Florence County Museum

Art After Hours - 3D Color Theory
2025-07-17 17:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | SC
Explore color theory and combinations through 3D in this class taught by Professor Douglas Gray. Participants will mix their colors, learn about the meaning and symbolism found within colors, paint three-dimensional forms, and arrange them to produce works of art, inspired by the color combinations seen in William Henry Johnson’s Fighter for Freedom Series.
Date:
Thursday, July 17 | 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Class Size:
Ages 18 and up
Limited to 16 participants
Tickets go on sale to the general public on June 17, 2025, at 10 am.
Members get priority ticket access the week before starting on June 10, 2025. Only 4 early tickets are available.
Cost $10 for Not-Yet Members.
Free for Museum Members.

Family Day - Intellectual Leaders
2025-08-09 13:00 - 15:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join us on Saturday, 8/9, from 1pm to 3pm for Family Day – Intellectual Leaders in the Lobby. Celebrate education and inspiring biographies of those who made a difference in the advancement of educational opportunities. Learn more about Booker T. Washington and Mary McLeod Bethune and the mark they made on education. View paintings of these leaders featured in Fighters For Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice on display in the Focus Gallery.
The event is free (no registration required).

Second Sunday Tours – Fighters For Freedom
2025-08-10 14:15 - 15:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join us for a free, docent-led tour of Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice. This traveling exhibition, on loan from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, provides in-depth perspective into the latter work of Florence native, William Henry Johnson. Registration is required. William H. Johnson (1901–1970) painted his last body of work, the Fighters for Freedom series, in the mid-1940s as a tribute to African American activists, scientists, teachers and performers as well as international leaders working to bring peace to the world. This landmark exhibition brings together—for the first time since 1946—34 paintings featured in the series.
The exhibition illuminates the extraordinary life and contributions of Johnson, an artist associated with the Harlem Renaissance but whose practice spanned several continents, as well as the contributions of historical figures he depicted. Some of his Fighters—Marian Anderson, George Washington Carver, Mohandas Gandhi, and Harriet Tubman—are familiar figures; others—Nannie Helen Burroughs and William Grant Still, among them—are less well-known individuals whose achievements have been eclipsed over time. Johnson celebrates their accomplishments even as he acknowledges the realities of racism, oppression, and sometimes violence they faced and overcame. Johnson clues viewers to significant episodes in the Fighters lives by punctuating each portrait with tiny buildings, flags, and vignettes that give insight into their stories. Using a colorful palette to create evocative scenes and craft important narratives, he suggests that the pursuit of freedom is an ongoing, interconnected struggle, with moments of both triumph and tragedy.
The exhibition is drawn primarily from the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection of more than 1,000 works by William H. Johnson, the largest and most complete collection of work by the artist, given to the museum by the Harmon Foundation in 1967. The museum, in turn, offered almost 150 paintings and prints to other institutions. As a result, historically Black universities, including Fisk, Hampton, Howard, Morgan State and others, have rich collections of Johnson’s work. The Smithsonian American Art Museum has done much in the past 50 years to preserve Johnson’s art and establish his reputation by organizing exhibitions and installations of his work and an ongoing program of conservation for these fragile paintings.
The exhibition is organized by Virginia M. Mecklenburg, senior curator at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Laura Augustin Fox, curatorial collections coordinator.
Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice is organized by the
Smithsonian American Art Museum. Generous support for this project is provided by Art Bridges. Upcoming Second Sunday Tours
9/14/25 – Pee Dee History Gallery
10/12/25 – Pee Dee History Gallery
11/09/25 – Pee Dee History Gallery
12/14/25 – Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams
1/11/26 – Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams

History Exploration through Art (for Homeschoolers)
2025-09-04 10:30 - 12:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Engage with the history of the Pee Dee through arts exploration in this 3-session hands-on class designed for homeschool students. Deepen your understanding of art, artifacts, and history. Each session is inspired by objects found within the museum’s Pee Dee History Gallery, taught by Betsy Hoyle.All levels of experience welcome.
Betsy Hoyle holds a BS in Interior Design and Family and Consumer Science with a minor in Studio Art from Meredith College. Betsy has worked for a mixed-use building company, studied with the Palmetto Montessori Institute, and under local studio artists Jackie Wukela and Dale Weatherford. She has home-schooled both of her daughters at different ages. She has integrated various media into elementary art at the Montessori School of Florence and currently participates in the Florence County Museum docent program. Dates:
Thursday, September 4 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Thursday, October 2 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Thursday, November 6 | 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Class Size:
Ages 8 -13
Limited to 12 participants
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Aug 4, 2025, at 10 am.
Members get priority ticket access the week before starting on July 28, 2025. Only 4 early tickets are available.
Cost $50/participant for all three sessions (supplies included)
Museum members, check the Member Portal for your discount code.

From Pigment to Paint
2025-09-06 10:00 - 15:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
In this special one-day workshop, participants will learn how to create oil paints from scratch. Through this process, we will uncover the origin stories of color through an art historical lens and, more specifically, the history of the five different all-natural and non-toxic pigments that we will be using in this unique workshop. From the step-by-step process of breaking down natural materials into powdered pigment to mixing that pigment with binding medium, students will create their oil colors.
Each student will go home with 5 tubes of handmade oil paint.
Saturday, September 6 | 10 am – 3 pm
Tickets On Sale July 7th. (Members Presale Access Opens June 30th.)
$150, all supplies are included
Membership discounts apply
Max class Size: 12
(Minimum of 6)
About the Instructor
Katelyn Chapman received an MFA in Painting and Drawing from the University of Georgia in 2018 and a BFA with an emphasis in Drawing from Clemson University in 2014. Her work is inspired by her deeply rooted familial and rural ties to the South and has been featured in both national and local group exhibitions, as well as published internationally.
Her work is currently featured in the 2025 Eastern Carolina Contemporary Biennial exhibition, sponsored by Chick-fil-A of Florence, at the Florence County Museum. Katelyn Chapman
Crow Effigy
oil on canvas
Hanahan, South Carolina
2025 First Place Award

Family Day - Mathematical Ratios & Portraits
2025-09-13 13:00 - 15:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join us on Saturday, 9/13, from 1pm to 3pm for Family Day – Mathematical Ratios & Portraits. Visit the Educational Gallery and observe portraits in multiple media. Then join us in the studio spaces to learn how to create your own ¾ portrait. You’ll explore the measurement relationships and connections used within portraiture art!
The event is free (no registration required).

Second Sunday Tours – Pee Dee History Gallery
2025-09-14 14:15 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join us for a free, docent-led tour of the museum’s Pee History Gallery. Registration is required via the link on this page.
The Pee Dee History Gallery is the largest gallery space in the facility, comprising 3,300 sq. ft. of exhibit space. This permanent collections gallery occupies the entire second floor, east wing of the building. Artifacts on display are supported by historical images and narrative interpretation, providing a comprehensive introduction to the Pee Dee region from prehistory to the present.
Highlights in this gallery include Cretaceous period reptile material, an 18 ft. tall Ancient Bald Cypress trunk sub-fossil, Native American and Colonial period artifacts, Civil War artifacts from the Florence Stockade prison camp and Confederate Naval Yard at Mars Bluff, artifacts related to life and career of former FBI agent and Florence County native, Melvin Purvis and fragments of the MK-6 atomic bomb which was accidentally dropped on the Mars Bluff community in 1958. Upcoming Second Sunday Tours:
10/12/25 – Pee Dee History Gallery
11/09/25 – Pee Dee History Gallery
12/14/25 – Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams
1/11/26 – Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams

Observations
2025-09-17 13:00 - 14:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join the museum on Wednesday, Sept 17th, for a relaxed and inspiring one-hour session of discovery. See the world in new ways and immerse yourself in a collection of art techniques, engaging museum-related discussions, and curiosity-provoking topics. Mystery topics will be revealed during each session. Facilitated by the Curator of Education, Uschi Jeffcoat & special guests.
All supplies provided; however, feel free to bring personal sketchbooks for notetaking and observation recording! Class Size:
Ages 18 & up
Limited to 32 participants
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Aug 17, 2025, at 10 am.
Members get priority ticket access the week before starting on August 10, 2025. Only 8 early tickets are available.
Cost
Free for Museum Members
$10 for Non-Members

Art After Hours - Screen Printing
2025-09-18 17:00 - 18:30 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Learn more about the art of screen printing with graphic artist and FMU professor Gregory Fry. You’ll create your print and learn how screen printing works in the process. Participants will simplify images, apply them to a screen, and make prints during this introduction to screen printing.
Date:
September 18, 2025, at 5:00 pm.
Class Size:
Ages 18 & up
Limited to 12 participants
Tickets go on sale to the general public on August 1, 2025, at 10 am.
Members get priority ticket access the week before starting on July 25, 2025. Only 4 early tickets are available.
Price:
Free for Museum Members
$10 for Non-Members

An Introduction to ¾ Portraits
2025-09-25 17:00 - 18:30 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Learn more about the uniqueness of this portrait posture found frequently within art. Taught by Robert Garey, deepen your knowledge and understanding of portraiture. Taught in a series of three sessions, participants will explore drawing anatomical structure and form in a 3/4 portrait, the significance of light and shadow, and look at examples from various art movements in art history.
Robert Garey studied under Steven Gately at Francis Marion College, at the Art Students League in New York, and at the New York Academy of Art. He has lived and worked both in Charleston and New York, establishing his career as an artist and muralist, working in a classic atelier style. In 2011, Garey returned to Florence, where he continues to produce work in fine art, portraiture, sign painting, and murals.
All levels of experience welcome. Dates:
Thursday, September 25 – 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Thursday, October 2 – 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Thursday, October 9 – 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Class Size:
Ages 18 and up
Limited to 15 participants
Tickets go on sale to the general public on July 18, 2025, at 10 am.
Members get priority ticket access the week before starting on July 11, 2025. Only 5 early tickets are available.
Cost $75/ participant for all three sessions (supplies included)
Museum members, check the Member Portal for your discount code.

Archaeological Institute of the Pee Dee Community Day
2025-10-04 10:30 - 15:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
The Archaeological Institute of the Pee Dee has organized a community day on Saturday, October 4, 2025. This event is free and open to the public! There will be lectures, exhibitors, and family activities, all with a focus on local archaeology. Lectures will take place in the museum’s multi-purpose room, while hands-on activities will take place in the courtyard and lobby. This is a great way to connect with and learn from experts who are active in local archaeology!
Event Schedule
10:30 – 11:45: Andrew Agha – Lecture – Multipurpose Room
10:30 – 11:45: David Walton – Flintknapping Demonstration – Courtyard
10:30 – 11:45: Chris Judge – Object Identification – Lobby
10:30 – 11:45: Bobby Southerlin – Native American Pottery Techniques Exhibit – Lobby
10:30 – 11:45 Carin Bloom – Revolutionary Period Renactment – Lobby
10:30 – 11:45: Nicole Isenbarger – Dining Detectives – Classroom
10:30 – 11:45: Scott Jones – Prehistoric Tool Exhibit – Lobby
11:45 – 1:15: Break for Lunch
1:30 – 2:30: Chris Judge – Lecture – Multipurpose Room
1:30 – 3:30: Nicole Isenbarger – Dining Detectives – Classroom
1:30 – 3:30: Carin Bloom – Revolutionary Period Renactment – Lobby
1:30 – 3:30: Bobby Southerlin – Native American Pottery Techniques Exhibit – Lobby
1:30 – 3:30: Scott Jones – Prehistoric Tool Exhibit – Lobby
Event Descriptions

10:30 AM – 11:45 AM – Multipurpose Room
Lecture Title: “An Update from the Field and Lab: Recent Historical Archaeology Along the Pee Dee River in the Greater Florence Area.”
Lecture Abstract: Over the last four years, historical archaeology conducted through the Archaeological Institute of the Pee Dee (AIPD) has been undertaken at 11 sites and properties spanning the mid-eighteenth through early twentieth centuries. All of the sites studied contribute in small and large ways to the development, settlement, and creation of the communities that surround and comprise the City of Florence. From footpaths, horse trails, and rail lines, to small backcountry churches, planters’ settlements, Revolutionary War-related sites, and the small “lost” towns of South Carolina, our archaeological research and studies through the AIPD and Florence Museum have generated a growing database we use to learn more about the historical development of the Darlington-Florence area than ever before. Agha will discuss the Cashaway Baptist Church site, the search for Rev. Evan Pugh’s settlement and experimental gardens, the plantation settlements of Jolly Webb and Revolutionary War veteran Major Robert Lide, pre-Revolutionary War settlements and houses, the sites affected by British Major James Wemyss as he burned most of the countryside north and south of Florence in 1780, the late colonial town settlement of Long Bluff near modern Society Hill, and the site of the old Florence Hotel (1860-1893) that burned to the ground just a few blocks away from the Florence County Museum. Agha will also discuss important artifacts found at these sites, which are useful in our understanding of who the site inhabitants were, their social status, and how we can use those artifacts to learn more about the past peoples who lived along this stretch of the Pee Dee.
About the Archaeologist: Dr. Andrew Agha has been practicing archaeology in South Carolina and the southeast since 1997 and is currently CEO of Aghatech Industries LLC. He has worked for various private and public entities and institutions and has taught Anthropology at the University of South Carolina-Columbia, the College of Charleston, and Coastal Carolina University. His main research deals with how colonial Carolina origins were influenced and shaped by experimental scientific agriculture, where the intersection of early English sciences, enslaved Africans, and English “country estate” development during the 1670s and 1680s created Carolina’s “plantation society”.
10:30 AM – 11:45 AM – Lobby
Exhibit Description: Bobby Southerlin will display a variety of pottery vessels he has made, representing a variety of vessel forms and decorative styles found in South Carolina. He digs his own clay and uses pottery fragments from archaeological sites as the inspiration/template. Vessels are open-fired in a shallow pit. On display will also be a variety of tools Southerlin uses to construct different pottery types, and he will demonstrate traditional construction techniques by working on a small pot. Replica pottery vessels will be available for purchase.

About the Archaeologist: Bobby G. Southerlin is the Founder of Archaeological Consultants of the Carolinas, Inc. He was born in North Carolina and graduated from Spring Valley High School near Columbia, SC. Southerlin earned his undergraduate degree (BA) at the University of South Carolina and did his graduate studies at the University of Georgia (MA). Southerlin’s archaeological experience focused on studying the lifeways of Native Americans who lived in North and South Carolina. He specializes in replicating the different pottery types found at Native American archaeological sites in the Carolinas and conducts experimental archaeology projects to better understand both the artifacts and the potters.
10:30 AM – 11:45 AM – Courtyard
Event Title: Flintknapping Demonstration & Lesson
Event Description: Folks are encouraged to bring artifacts for identification by an archaeologist.
About the Exhibitor: Archaeologist David Walton, an expert on lithic technologies across the ancient Americas, will be demonstrating and teaching guests how to make a variety of stone tools using flint and obsidian cores.
10:30 AM – 11:45 AM – Lobby
Event Title: Native American Artifact Identification!
Event Description: Folks are encouraged to bring artifacts for identification by an archaeologist.
About the Archaeologist: Christopher Judge has studied Native Americans in South Carolina for over thirty-five years. The lens that informs my research is the anthropological archaeology of precontact cultures. Additionally, Judge has conducted oral history research in living Native American communities throughout South Carolina. Currently, he is the Assistant Director of the Native American Studies Center at USC Lancaster, teaching anthropology and archaeology courses. Judge holds a B.A. (1983) and an M.A. (1987) degree in Anthropology from USC Columbia.
10:30 PM – 11:45 PM – Classroom
Activity Title: Family Activity – Dining Detectives!
Activity Description: Be a Ceramic Sleuth! In this fun, hands-on activity, kids get to become an archaeologist for the day as they piece together broken dishes and uncover how colonists ate, drank, and shared meals — all from a few fragments! Perfect for curious minds — ages 6-12, this interactive station is part puzzle, part archaeology, and a great way to explore colonial dining practices. Come see what stories broken dishes can tell!
About the Archaeologist: Isenbarger has over fifteen years of experience conducting archaeology in the South Carolina Lowcountry for both local and private entities. She has worked on a variety of projects, including plantations throughout the Lowcountry and Bahamas; urban gentry houses, gardens, and markets; and historic and prehistoric Native American sites. Her most meaningful research has explored how the enslaved at Dean Hall Plantation (Berkeley County, SC) made their own pottery for personal cooking and religious uses within their households, and as a commodity in the local markets to earn money to buy necessities beyond their rations. Her current work is uncovering the lives of the colonists and early defenses of the original seventeenth-century British settlement in Charleston.
10:30 AM – 11:45 PM – Lobby
Exhibit Title: Prehistoric Tools of the Pee Dee
Exhibit Description: Archaeologist Scott Jones will conduct an ongoing display and explanatory discussion of various tools and technologies used by the prehistoric peoples of South Carolina.
About the Archaeologist: Since 1986, experimental archaeologist and prehistoric technology specialist Scott Jones has practiced his craft throughout the southeastern US and elsewhere. In South Carolina, he has worked for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the Archaeological Institute of the Pee Dee, the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, the Harry Hampton Wildlife Fund, and the US Forestry Service, among others. He continues to consult and work part-time in retirement.
11:45 AM – 1:15 PM – Break for Lunch

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM – Multipurpose Room
Lecture Title: “A History of Mississippian Period Archaeological Research in the Wateree Valley of South Carolina.”
Lecture Abstract: This lecture will present data collected over the last two centuries on a complex Mississippian-period Indigenous society centered near Camden, South Carolina, circa AD 1250-1600. Antiquarians and early archaeologists documented eight earthen mound complexes along the Wateree River, and they and ethnohistorians associate these sites with the province of Cofitachequi. Intensive investigations at three mound complexes by archaeologists from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, over the last fifty years have revealed much about these communities that were among the first in the southeastern US to be visited by Europeans.
About the Archaeologist: Christopher Judge has studied Native Americans in South Carolina for over thirty-five years. Anthropological archaeology of precontact culture is the lens that informs his research. Additionally, Judge has conducted oral history research in living Native American communities throughout South Carolina. Currently, he serves as the Assistant Director of the Native American Studies Center at USC Lancaster, where he teaches anthropology and archaeology courses. Judge holds a B.A. (1983) and M.A. (1987) degrees in Anthropology from USC Columbia.
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM – Lobby
Portrayal Activity: Converse with an American Revolutionary Reenactor
Portrayal Description: If it’s true that an army marches on its stomach, then the rations afforded to the soldiery of both the Continental and British Armies needed to be supplemented during the protracted War for Independence. In addition to foraging parties from both armies making their presences known across the countryside, local vendors would visit army encampments when they came near, to sell additional items to the soldiers. Ranging from fresh produce, bread, eggs, and cheese, to tobacco and more exotic luxury items like tea, coffee, sugar, wine, and chocolate, petty sutlers had to be licensed to sell by the Quartermaster General of each army. This portrayal invites the visitor to consider what additional foods and comfort items might be offered for sale, as well as how those items affected the health and well-being of the soldiers. Topics of conversation often include how civilians were licensed and how they interacted with the soldiers, as well as discussions of currency and payment, and the cost-benefit analysis of civilians who decided to sell to the army.
About the Archaeologist: Carin Bloom is a public historian, researcher, and programming consultant in Charleston, SC. Carin holds an Honors BA, two MAs, and a PhD ABD in Anthropology, all with specializations in Historical Archaeology of the American Revolution. She is an archaeologist and public historian by training, specializing in the history of the 18th century in America. Carin believes that immersive experiences help history come alive for those interested in exploring the past – she presents both in first- and third-person narratives. Carin focuses on lesser-known historical figures; those whose stories have not been told in the past have still made important contributions, including the licensed petty sutlers of the armies of the American War for Independence.
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM – Classroom
Activity Title: Family Activity – Dining Detectives!
Activity Description: Be a Ceramic Sleuth! In this fun, hands-on activity, kids get to become an archaeologist for the day as they piece together broken dishes and uncover how colonists ate, drank, and shared meals — all from a few fragments! Perfect for curious minds — ages 6-12, this interactive station is part puzzle, part archaeology, and a great way to explore colonial dining practices. Come see what stories broken dishes can tell!
About the Archaeologist: Isenbarger has over fifteen years of experience conducting archaeology in the South Carolina Lowcountry for both local and private entities. She has worked on a variety of projects, including plantations throughout the Lowcountry and Bahamas; urban gentry houses, gardens, and markets; and historic and prehistoric Native American sites. Her most meaningful research has explored how the enslaved at Dean Hall Plantation (Berkeley County, SC) made their own pottery for personal cooking and religious uses within their households, and as a commodity in the local markets to earn money to buy necessities beyond their rations. Her current work is uncovering the lives of the colonists and early defenses of the original seventeenth-century British settlement in Charleston.
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM – Lobby
Exhibit Title: Prehistoric Tools of the Pee Dee
Exhibit Description: Archaeologist Scott Jones will conduct an ongoing display and explanatory discussion of various tools and technologies used by the prehistoric peoples of South Carolina.
About the Archaeologist: Since 1986, experimental archaeologist and prehistoric technology specialist Scott Jones has practiced his craft throughout the southeastern US and elsewhere. In South Carolina, he has worked for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the Archaeological Institute of the Pee Dee, the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, the Harry Hampton Wildlife Fund, and the US Forestry Service, among others. He continues to consult and work part-time in retirement.
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM – Lobby
Exhibit Description: Bobby Southerlin will display a variety of pottery vessels he has made, representing a variety of vessel forms and decorative styles found in South Carolina. He digs his own clay and uses pottery fragments from archaeological sites as the inspiration/template. Vessels are open-fired in a shallow pit. On display will also be a variety of tools Southerlin uses to construct different pottery types, and he will demonstrate traditional construction techniques by working on a small pot. Replica pottery vessels will be available for purchase.

About the Archaeologist: Bobby G. Southerlin is the Founder of Archaeological Consultants of the Carolinas, Inc. He was born in North Carolina and graduated from Spring Valley High School near Columbia, SC. Southerlin earned his undergraduate degree (BA) at the University of South Carolina and did his graduate studies at the University of Georgia (MA). Southerlin’s archaeological experience focused on studying the lifeways of Native Americans who lived in North and South Carolina. He specializes in replicating the different pottery types found at Native American archaeological sites in the Carolinas and conducts experimental archaeology projects to better understand both the artifacts and the potters.

Imagination Ball
2025-10-11 18:00 - 20:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Enjoy an evening of creative hands-on activities, music, food, costume contest, and more! Tickets are $10 per child or $40 per family. Accompanying adults attend for free.

Tickets available until Wednesday, October 8th.
Sponsored by: Eastern Carolina Community Foundation Florence County Museum Blackwell – Ervin Endowment

Second Sunday Tours – Pee Dee History Gallery
2025-10-12 14:15 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join us for a free, docent-led tour of the museum’s Pee History Gallery. Registration is required via the link on this page.
The Pee Dee History Gallery is the largest gallery space in the facility, comprising 3,300 sq. ft. of exhibit space. This permanent collections gallery occupies the entire second floor, east wing of the building. Artifacts on display are supported by historical images and narrative interpretation, providing a comprehensive introduction to the Pee Dee region from prehistory to the present.
Highlights in this gallery include Cretaceous period reptile material, an 18 ft. tall Ancient Bald Cypress trunk sub-fossil, Native American and Colonial period artifacts, Civil War artifacts from the Florence Stockade prison camp and Confederate Naval Yard at Mars Bluff, artifacts related to life and career of former FBI agent and Florence County native, Melvin Purvis and fragments of the MK-6 atomic bomb which was accidentally dropped on the Mars Bluff community in 1958. Upcoming Second Sunday Tours:
11/09/25 – Pee Dee History Gallery
12/14/25 – Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams
1/11/26 – Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams

Observations
2025-10-15 13:00 - 14:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join the museum on Wednesday, October 15th, for a relaxed and inspiring one-hour session of discovery. See the world in new ways and immerse yourself in a collection of art techniques, engaging museum-related discussions, and curiosity-provoking topics. Mystery topics will be revealed during each session. Facilitated by the Curator of Education, Uschi Jeffcoat & special guests.
All supplies provided; however, feel free to bring personal sketchbooks for notetaking and observation recording! Class Size:
Ages 18 & up
Limited to 32 participants
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Sept 15, 2025, at 10 am.
Members get priority ticket access the week before starting on Sept 8, 2025. Only 8 early tickets are available.
Cost
Free for Museum Members
$10 for Non-Members

Arkhaios Film Festival Screening
2025-10-16 17:00 - 19:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join the FCM, Thursday, October 16, from 5:00 – 7:00pm, for a free screening of an official selection from The Arkhaios Cultural Heritage & Archaeology Film Festival. Founded in 2013, Arkhaios exists to showcase the discovery of past cultures gained from ethnological or archaeological research, illustrated by documentary films.
The FCM will be showing a single film this year, but attendees can screen any number of additional Arkhaiois selections online for free at the Arkhaios website during the week of October 13th – 19th. The Stones Are Speaking– 86 mins.
Director, Writer, & Producer Olive Talley (United States).
The Stones Are Speaking tells the inspiring story of how archaeologist Mike Collins, at great risk and personal sacrifice, saved 30 acres of looted land deep in the heart of Texas and revealed it as one of the most significant sites in the Americas. Collins and his team changed history when they found evidence of people living in Central Texas 20,000 years ago. The film is more than a simple tale of discoveries at the Gault Archaeological Site. It illustrates the power of an individual to make a difference and what people can accomplish when they come together for the greater good.

Fall Plant Sale
2025-10-25 11:00 - 14:00 | SC
We are proud to partner with Healy Horticulture to host a Fall Plant Sale benefiting the newly created Pee Dee Botanical Garden. The plants for sale feature rare, unusual, and exciting selections, some of which are represented in our sensory garden and courtyard plantings. The plant sale will be located in the museum courtyard.
Plant List

Graptopetalum ‘Pinky’ – 4″ – $5
This evergreen, hardy succulent is a great addition to any planted container or low-water landscape. As long as it does not get shaded out, ‘Pinky’ will slowly spread over the ground or spill out of containers.
Tricyrtis x ‘Miyazaki Hybrids’ – Toad Lily – 1 gallon – $8
Ivory white blossoms of this Tricyrtis curl open to display a splattering of purple spots. Fall flowering lends an exotic accent to the border. Roots should not be allowed to dry out. Absolutely sparkles in a woodland environment with rich organic soil. This late blooming shade lover will be the talk of your fall garden.
Eurybia divaricata ‘Eastern Star’ – Woodland Aster – 1 gallon – $8
Woodland Aster is a low mounding perennial with glossy heart shaped or oval leaves. In late summer starry white daisies cover the plant and gleam in the shade. Plants are tough and adaptable, prospering in part shade or shade and in dry or moist soils. This cultivar is more compact than the species with dark glossy stems.
Aster savatieri – Korean Aster – 1 gallon – $8
Japanese Aster is a bone tough perennial for sun or light shade. We have never seen any disease or pest issues and the early fall bloom of white to pale purple flowers is showy and reliable..
Buddleja x ‘Inspired Violet’ – Butterfly Bush – 1 gallon – $8
Sweetly scented, dark purple flowers decorate this seedless Butterfly Bush from midsummer into fall. Flower spikes are huge and they’re carried on stems that reach 4′, growing taller in warmer areas. Butterflies find the blooms absolutely irresistible and swarm around them on warm summer afternoons. Being sterile, the blossoms last longer and the plant is noninvasive.
Canna ‘Thai One On’ – Canna Lily – 1 gallon – $8
This amazing Canna glauca hybrid was brought into the US by Texan Margie Brown, who purchased it sans name from a roadside nursery south of Bangkok. The 6′ tall stalks of glaucous leaves are topped, starting in summer, with peachy-orange buds that open to lovely, somewhat pendant fleshy-pink flowers that are attractive to hummingbirds.
Chrysanthemum x ‘Sheffield Pink’ – 1 gallon – $8
This perennial forms a 2-3’ clump and stems are thick from Sept to frost with flat faced, large daisy flowers of soft apricot pink petals around a sunny yellow center. Full sun, most soils, average water needs, easy to grow. Very low maintenance and floriferous.
Chrysanthemum x ‘Gethsemane Moonlight’ – 1 gallon – $8
‘Gethsemane Moonlight’ is no weakling like many of the garden mums sold today. In addition to its amazing winter hardiness, Chrysanthemum ‘Gethsemane Moonlight’ makes a rapidly expanding 2′ tall x 4′ wide clump topped, starting in early October, with large, 3″, bright yellow
daisies.
Chrysanthemum x ‘Campfire Glow’ – 1 gallon – $8
‘Campfire Glow’ will keep your garden popping into late fall, warming all with its toasty caramel and russet-red coloring. One of the year’s last flowers to bloom, they nourish bumblebees and honeybees that visit. Beautiful cut flowers too!
Erigeron pulchellus ‘Lynnhaven Carpet’ – Fleabane – 1 gallon – $8
This outstanding form of native species E. pulchellus was selected for its relatively large grey- green, pubescent foliage (4″), dense, mat-forming habit and astonishing ability to thrive in a wide range of challenging conditions. In early May, individual flower stalks give rise to lightly tinted lavender flowers with a yellow inner eye. Foliage remains less than 6″ and forms a tight groundcover, while flowering stems top out at just over a foot tall.
Hemerocallis x ‘Autumn Minaret’ – Tall Daylily – 1 gallon – $8
Hemerocallis x ‘Autumn Minaret’ is a very tall, mid-to-late season blooming daylily known for its delicate yellow-orange flowers with a darker eye and its long, slender, yellow-green foliage. It features strong, upright stems that can grow up to 7 feet tall, making it a showstopper in the late
summer and fall garden when it blooms, attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. This dormant variety is easy to grow in full sun and well-drained soil, tolerates heat and drought, and may rebloom for an extended period.

Kniphofia uvaria ‘Glowstick’ – Red Hot Poker – 1 gallon – $8
Towering spikes of nectar-rich flowers add vertical intrigue to a sun-loving garden. Columns of bright yellow are long-lasting and repeat blooming. Tolerates drought and heat once established. The slender leaf blades of Kniphofia Glowstick resemble an ornamental grass when not in bloom. Red Hot Poker perennials are low-maintenance bursts of color.
Lysimachia lanceolata ‘Burgundy Mist’ – Loosestrife – 1 gallon – $8
‘Burgundy Mist’ a GroWild Nursery, Tennessee selection of the Eastern North American native lance-leaved loosestrife. It was selected for its new burgundy foliage, compared to the typical green and forms a 2′ tall x 3′ wide patch in 2-3 years, clothed with linear leaves, and topped, starting in July and continuing all summer with small bright yellow flowers. Pollinators like native bees also love the nectar.
Opuntia x ‘Baby Rita’ – Dwarf Cactus – 1 gallon – $8
An exceptional heat-loving dwarf hybrid with brilliant carmine colored flowers in a small padded, purple-skinned prickly pear. Thrives in a range from coast to inland deserts, and even into high altitude mountain areas! Loaded with spring blooms, the blue-grey purple-tinged foliage color intensifies to a vibrant purple in winter.
Rosa x ‘Blush Noisette’ – Old Rose- 1 gallon – $8
As fragrant as ‘Champneys Pink Cluster’, this first rose to bear the Noisette name is charming in its own right. The blush white flowers are cupped and double, appearing frequently throughout the growing season but especially in great abundance in the fall and sporadically in winter. ‘Blush Noisette’ is one of the few Noisettes that maintains a nice bush form while displaying blousy flowers for which Noisettes are known.
Rosa chinensis ‘Mutabilis’ – Old Rose – 3 gallon – $15
A healthy, well-branched shrub, ‘Mutabilis’ will easily grow to 6 feet, making a fine specimen plant whose showy flowers are accented by the bronze color of the new growth. The flowers of ‘Mutabilis’, whose single petals open sulfur yellow, change through orange to a rich pink and finally crimson. Bright, silky flowers of all these colors will often be on display at the same time, looking as if a group of multi-colored butterflies has settled on the bush. This aspect earned ‘Mutabilis’ its common name–”The Butterfly Rose”.
Rosa x ‘Peggy Martin’ – Old Rose – 3 gallon – $15
Peggy Martin, also known as the “Hurricane Katrina rose”, is a vigorous spring blooming climbing rose that can easily reach 15 feet or larger. Promoted as thornless, we find this rose has prickles on the leaves’ backs, while the canes are free of thorns. Its vigorous growth habit, ease of care, and breathtaking spring display makes Peggy Martin a rose even a novice grower can grow and enjoy.
Rosa x ‘Ballerina’ – Old Rose – 3 gallon – $15
One of the best roses for hedging, ‘Ballerina’ produces clouds of small, single, pink roses with white eyes on a compact arching bush with thick foliage. It can be pruned to shape or allowed to spill over naturally. When the leaves begin to thin in the late fall, the entire bush is lit up with tiny orange-red hips like bright Christmas lights. If grown as a climber, this rose will reach 6 to 10 feet.
Hibiscus coccineus – Texas Star – 5 gallon – $20
Texas Star is an herbaceous perennial in the Malvaceae (mallow) family. It is native to the southeastern United States and is sometimes called swamp hibiscus because it is native to marshes and swamps in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. It can grow 6 to 8 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. Flowers of red hibiscus mature in early summer to early fall and are very large and striking, up to 6 inches wide.
Hibiscus x ‘Lilac Crush’ – Hybrid Mallow – 5 gallon – $20
SUMMERIFIC® ‘Lilac Crush’ features large 7-8 inch wide, lilac-pink flowers with a deep magenta eye. The lilac pink petals are generously overlapped with heavily ruffled edges. Standing 5-5.5 feet tall and spreading up to 4.5 feet wide, ‘Lilac Crush’ forms a tall upright columnar habit. The maple leaf-looking leaves are a refreshing green color. Hardy in zones 4-9, SUMMERIFIC® ‘Lilac Crush’ Hibiscus likes to be planted in full sun to part sun locations.
Gardenia jasminoides ‘Kaleidoscope’ – Variegated Gardenia – 5 gallon – $20
This selection of Cape Jasmine is variegated with striking creme colored strips and margins and produces extremely fragrant single white flowers in summer.

Family Day - Watercolor Turkey
2025-11-08 13:00 - 15:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join us on Saturday, 11/08, from 1pm to 3pm for Family Day – Watercolor Turkey. Did you know the museum has etchings of wild turkeys and a watercolor turkey in its collections? Learn more about these remarkable birds and create your own turkey in watercolor.
The event is free (no registration required).

Second Sunday Tours – Scavenger Hunt Through History
2025-11-09 14:15 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join us for a free, docent-led scavenger hunt through the museum’s Pee History Gallery. Our scavenger hunts provide visitors with a creative, non-linear way to explore and learn within the gallery. The museum docent will share fun contextual facts about select objects you discover. This experience is great for visitors of all ages. Registration is required via the link on this page.
The Pee Dee History Gallery is the largest gallery space in the facility, comprising 3,300 sq. ft. of exhibit space. This permanent collections gallery occupies the entire second floor, east wing of the building. Artifacts on display are supported by historical images and narrative interpretation, providing a comprehensive introduction to the Pee Dee region from prehistory to the present.
Highlights in this gallery include Cretaceous period reptile material, an 18 ft. tall Ancient Bald Cypress trunk sub-fossil, Native American and Colonial period artifacts, Civil War artifacts from the Florence Stockade prison camp and Confederate Naval Yard at Mars Bluff, artifacts related to life and career of former FBI agent and Florence County native, Melvin Purvis and fragments of the MK-6 atomic bomb which was accidentally dropped on the Mars Bluff community in 1958. Upcoming Second Sunday Tours:
12/14/25 – Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams
1/11/26 – Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams

Exhibit Reception - Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams
2025-11-13 17:00 - 19:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join us for the opening reception of Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams
Thursday, November 13, 2025
5:00 – 7:00 pm
111 West Cheves Street
Florence, South Carolina
Dressy Casual
The Florence County Museum is proud to announce Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams, on display in the museum’s Special Exhibit Gallery, November 11, 2025, through May 17, 2026.
Cecil Williams (b. 1937) is a veteran photojournalist and native of Orangeburg, SC. Williams documented many significant stories and events during the civil rights era, including the prosecution of Briggs v. Elliott (early 1950s) and the Orangeburg Massacre (1968). At age 14, Williams became the youngest contributing photographer to JET magazine. Williams’ career spans over 70 years; he has authored several books and serves as the director of the South Carolina Civil Rights Museum.
This exhibition features a selection of Williams’ photographs, accompanied by interpretive text for each, highlighting Williams’ work while also exploring the broader role of photography in the Civil Rights movement. This is the first exhibition of photography to be featured in the museum’s Special Exhibit Gallery.
The public is invited to meet Mr. Williams and view the photography on display at the exhibition reception. There is no cost required to view the exhibition or attend the reception.
This exhibition is made possible by the Eastern Community Foundation Florence County Museum Civil Justice Fund.

Observations
2025-11-19 13:00 - 14:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join the museum on Wednesday, November 19th, for a relaxed and inspiring one-hour session of discovery. See the world in new ways and immerse yourself in a collection of art techniques, engaging museum-related discussions, and curiosity-provoking topics. During this session, we will be looking at our latest exhibition, Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams. This session will focus on the perspective triangle and how that relates to the exposure triangle in photography. Facilitated by the Curator of Education, Uschi Jeffcoat.
All supplies provided; however, feel free to bring personal sketchbooks for notetaking and observation recording! Class Size:
Ages 18 & up
Limited to 32 participants
Tickets go on sale to the general public on October 19, 2025, at 10 am.
Members get priority ticket access the week before starting on Oct 12, 2025. Only 8 early tickets are available.
Cost
Free for Museum Members
$10 for Non-Members

Art After Hours - Etching
2025-11-20 17:00 - 18:30 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Learn more about the art of etching and printmaking with artist & FMU assistant professor, Brittany Gilbert. Participants will explore etching on a plate from a provided image and print their own on the museum’s press. This session of Art After Hours was inspired by the etching work of Aiden Lassell Ripley found in the museum’s Wright Collection of Southern Art.
Date:
Thursday, November 20, at 5:00 pm.
Class Size:
Adults 18 & older.
Limited to 12 participants.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on October 20, 2025 at 10am.
Members get priority ticket access the week before starting on October 13, 2025. Only 4 early tickets are available.
Price:
$10/person for Not Yet Members.
Free for Museum Members.

Family Day - December Evergreens
2025-12-13 13:00 - 15:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join us on Saturday, 12/13, from 1pm to 3pm for Family Day – December Evergreens. Your child will learn how are evergreens different from other plants and trees and explore the features of the evergreen through art!
The event is free (no registration required).

Second Sunday Tours – Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams
2025-12-14 14:15 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join us for a free, docent-led tour of Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams in the museum’s Special Exhibit Gallery. Registration is required via the link below.
Cecil Williams (b. 1937) is a veteran photojournalist and native of Orangeburg SC, where he owns and operates the South Carolina Civil Rights Museum. Williams documented many significant stories and events during the civil rights era including the prosecution of Briggs v. Elliott (early 1950s) and the Orangeburg Massacre (1968). At age 14, Williams became the youngest contributing photographer to JET magazine.
This exhibition will feature a selection of Williams’ photographs along with interpretation for each; emphasizing Williams’ work while more broadly addressing the role of photography in Civil Rights. This will be the first exhibition of photography offered at Florence County Museum, as well as the first exhibition to emphasize civil rights to be presented in the Special Exhibit Gallery. Upcoming Second Sunday Tours:
1/11/26 – Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams

Second Sunday Tours – Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams
2026-01-11 14:15, 2026-03-08 14:15 - 15:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join us for a free, docent-led tour of Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams in the museum’s Special Exhibit Gallery. Registration is required via the link below.
Cecil Williams (b. 1937) is a veteran photojournalist and native of Orangeburg SC, where he owns and operates the South Carolina Civil Rights Museum. Williams documented many significant stories and events during the civil rights era including the prosecution of Briggs v. Elliott (early 1950s) and the Orangeburg Massacre (1968). At age 14, Williams became the youngest contributing photographer to JET magazine.
This exhibition will feature a selection of Williams’ photographs along with interpretation for each; emphasizing Williams’ work while more broadly addressing the role of photography in Civil Rights. This will be the first exhibition of photography offered at Florence County Museum, as well as the first exhibition to emphasize civil rights to be presented in the Special Exhibit Gallery. Upcoming Sunday Tours:
02/08/26 –
03/08/26 –
04/12/26 –
05/10/26 –
06/14/25 -

Art After Hours - Tree Ring Prints
2026-01-15 17:00 - 18:30 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
What can natural history teach us, and how does it inspire us? Join Curator of Education Uschi Jeffcoat & artist Adrian Smith for this session that takes a closer look at tree rings and how to use them to create art. You will learn how to produce your own tree ring prints and take a print home with you. This Art After Hours is inspired by the Bald Cypress Subfossil found in the Pee Dee History Gallery.
Date:
Thursday, January 15, at 5:00 pm.
Class Size:
Adults 18 & older.
Limited to 18 participants.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on December 15, 2025, at 10 am.
Members get priority ticket access the week before starting on December 8, 2025. Only 6 early tickets are available.
Price:
$10/person for Not Yet Members.
Free for Museum Members.

Second Sunday Tours – Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams
2026-02-08 14:15 - 15:00 | SC

Family Day - Scandinavian Hearts
2026-02-14 13:00 - 15:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join us on Saturday, 2/14, from 1pm to 3pm for Family Day – Scandinavian Hearts. Create your own woven artwork and learn more about creative couple William Henry Johnson and his wife, Scandinavian textile artist Holcha Krake this Valentine’s Day.
The event is free (no registration required).

Photography Workshop
2026-02-28 10:30 - 15:30 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
In this special one-day workshop, participants will explore the photographer’s exposure triangle and learn how you can manipulate it creatively. Deepen your knowledge of the science, technical, and creative elements found in the field of photography. Taught by Professor Julie Mixon, guests will have the opportunity to capture a portrait using a large-format camera similar to what Cecil Williams used and learn how to augment a camera’s shutter speed on a digital device to create light paintings.
This workshop is inspired by the photography seen in Unforgettable: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams. A one-hour lunch break will be provided. Guests may bring their own lunch or have lunch on their own.
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Ages 15 & up
$75, all supplies provided
Membership discounts apply
Tickets go on sale to the general public December 29, 2025 at 10am.
Members get priority ticket access the week before starting December 22, 2025. Only 4 early tickets available.
10:30 am – 3:30 pm
Max class Size: 12
(Minimum of 6)

About the Instructor
Julie Mixon received her undergraduate degree from Barton College with a concentration in photography in 2000 and earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in Photography from East Carolina University in 2004. She currently lives in Florence, South Carolina, where is a Professor of Photography at Francis Marion University. She exhibits her image-based media regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Family Day - Behind the Lens
2026-03-14 13:00 - 15:00 | Florence County Museum, 111 West Cheves Street, Florence, SC 29501, Florence, SC, 29501, United States
Join us on Saturday, 3/14, from 1pm to 3pm for Family Day – Behind the Lens. Your child will learn how camera work and make a simple pinhole camera. We’ll observe how light travels and images are captured.
The event is free (no registration required).
