut through the early 1960s.
Visitors will explore the elaborate process that went into the making of the classic Warner Bros. cartoons, considered to be among the finest, funniest, and most inventive animated shorts ever made. Vivacious, colorful and highly animated, the exhibition traces the development of all of Warner’s cartoon stars and gives a step-by-step breakdown of how animated films are made.

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