Connections Café - D-Day
2024-06-13 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.

June 13 | 2:00 p.m.
Join us on June 13 and explore D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Memory Lives On.

Family Fun Day with Henry's Smokehouse
2024-06-15 10:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
It’s a block party with Curious George, Henry’s Smokehouse BBQ, Common Pops, and the opening of new exhibit, Finding the Force: Awakening an Empire!

Come out and explore the Museum while taking part in games, craft stations, a museum-wide scavenger hunt, and group story times with George.

Saturday, June 15

10AM – 2PM | Doors will be open until 5PM

Adults – $12 | Kids (ages 3-18) $9

Kids ages 2 and under are FREE

Purchase tickets upon arrival or at the link below

Have a question? Give us a call at (864)467-3100

There’s no need to leave for lunch as Henry’s Smoke House Hog Hauler will be on site slinging delicious BBQ.

Family Fun Days are included with your general admission.

Finding the Force...Awakening An Empire
2024-06-15 10:00 - 2024-11-03 17:00 UTC
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.

Support provided by

Toddler Time with Curious George
2024-06-18 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
Romp, play, explore and experience an array of adventures with Curious George as the Museum welcomes the summer exhibit, Curious George™: Let’s Get Curious!
Let curiosity and inquiry be your guide as little ones will explore familiar buildings and locales as this hands-on, bilingual adventure takes place in the neighborhood where Curious George™ lives with his friend, The Man in the Yellow Hat.

Spark your child’s innate curiosity through hands-on play that is educational and engaging.
“Learn like George” and enjoy playtime in the exhibit, a museum-wide scavenger hunt, game stations crafted for young learners, and a group story time complete with snack, juice, and a meet-n-greet with the star himself, Curious George!

Toddler Time is included with your general admission and FREE for children ages 2 and under.

Lunchbox Learning
2024-06-19 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
The Logistics of OPERATION OVERLORD
Presented by Brigadier General Gilbert S. Harper, U.S. Army (Ret.)
On June 6, 1944, the Allied forces undertook a dangerous and daunting mission, codename: OPERATION OVERLORD. Five ground and two airborne divisions landed in France that day and supplies and soldiers continued to cross the English Channel in the weeks that followed. The D-Day invasion is well known for the sacrifices of soldiers and civilians. The logistical challenges of the D-Day invasion were daunting, requiring months of planning and strategizing. Join Brigadier General Gilbert Harper as he helps to visualize the enormity of the task and fully appreciate the significance of the invasion’s success.
Brigadier General Gilbert Harper graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1970. He received a master’s degree from Stanford University in 1978. In 1989, he was a National Security Fellow at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.
In 1999, Brigadier General Harper retired from the US Army, after serving as Commanding General of the US Army Transportation Center and School. During his military career, he commanded companies in Germany; the 193rd Support Battalion in Panama; the 593rd Area Support Group at Fort Lewis, Saudi Arabia, and Somalia; and the Eastern Area Military Traffic Command. He also served on the Army and Joint Staffs. Since retiring, he has focused on supporting veterans and their families.

Lunchbox Learning is generously sponsored by:

Weather with Curious George & Meteorologist Chrissy Kohler
2024-06-27 10:30 - 11:30 (America/New_York)
Let’s get curious about the weather…

Sometimes, all you want to do is play outside, but the weather keeps changing your plans. Have you ever wondered how the weather works? Or maybe you want to grow up and become a meteorologist?

Join Curious George and FOX Carolina Meteorologist Chrissy Kohler for a special morning of hands-on learning where we’ll get curious about the weather and meteorology!

This program is free to UHM Members and included with general admission for all other guests, however advance registration is required.

Frida Kahlo: Through the Lens of Nickolas Muray
2024-06-29 10:00 - 2024-10-13 17:00 UTC
Frida Kahlo: Through the Lens of Nickolas Muray
June 29, 2024 – October 13, 2024
In its commitment to connecting people, history, and culture, the Upcountry History Museum will present FRIDA KAHLO: THROUGH THE LENS OF NICKOLAS MURAY, an exhibition organized by the Nickolas Muray Photo Archives and managed by GuestCurator Traveling Exhibitions.
On display June 29 through October 13, 2024, the exhibit presents an intimate look at Frida Kahlo, Mexico’s most prolific and well-known female artist, through the camera lens of photographer Nickolas Muray.
In May 1931, Muray (1892-1965) traveled to Mexico on vacation where he met Frida Kahlo (1907-1954), a woman he would never forget. The two started a romance that continued, both on and off for the next ten years and a friendship that lasted until her death in 1954.
Approximately 50 photographic portraits taken by Muray of Kahlo are featured in the exhibition. The photographs, dating from 1937 to 1946, explore Muray’s unique perspective, as Kahlo’s friend, companion and confidant. Muray’s photographs bring to light Kahlo’s deep interest in her Mexican heritage, her life and travels, and the people with whom she shared a close friendship.
Born in Hungary, Nickolas Muray became a successful New York fashion and commercial photographer known for his portraits of celebrities, politicians, socialites, and artists. Having experimented with color from early on in his career, he found his most colorful model in Frida Kahlo.
Muray photographed Kahlo more than any of his subjects. The portraits featured in the exhibition have made their way into a variety of media and popular culture and are integral to the world’s understanding of who Frida Kahlo was as an individual behind her artwork.
Frida Kahlo was born on July 6, 1907, in Coyoacan, Mexico City, Mexico. Kahlo began painting after she was severely injured in a bus accident. Kahlo later became politically active and married fellow communist artist Diego Rivera in 1929. She exhibited her paintings in Paris and Mexico before her death in 1954.
In addition to Muray’s candid photographs of Kahlo, the exhibition also includes reproductions of various Kahlo paintings and letters exchanged between the two artists.

Support provided by

Tracy and Charles Hardaway

Revolution in the Carolinas
2024-07-03 17:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Dicey Langston Springfield: Portrait of a Revolutionary War Heroine
Presented by Rev. Paul A. Wood
Laodicea “Dicey” Langston Springfield was born on May 14, 1766, in the Ninety Six District. During the American Revolution, Dicey observed and recorded the movement of Loyalist troops through the Upstate as well as conversations between her father and their relatives and neighbors, providing vital information to her brothers in the Continental Army. She served as a spy for the Patriot cause, her acts of heroism saving multiple lives and aiding in the fight for independence.
Dr. Paul A. Wood is a native South Carolinian and a graduate of Furman University. He received a Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School and a Doctor of Ministry from Candler School of Theology, Emory University. Dr. Wood is a retired United Methodist minister. Upon his retirement, Dr. Wood became a historian of the American Revolution in South Carolina, and recently published an article on Dicey Langston Springfield for the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission.

Revolution in the Carolinas is generously sponsored by:

Story Times Around Town
2024-07-10 09:30 - 10:00 (America/New_York)
Join Curious George™ for Story Times Around Town!

For 85 years, he’s romped, played, explored and experienced an array of adventures with countless young children eager to learn more about the world around them.
This summer, as the Upcountry History Museum hosts Curious George™: Let’s Get Curious, George will be visiting places around Greenville for “Story Times Around Town.” These story times are free to the community and followed by a quick meet-and-greet with George.

Heritage Green – July 10 | 9:30am

Keep checking back for more upcoming dates and locations!

Connections Café - Finding the Force
2024-07-11 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.

July 11 | 2:00 p.m.
Join us on July 11 and explore Finding the Force: Awakening an Empire.

Connections Café is generously sponsored by:

Toddler Time with Curious George
2024-07-13 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-07-16 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-08-20 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
Romp, play, explore and experience an array of adventures with Curious George as he makes the Museum his summer home with, Curious George™: Let’s Get Curious!
Let curiosity and inquiry be your guide as little ones will explore familiar buildings and locales as this hands-on, bilingual adventure takes place in the neighborhood where Curious George™ lives with his friend, The Man in the Yellow Hat.

Spark your child’s innate curiosity through hands-on play that is educational and engaging.
“Learn like George” and enjoy playtime in the exhibit, a museum-wide scavenger hunt, game stations crafted for young learners, and a group story time complete with snack, juice, and a meet-n-greet with the star himself, Curious George!

Toddler Time is included with your general admission and FREE for children ages 2 and under.

Lunchbox Learning
2024-07-17 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
The Greenville & Northern Railway: Path of the Swamp Rabbit
Presented by Rev. Joseph Hudson
If there ever was a true to life “Little Engine That Could,” it would be the Greenville & Northern Railway, better known as The Swamp Rabbit. From its founding in 1887, the railroad brought coal from eastern Tennessee and Kentucky on a direct route to the ports in Augusta and Charleston. The Swamp Rabbit contributed to major economic growth in Greenville County and was foundational to further railroad development in the Upstate.
A native of Greenville County, Joseph Hudson has dedicated nearly half his life to studying, collecting artifacts and stories, and preserving the history of Greenville’s little mountain short-line railroad. His heart for historical preservation and his love for railroad history are evident when it comes to talking about the Greenville & Northern and its predecessors.

Lunchbox Learning is generously sponsored by:

Quilts of Valor
2024-07-19 10:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Quilts of Valor
A Quilt of Valor® (QOV) is a quality, handmade quilt that is machine or hand quilted. It is awarded to a Service Member or Veteran touched by war. The Quilt says unequivocally, “Thank you for your service and sacrifice in serving our nation.” Since its founding in 2003, the Quilts of Valor organization has awarded nearly 400,000 quilts to U.S. veterans in all 50 states. South Carolina leads the nation in Quilts of Valor awarded each year. From July 19 to July 21, a select number of unawarded quilts will be displayed at the Upcountry History Museum.

Quilts of Valor
2024-07-20 10:00 - 17:00, 2024-07-21 13:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Quilts of Valor
A Quilt of Valor® (QOV) is a quality, handmade quilt that is machine or hand quilted. It is awarded to a Service Member or Veteran touched by war. The Quilt says unequivocally, “Thank you for your service and sacrifice in serving our nation.” Since its founding in 2003, the Quilts of Valor organization has awarded nearly 400,000 quilts to U.S. veterans in all 50 states. South Carolina leads the nation in Quilts of Valor awarded each year. From July 19 to July 21, a select number of unawarded quilts will be displayed at the Upcountry History Museum.
UHM is honored to host ceremonies on Saturday, July 20 at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM, where local veterans will be awarded their own Quilts of Valor.

Neighborhood Night
2024-08-01 17:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
Access for All!
UHM is open on the first Thursday evening of select months throughout 2024.

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 1, 2024 | 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 is 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

Revolution in the Carolinas
2024-08-07 17:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
The Quaker and the Gamecock: Nathanael Greene, Thomas Sumter, and the Revolutionary War for the Soul of the South
Presented by Andrew Waters
* SOLD OUT *
Among the many American Patriots active in the South during the American Revolution, no two were more different than General Nathanael Greene and Brigadier General Thomas Sumter. Though the two men shared the ultimate goal of independence for the thirteen colonies, they clashed time and time again on how to achieve that goal. Greene was burdened with the heavy responsibility of commanding the Continental Army forces across the South, trying to prove constantly that he was the right man for the job. Sumter led a local militia in South Carolina and reported to the General, but his desire for personal revenge often influenced his actions. While working together led to difficulties, they were both vital to patriot victory in the South.
Andrew Waters is a writer, editor, and conservationist residing in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He is the editor of three slave narrative collections, and his articles and short stories have appeared in numerous publications. Andrew’s recent work focuses on the American Revolution in the Carolinas.

Revolution in the Carolinas is generously sponsored by:

Connections Café - Frida Kahlo
2024-08-08 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.

August 8 | 2:00 p.m.
Join us on August 8 and explore Frida Kahlo: Through the Lens of Nickolas Murray.

Connections Café is generously sponsored by:

Exhibit Drop-In Tour
2024-08-09 15:30 - 16:00, 2024-08-23 15:30 - 16:00, 2024-09-06 15:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…
Explore Finding the Force: Awakening an Empire with a guided tour led by UHM Education Coordinator, Sarah Wright. This exhibition features original costumes and props from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Get a behind the scenes look at how the Star Wars universe has expanded since the first film premiered in 1977 and explore the legacy of the franchise through rare collectibles from the original trilogy and beyond. After the tour, test your Star Wars knowledge with rapid round trivia.

Drop-In Tours will occur on select Fridays at 3:30 PM.
Tours last approximately 30 minutes.
Drop-In Tours are included with your general admission.

Saturday Toddler Time with Curious George
2024-08-10 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York)

Homeschool Day
2024-08-23 14:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York)
Curious George: Let’s Get Curious! & Frida Kahlo: Through the Lens of Nickolas Muray
Elementary School: Join in the hands-on, bilingual adventure that takes place in the neighborhood where Curious George lives with his friend, The Man in the Yellow Hat. Learn about the history of George’s creators and explore STEAM concepts.
Middle/High School: Explore Frida Kahlo: Through the Lens of Nickolas Muray and learn about both artists, their lives, mediums, and relationship and create your own unique art project.

WHAT: UHM Homeschool Day

WHEN: Friday, August 23 | 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Upcountry History Museum

HOW: August’s Homeschool Day is open to children in 1st-12th grade. 1st-5th grade students will explore Curious George: Let’s Get Curious. 6th-12th grade students will learn about Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo and photographer Nickolas Murray.

COST: $10 per student & $12 per adult

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

Lunchbox Learning
2024-08-28 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Empowering Communities: How Electric Cooperatives Transformed Rural South Carolina
Presented by Dr. Lacy K. Ford, University of South Carolina
Early in the twentieth century, for-profit companies such as Duke Power and South Carolina Electric and Gas brought electricity to populous cities and towns across South Carolina, while rural areas remained in the dark. It was not until the advent of publicly owned electric cooperatives in the 1930s that the South Carolina countryside was gradually introduced to the conveniences of life with electricity. Today, electric cooperatives serve more than a quarter of South Carolina’s citizens and more than seventy percent of the state’s land area, bringing not only power but also high-speed broadband to rural communities.
The rise of “public” power—electricity serviced by member-owned cooperatives and sanctioned by federal and state legislation—is a complicated saga encompassing politics, law, finance, and rural economic development. Empowering Communities examines how the cooperatives helped bring fundamental and transformational change to the lives of rural people in South Carolina, from light to broadband.
Dr. Lacy Ford served as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, USC’s largest and oldest college, July 2016 to December 2020. Prior to becoming Dean, Ford served as Senior Vice Provost & Dean of Graduate Studies at the USC from 2010-2016. He is the author of Deliver Us From Evil: The Slavery Question in the Old South and a number of articles on the history of the South. He coauthored Empowering Communities: How Electric Cooperatives Transformed Rural South Carolina with Jared Bailey.

Lunchbox Learning is generously sponsored by:

Family Fun Day with Greenville Zoo
2024-08-31 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Join a fun morning with Curious George and his friends from the Greenville Zoo!

Come out and explore the Museum while taking part in games, craft stations, a museum-wide scavenger hunt, and group story times with George.

Saturday, August 31

10AM – Noon | Doors will be open until 5PM

Adults – $12 | Kids (ages 3-18) $9

Kids ages 2 and under are FREE

Purchase tickets upon arrival or at the link below

Have a question? Give us a call at (864)467-3100.

Family Fun Days are included with your general admission.

Away From Home: Native American Boarding Schools
2024-08-31 10:00 - 2024-10-20 17:00 UTC
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.
Support provided by

Revolution in the Carolinas
2024-09-04 17:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
The Life and Times of General Andrew Pickens: Revolutionary War Hero, American Founder
Presented by Dr. Rod Andrew, Clemson University
Brigadier General Andrew Pickens was born in Pennsylvania in 1739. He later moved to the Waxhaws region of South Carolina and rose to military acclaim during the Cherokee War. During the American Revolution, he commanded a three-hundred-man South Carolina militia through multiple battles across the South, including the Battle of Cowpens, Siege of Ninety-Six, and the Battle of Eutaw Springs.
Dr. Rod Andrew Jr. is a professor of history and Alumni Master Teacher at Clemson University and a retired Colonel in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. His written work includes The Life and Times of Andrew Pickens: Revolutionary War Hero, American Founder and Wade Hampton: Confederate Warrior to Southern Redeemer.

Revolution in the Carolinas is generously sponsored by:

Connections Café - Curious George
2024-09-12 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.

September 12 | 2:00 p.m.
Join us on September 12 and explore Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!

Connections Café is generously sponsored by:
