ROCK HILL, S.C. — The Museum of York County recently opened its newest exhibition, Ice Age Carolinas: Exploring Our Pleistocene Past. And they surely have been waiting a while for the public to see it!
Work on the exhibit began a few years ago and was completed in March of 2020. Enter the COVID-19 pandemic and they were shut down all the way through June of this year.
Thankfully, they have been going strong ever since. This exciting exhibit showcases animals and plants that used to reside right here in the Carolinas. It features life-sized models, taxidermy mounts, diorama and habitat settings, fossils, and interpretive displays.
Dr. Steve Fields, who visitors affectionately call "Dr. Steve," said you would be surprised to learn what animals used to live here.
“Giant ground sloths, Columbian mammoths, our own type of muskox, and of course the famous saber-toothed cat," he said. "All of those things and much more lived here during the Ice Ages.”
The Museum of York County is focused on the natural history of the Carolina Piedmont. The Naturalist Center housed there is the only Smithsonian-style education center in all of South Carolina.
The center has over 2,000 specimens that kids can see and touch. Angela Purcell, an educator and interpreter at the Museum of York County, said the hands-on experience is what makes the center so unique. She believes that children being able to use more senses than just sight fosters an appreciation and love for these creatures.
There is also a planetarium with the region's only full-dome digital projection technology and a surround-sound system. You can experience eye-catching displays here with their show ‘The Birth of Planet Earth’ at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. They have additional shows on Saturdays.
There’s also an area in the museum dedicated to the work of Vernon Grant who used to live in Rock Hill. He is famous for his gnomes and ‘Snap, Crackle, and Pop’ from Kellogg's Rice Krispies.
They have special shows, too, like this upcoming weekend’s “Harry Potter Science Saturday”.
The museum is encouraging masks, but not requiring them. They also recommend folks stay 6 feet apart indoors.
Contact Brittany Van Voorhees at bvanvoorhe@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.