Group Tours
Step Into the Past
Group Tours
We offer a variety of options for adult group tours. Explore our many tour options below and start planning your visit. We are happy to customize your group's visit.
From corporate events seeking a team-building excursion to family reunions wanting to step into the past, Historic Columbia’s group tours provide expert insight into the complex history of the American South. The itineraries below will help you craft your adventure with ease, from walking down Main Street to enjoying a ride through the city's historic districts.
Scheduling Your Experience
Sample Itineraries
Historic Columbia offers customized experiences for groups of all sizes. The itineraries below reflect suggested timing for your visit based on group size and number of hours, and allow you to pick the activities that best meet your group’s interests.
- 90-minute Visit | Groups of 10-30 People
Groups of 10-30 People
90-minute VisitTime
Activity
10:00 a.m.
Arrival
10:15 a.m.
Museum Tour or Walking Tour
11:45 a.m.
Departure
- 3-hour Visit | Groups of 15-30 People
Groups of 15-30 People
3-hour VisitTime
Activity
10:00 a.m.
Arrival
10:00 a.m.
Museum Tour
11:15 - 11:45 a.m.
Break/Restrooms
11:45 a.m.
Museum Tour
1:00 p.m.
Departure
- Half-day Visit | Up to 60 People (Museum + Bus Tour)
Groups of up to 60 People
Museum + Bus TourTime
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
10:00 a.m.
Arrival
10:15 a.m.
Museum
Museum
Bus Tour
11:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Break
12:00 p.m.
Bus Tour
Museum
Museum
1:45 p.m.
Departure
- Full-day Visit with Lunch Break | Groups of 45-60 People (Museum + Bus Tour)
Sample Itinerary for up to 60 People
Museum + Bus TourTime
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
10:00 a.m.
Arrival
10:15 a.m.
Museum
Museum
Bus Tour
11:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Break for Lunch (see FAQs)
1:30 p.m.
Bus Tour
Museum
Museum
3:00 p.m.
Break
3:30 p.m.
Departure
- Half-day Visit | $30/person + $225 flat rate bus fee
Groups of 30 People Time
Group A
Group B
10:00 a.m.
Arrival
10:15 a.m.
Tour of Mann-Simons Site
Tour of Modjeska Monteith Simkins House
11:00 a.m.
Tour of Modjeska Monteith Simkins House
Tour of Mann-Simons Site
11:45 a.m.
Break
12:00 p.m.
African American Sites Bus Tour
1:30 p.m.
Departure
Key Information
Parking + Buses
- Free parking is available for personal vehicles in the parking lot adjacent to the Welcome Center, located at the Robert Mills House. Additional free on-street parking is available on the blocks surrounding the site (Pickens Street, Blanding Street, and Henderson Street).
- Free parking for buses, motorcoaches, or larger vehicles is available on the 1600 block of Blanding Street.
Restrooms
- The Carriage House, located at the Robert Mills House, has single occupancy bathrooms. For larger groups, additional restrooms are available in the basement of the Hampton-Preston Mansion.
Gardens
- Historic Columbia cultivates 14 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens in the heart of the Robert Mills Historic District. These gardens are free and open to the public and showcase heirloom and native plantings popular in Columbia over the past two centuries. Detailed wayside signs throughout each property explain the unique aspects of each site’s history. We invite you to explore the gardens in between tours times and even enjoy a picnic under the stately trees.
- The gardens are open to the public as follows:
- Seibels House (1601 Richland Street): 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Friday | Closed Saturday and Sunday
- Robert Mills (1616 Blanding Street): 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Saturday | 1 – 4 p.m. Sunday
- Hampton-Preston (1615 Blanding Street): 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Saturday | 1 – 4 p.m. Sunday
- Woodrow Wilson Family Home (1705 Hampton Street): 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Saturday | 1 – 4 p.m. Sunday
Member Benefits and Comp Passes
- No additional complimentary passes or other discounts may be used with group tours.
Accessibility - Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- We recognize that 19th-century architecture poses some accessibility challenges and are always working to improve access to our homes for all our visitors. If you or your group have any accessibility concerns, please call 24 hours in advance of your tour so that we may best meet your needs. There is a small step to gain access to the Historic Columbia's Welcome Center where select tours may start. With 24-hour advance notice, we can place a ramp at the entrance to allow wheelchair access. Please contact (803) 252-1770 ext. 25 for more information about accessibility at any of Historic Columbia's properties. If a group tour is scheduled on the weekend, visitors should contact Historic Columbia during regular weekday business hours to plan for an upcoming visit.
Add-on Experiences
- Lunch on-site: Groups are welcome to use the grounds for a picnic free of charge. Groups may reserve the Robert Mills Carriage House or Boyd Horticultural Center (October through March only) for a nominal fee with your group tour booking. The fee includes use of the space with tables and chairs. Tablecloths, plates, utensils, etc. are not included.
- Visit Downtown: Full-day itineraries can accommodate a break for lunch or shopping on Main Street, four blocks from our museum sites.
Book Your Group Tour
#form Ready to explore Columbia’s history? Use the form below to inquire about scheduling your guided tour and experience the stories, struggles, and triumphs that shaped our community. Questions? Please contact Adam Miller, Group Tour Coordinator at (803) 252-1770 ext. 23.