Connect with the Stories that Shaped a Nation
HOURS: Tuesday - Saturday: 10am - 4pm | Sunday: 11am - 4pm | Closed on Mondays
The building was used for gunpowder storage from 1713-1748 and during the American Revolution in order to defend the city. After 1780, it was retired, and by the early 19th century, it was privately owned. During this period, The Powder Magazine then served as a print shop, livery stable, wine cellar, and carriage house.
In 1902, The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of South Carolina purchased the building, saving it from demolition. Within a year, it was opened to the public.
Today, it is a museum where you can explore Charleston's colonial period in the last standing component of Charleston's original fortifications.
Completed in 1713,
The Powder Magazine is South Carolina's oldest government building.
Events
The Powder Magazine presents “British Occupied Charlestown, 1780-82: Daily Life in a Divided City,” uncovering the stories of Charlestonians during the American Revolution. These four lectures are free and open to the public!
Grant funding for these lectures has been provided to The NSCDA-SC/Powder Magazine Museum by the South Carolina Sestercentennial Commission.