Upcountry History Museum

Homeschool Day - Global Language of Headwear
2023-04-21 13:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
The Global Language of Headwear
Students will tour The Global Language of Headwear, a travelling exhibition that explores the vital role of ceremonial headwear throughout diverse cultural customs, beliefs, and rituals. The exhibition features approximately 89 hats and headdresses from 43 different countries spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America.

WHAT: UHM Homeschool Day

WHEN: Friday, April 21 | 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: Upcountry History Museum

HOW: April is open to children in 1st-12th grade.

WHY: Get hands-on with history and art while incorporating state standards

COST: $10 per student & $12 per adult

UHM MEMBERS COST: $6 per student & Adults are FREE

Drop-In Tour: Changing Exhibitions
2023-04-27 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
Annually, the Upcountry History Museum hosts and organizes a diverse exhibit schedule that features topics in history, art, science, natural history, and pop culture. Through guided tours, UHM Docents engage visitors further in the exploration of topics related to the exhibits and their connections to the Upcountry, SC.

Free to UHM Members and included with admission for all other guests.

The April 27 Drop-In Tour will include:
The Global Language of Headwear: Cultural Identity, Rites of Passage, and Spirituality
Works by Warhol
Andy Warhol: Endangered Species
Through the Years: Kenny Rogers Photographs of America

Drop-In Tours depart from the Main Lobby on the first floor.

No reservations are required, but non-members must purchase admission from the Welcome Desk to attend a Drop-In Tour.

Family Fun Day!
2023-04-29 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Connect the past with the present and explore the Museum’s changing exhibitions through hands-on play, group story times, guided tours, and an immersive art project for all ages.

To begin, travel the world with a tour and story in The Global Language of Headwear, featuring 89 headdresses from around the globe. Then, bring it back home with a tour and story time featuring The Greenville Symphony Orchestra!

10:30 a.m. – Tour & Story Time in Global Language of Headwear

11:00 a.m. – Group activity in the Pepsi Lounge (1st Floor)

11:30 a.m. – Tour & Story Time in Greenville Symphony Orchestra

Family Fun Days are included with your general admission and FREE for children ages 2 and under.

Family Fun Days are generously sponsored by:

Connections Café - Global Language of Headwear
2023-05-11 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Monthly program in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association for individuals living with early stage Alzheimer’s or dementia. Programs vary each month but usually include a short meeting with updates from the Alzheimer’s Association, a tour of a Museum exhibition, and a hands-on activity time in the classroom.
Connections Café meets the second Thursday of each month at 2:00 p.m.
Admission is free for all participants and caregivers.

May 11 | 2:00 p.m.
The Global Language of Headwear

Join us Thursday, May 11, and explore cultures from across the globe through this exhibition, which demonstrates that each society can be viewed though a similar lens.

Toddler Time!
2023-05-16 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York)
Spark your child’s innate curiosity through hands-on play that is educational and engaging!

Travel the world and explore the culture of places you’ve perhaps never seen. Little ones will be given a passport and the opportunity to learn through play, take part in an interactive gallery tour (made specifically for children ages 1-5), and conclude with a group story time while enjoying a snack and juice box.

Toddler Times are included with general admission and all children ages 2 and under are FREE.

Toddler Time is generously sponsored by:

Lunchbox Learning
2023-05-17 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Max Moses Heller: Jewish Mayor in the Sunbelt South
Presented by Dr. Andrew Baker, Clemson University
Dr. Andrew Baker, Clemson University, examines the life and legacy of Max Moses Heller, a Jewish refugee from Vienna, Austria, who built a successful manufacturing firm in Greenville, South Carolina and entered politics after his retirement at a relatively young age. As mayor, he transformed Greenville and held the distinction of serving as the city’s first Jewish mayor. Heller served at a pivotal time in Greenville’s history, helping to reshape Greenville’s downtown by reducing the number of lanes on Main Street, planting trees, embracing open-air dining, and helping to recruit new companies to the area.

Lunchbox Learning is generously sponsored by:

Drop-In Tour: Changing Exhibitions
2023-05-18 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
Annually, the Upcountry History Museum hosts and organizes a diverse exhibit schedule that features topics in history, art, science, natural history, and pop culture. Through guided tours, UHM Docents engage visitors further in the exploration of topics related to the exhibits and their connections to the Upcountry, SC.

Free to UHM Members and included with admission for all other guests.

The May 18 Drop-In Tour will include:
The Global Language of Headwear: Cultural Identity, Rites of Passage, and Spirituality
Through the Years: Kenny Rogers Photographs of America
Greenville Symphony 75 Years: Concerts and Community

Drop-In Tours depart from the Main Lobby on the first floor.

No reservations are required, but non-members must purchase admission from the Welcome Desk to attend a Drop-In Tour.

Homeschool Day - Training Our Soldiers
2023-05-19 13:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Training Our Soldiers: WWII on the Homefront
World War II was often referred to as a “Total War,” meaning that the American homefront (men, women, and children) played a vital role in winning the war. Through a guided tour, children will learn how the war impacted daily American life . They will also learn about the history behind the Greenville Army Air Base and the Army training base, Camp Croft in Spartanburg. After the tour, children will examine and get hands-on with actual World War II artifacts.

WHAT: UHM Homeschool Day

WHEN: Friday, May 19 | 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: Upcountry History Museum

HOW: May 19 is open to children in 1st-12th grade.

WHY: Get hands-on with history while incorporating state standards

COST: $10 per student & $12 per adult

UHM MEMBERS COST: $6 per student & Adults are FREE

Very Eric Carle: A Very Hungry, Quiet, Lonely, Clumsy, Busy Exhibit
2023-05-20 10:00 - 2023-09-10 17:00 UTC
May 20 – September 10, 2023
Colorful adventures in literacy and STEAM learning await in the special exhibition, “Very Eric Carle: A Very Hungry, Quiet, Lonely, Clumsy, Busy Exhibit,” making its Southeastern United States debut at the Upcountry History Museum, Greenville, SC.
At this play-and-learn exhibit, co-organized by The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, Massachusetts, and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, visitors step into the pages of author and illustrator Eric Carle’s colorful picture books and experience them as artist and reader, while discovering and playing with five special insects from his well-known children’s books.
Carle’s classic “Very” book series, is reimagined in the 2,500 square foot exhibition. Utilizing Carle’s hand-painted tissue paper collage technique, the exhibit presents the five “Very” special insects who invite visitors to join them on their journeys of discovery.
Through interactive experiences, visitors become the “tiny and very hungry Caterpillar,” following along his iconic path. They also weave a web with the “Very Busy Spider;” find their light with the “Very Lonely Firefly;” make the “Very Clumsy Click Beetle” flip and jump; and compose a night symphony with the “Very Quiet Cricket.”
In the “Reading Zone” children and their caregivers explore visual literacy and reading through words, pictures and video. Visitors are invited to listen to Eric Carle read his stories and talk about his process or read their own favorite Eric Carle story with a friend
Each of the “Very” stories are a testament to Eric Carle’s love of nature, his respect for the emotional lives of children, and his recurring themes of friendship, creativity, and the power of imagination.
The creator of more than seventy books, Eric Carle (1929-2021) combined winsome stories and lively collages that appeal to young readers and adults alike. While Carle’s stories are charming, they’re layered with information too. As children read his books about animals, families, nature, and fables, they also learn their colors, numbers, and letters. Eric Carle focused on making learning accessible and fun – and in the process, he invited children to fall in love with books and reading.

Support provided by
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Neighborhood Night
2023-06-01 17:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Access for All!
UHM is open on the first Thursday evening of select months throughout 2023.

The Museum operates with the firm belief that its exhibits, events, and programming should be accessible to all, regardless of cultural, ethnic, geographic, or socioeconomic differences. The Neighborhood Night initiative, introduced in 2015, provides free access to educational programing for underserved children, families, and adults.

WHEN: Thursday, June 1, 2023 | 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Upcountry History Museum
HOW: Drop-in to explore the Museum and its changing exhibitions. No registration required.
WHY: Neighborhood Nights demonstrate the Museum’s commitment to accessibility, regardless of economic constraints by providing full access to the Museum’s diverse exhibitions.
COST: FREE!
QUESTIONS: Call (864)467-3100 or email info@upcountryhistory.org

Family Fun Day
2023-06-03 10:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Call it a block party. Call it a jamboree. Call it whatever you like.. but do not miss out as we celebrate the opening of the summer exhibition, Very Eric Carle!
From live music with Israel Bailey & the Delinquents to sweet treats from Molly and Myle’s Ice Cream truck to Kenny Rogers’ photography and headdresses from around the globe, there will be fun for all ages.

Family Fun Days are generously sponsored by:

Connections Café - Eric Carle
2023-06-08 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Monthly program in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association for individuals living with early stage Alzheimer’s or dementia. Programs vary each month but usually include a short meeting with updates from the Alzheimer’s Association, a tour of a Museum exhibition, and a hands-on activity time in the classroom.
Connections Café meets the second Thursday of each month at 2:00 p.m.
Admission is free for all participants and caregivers.

June 8 | 2:00 p.m.
Very Eric Carle: A Very Hungry, Quiet, Lonely, Clumsy, Busy Exhibit

Join us Thursday, June 8, and explore the world of Eric Carle’s children’s books.

Frontiers Past and Future: Science Fiction and the American West
2023-06-17 10:00 - 2023-10-08 17:00 UTC
Frontiers Past and Future: Science Fiction and the American West
June 17 – October 8, 2023
A special exhibition, organized by the Upcountry History Museum.
Frontiers: Past and Future, featuring objects and archival materials from the private collection of William Bradshaw, former Director of Roper Mountain Science Center, Greenville, explores the impact of the legendary American West on science-fiction and futuristic space odysseys.
In 2023, Bradshaw generously donated a portion of his extensive “Wild West and Sci-Fi” collection to the Upcountry History Museum. Both the collection and the current exhibition examine the natural comparisons between the American West and space with its science-fiction adventures.
Bradshaw collected both historic and contemporary toys, board games, marketing materials, comic books, playsets, and more, to provide new insights into our probable pasts and possible futures, and to illustrate the concept of “seeking out new life and new civilizations…to boldly go where no man has gone before.”

Support provided by

Lunchbox Learning
2023-06-21 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Lost Restaurants of Greenville
Presented by Mr. John Nolan
Local historian, John Nolan, explores the great culinary history of Greenville, South Carolina. While today’s visitors and locals enjoy a diverse and acclaimed culinary landscape, Lost Restaurants of Greenville tells a story of the past, and how it shaped the present. Some will remember recent favorites like the American Grocery Restaurant, which helped pioneer the farm-to-table movement. Others will remember longtime favorites like Carpenter Bros. Drug Store, Charlie’s Steak House, and Gene’s Restaurant that were around for three or four generations. Few in the second half of the twentieth century might have dined at one of Vince Perone’s restaurants for some special occasion. Author and tour guide John Nolan recalls the fond memories of the owners and their cuisines, with recipes included.

Lunchbox Learning is generously sponsored by:

Girl Scout Night at the Museum
2023-06-22 16:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Calling all local Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts! Make plans now to experience an unique, after-hours night at the Museum.
When: Thursday, June 22 | 4PM-8PM
Who: Brownies and Juniors (2nd – 5th grade)
Price: $20 per scout
Description: Scouts will partake in guided tours and hands-on activities that center around early Upcountry history, such as Catawba pottery and Revolutionary Era spy tactics to common Civil War era snacks and dress. Enjoy a pizza dinner with plenty of exploration and playtime throughout the Museum.
Additional Information:

Participants limited to 40.
This is a Scouts only event with drop-off beginning at 4PM.
The event will conclude at 8PM and pick-up beginning at 7:45PM.
If you would like to register more than one Girl Scout, please contact Kristen Pace (information listed below).

Please reach out to UHM Director of Education & Programs, Kristen Pace, with any questions or concerns at (864)467-3100 x118 or email kristen@upcountryhistory.org.

Story Time at the Library
2023-06-23 10:00 - 10:30 (America/New_York)
Story Times around Town
Join the UHM Education Team at the library for a special story time to celebrate the Museum’s summer exhibition, Very Eric Carle: A Very Hungry, Quiet, Lonely, Clumsy, Busy Exhibit! Enjoy group story time and meet the very popular and hungry caterpillar.
WHEN: Friday, June 23 | 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Hughes Main Library – Greenville County Library System
COST: This event is free and open to children and their caregivers.
HOW: No registration is required. Simply check-in with the front desk at the Hughes Main Library upon arrival.

Saturday Toddler Time!
2023-06-24 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York)
Spark your child’s innate curiosity through hands-on play that is educational and engaging!

Step into the pages of author and illustrator Eric Carle’s colorful picture books, as the Museum hosts Very Eric Carle: A Very Hungry, Quiet, Lonely, Clumsy, Busy Exhibit!
Little ones will enjoy playtime, group story time with snack and juice, and the chance to MEET the Very Hungry Caterpillar!

Toddler Times are included with general admission and all children ages 2 and under are FREE.

Toddler Time is generously sponsored by:

Toddler Time!
2023-06-27 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York)

Facing the Inferno: The Wildfire Photography of Kari Greer
2023-06-29 10:00 - 2023-10-22 17:00 UTC
Facing the Inferno: The Wildfire Photography of Kari Greer
July 1 – October 22, 2023

“I’m a trained firefighter; photography is my tool.”
Kari Greer, Wildfire Photographer, 2012

Fire. It’s dangerous and beautiful. It creates its own light and can turn on you in an instant.
The effects of wildfires, which are becoming more far-reaching due to global warming, are drastic. Smoke from wildfires has national impact. And the fire season now extends nearly year-round.
Armed with determination, a Nomex fire suit, an Olympus E-3 camera, and a full complement of safety equipment, Kari Greer, a wildland firefighter, and specialist in editorial photojournalism and wildland fire photography, safely moves through active fire situations to places most photographers could never access.
On an average assignment, Greer drives hundreds of miles, endures 130-degree heat, dodges falling trees and electric lines, sleeps in the back of her vehicle, and prays low-flying planes won’t crush her beneath a load of misplaced fire retardant.
Greer’s career includes two decades as a photographer with the National Interagency Fire Center, based in Boise, Idaho. Though normally used for agency reports, websites, and government presentations, Greer’s body of work reflects a deep understanding of this complex and dramatic subject.
Facing the Inferno: The Wildfire Photography of Kari Greer, will place viewers in the middle of raging wildfires, as they travel side-by-side with fire crews on attack lines, witnessing the intensity of the fires and the experiences of the firefighters who face them. The exhibition, featuring 64 images from Greer’s collection, is organized by the Moscow Contemporary Art Gallery in Moscow, Idaho, to increase public conversation and understanding of this volatile occurrence.
In its commitment to connecting Upstate, SC history with national and global history, the Upcountry History Museum will include a companion exhibition focused on wildfires and wildland fire fighting in the Carolinas. The Carolinas wildfire history, significant wildfire events, and growing number of “Red Flag Alerts” being issued in Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina will be examined through artifacts and archival materials.

Support provided by

Story Time at TCMU
2023-06-29 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Story Times around Town
Join the UHM Education Team at The Children’s Museum of the Upstate for a special story time to celebrate the Upcountry History Museum’s summer exhibition, Very Eric Carle: A Very Hungry, Quiet, Lonely, Clumsy, Busy Exhibit! Enjoy group story time and meet the very popular and hungry caterpillar.
WHEN: Thursday, June 29 | 12:00 p.m.
WHERE: The Children’s Museum of the Upstate – Heritage Green
COST: This event is included with your TCMU admission.
HOW: Advance tickets are available and recommended to guarantee a reserved spot. Purchase tickets HERE!

Story Time at Swamp Rabbit Cafe
2023-06-30 09:00 - 09:30 (America/New_York)
Story Times around Town
Join the UHM Education Team at the Swamp Rabbit Café for a special story time to celebrate the Museum’s summer exhibition, Very Eric Carle: A Very Hungry, Quiet, Lonely, Clumsy, Busy Exhibit! Enjoy group story time and meet the very popular and hungry caterpillar.
WHEN: Friday, June 30 | 9:00 a.m.
WHERE: Swamp Rabbit Café | 205 Cedar Lane Road, Greenville, SC 29611
COST: This event is free and open to children and families.
HOW: No registration is required. Just look for the large and hungry caterpillar!

Saturday Toddler Time!
2023-07-08 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York)
Spark your child’s innate curiosity through hands-on play that is educational and engaging!

Step into the pages of author and illustrator Eric Carle’s colorful picture books, as the Museum hosts Very Eric Carle: A Very Hungry, Quiet, Lonely, Clumsy, Busy Exhibit. Little ones will also explore wildfire safety and prevention with the photography exhibit Facing the Inferno: The Wildfire Photography of Kari Greer.
Come out and enjoy exhibit playtime, themed game stations, museum-wide scavenger hunt, and a group story time with snack and juice.

Toddler Times are included with general admission and all children ages 2 and under are FREE.

Connections Café - Frontiers Past and Future
2023-07-13 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Monthly program in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association for individuals living with early-stage Alzheimer’s or dementia. Programs vary each month but usually include a short meeting with updates from the Alzheimer’s Association, a tour of a Museum exhibition, and a hands-on activity time in the classroom.
Connections Café meets the second Thursday of each month at 2:00 p.m.
Admission is free for all participants and caregivers.

July 13 | 2:00 p.m.
Join us on Thursday, July 13, and explore Frontiers Past and Future: The William Bradshaw Collection.

SOLD OUT - An Evening with Mac Arnold
2023-07-13 17:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York)
“Come on everybody, let’s get in the groove. Just enjoy yourself, while we play the blues.”

With a career beginning in the 1950s, world-renowned blues legend and South Carolina native, Dr. Mac Arnold helped create a distinctive musical movement and ultimately shape the electric blues sound that would go on to inspire rock and roll. Over the years, Arnold’s career included numerous performances with fellow musicians, such as Muddy Waters, James Brown, B.B. King, Otis Redding, John Lee Hooker, The Temptations, Eric Clapton, and Paul Butterfield.
Join Dr. Mac Arnold for a special evening of storytelling and acoustic performances as he shares memories from his life and storied career while exploring the roots and evolution of the Upcountry’s unique relationship with the Piedmont Blues.

Each ticket reservation will include two, complimentary drinks tickets.
The Museum will serve light hors d’oeuvres of the southern variety along with sweet tea, beer, and wine.

SOLD OUT!

An Evening with Mac Arnold is generously sponsored by

Toddler Time!
2023-07-18 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York)

Lunchbox Learning
2023-07-19 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
The Last Sunday Drive: Vanishing Traditions in Georgia and the Carolinas
Presented by Mr. Tom Poland
Author, Tom Poland, explores the disappearing traditions of the American Southeast in his book, “The Last Sunday Drive: Vanishing Traditions in Georgia and the Carolinas.” Head back to the days when mom, dad, and the kids would head out to see the countryside. An ice cream treat usually waited at the day’s end. Back in the Burma-Shave days, mom-and-pop drive-ins and gas station biscuits fed folks. Cheap gas filled cars, and people made Sunday drives through a land where See Rock City barns, sawdust piles, trains, and junkyards gave them plenty to see. Men in seersucker suits ran old stores with oscillating fans, and if the kids ate too much penny candy, grandma had a home remedy for them. It was a time for dinner on church grounds, yard art, and old-fashioned petunias.

Lunchbox Learning is generously sponsored by:

Drop-In Tour: Changing Exhibitions
2023-07-27 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
Annually, the Upcountry History Museum hosts and organizes a diverse exhibit schedule that features topics in history, art, science, natural history, and pop culture. Through guided tours, UHM Docents engage visitors further in the exploration of topics related to the exhibits and their connections to the Upcountry, SC.

Free to UHM Members and included with admission for all other guests.

The July 27 Drop-In Tour will include:
Facing the Inferno: The Wildfire Photography of Kari Greer
Greenville Symphony 75 Years: Concerts and Community
Frontiers Past and Future: Science Fiction and the American West

Drop-In Tours depart from the Main Lobby on the first floor.

No reservations are required, but non-members must purchase admission from the Welcome Desk to attend a Drop-In Tour.

Family Fun Day
2023-07-29 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Step into the colorful picture books of Eric Carle while enjoying themed games, craft stations, and a museum-wide scavenger hunt with group story times.
Family Fun Days are included with your general admission.

Neighborhood Night
2023-08-03 17:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Access for All!
UHM is open on the first Thursday evening of select months throughout 2023.

The Museum operates with the firm belief that its exhibits, events, and programming should be accessible to all, regardless of cultural, ethnic, geographic, or socioeconomic differences. The Neighborhood Night initiative, introduced in 2015, provides free access to educational programming for underserved children, families, and adults.

WHEN: Thursday, August 3, 2023 | 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Upcountry History Museum
HOW: Drop-in to explore the Museum and its changing exhibitions. No registration required.
WHY: Neighborhood Nights demonstrate the Museum’s commitment to accessibility, regardless of economic constraints by providing full access to the Museum’s diverse exhibitions.
COST: FREE!
QUESTIONS: Call (864)467-3100 or email info@upcountryhistory.org

Connections Café - Facing the Inferno
2023-08-10 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Monthly program in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association for individuals living with early-stage Alzheimer’s or dementia. Programs vary each month but usually include a short meeting with updates from the Alzheimer’s Association, a tour of a Museum exhibition, and a hands-on activity time in the classroom.
Connections Café meets the second Thursday of each month at 2:00 p.m.
Admission is free for all participants and caregivers.

August 10| 2:00 p.m.

Join us Thursday, August 10, and explore Facing the Inferno: The Wildfire Photography of Kari Greer.
