Several Columbia museums offer free or reduced admission today

It’s the first Sunday of the month, which means that deals abound at local museums. Beat the heat today and spend the day exploring art, history or kid-friendly science.

The Columbia Museum of Art offers free admission every Sunday, sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina. Current exhibits include “From Marilyn to Mao: Andy Warhol’s Famous Faces,” “The Columbia Broadside Project” and “With Sponge, Brush and Stencil:Bunzlauer Pottery.” The art museum is open from noon until 5 p.m. on Sundays, and is located at 1515 Main St. in downtown Columbia.

The South Carolina State Museum offers $1 admission, sponsored by First Citizens bank. General admission includes access to four floors of main exhibits, including S.C. history, natural history, science and technology. Be sure to check out the new observatory and Robert B. Arial Collection of Historical Astronomy on the fourth floor.

General admission does not include access to the planetarium, 4D theater or BUGS! Giant Robotic Creatures, the museum’s current blockbuster exhibit. For ticket prices for those features, visit scmurseum.org.

The State Museum is open from noon until 5 p.m. Sundays. The museum is located at 301 Gervais St. in The Vista.

If you’re a Bank of America cardholder, admission to EdVenture is free the first weekend of each month. Current exhibits include The Adventures of Mr. Potato Head and the outdoor butterfly garden. The children’s museum is open from noon until 5 p.m. and is located at 211 Gervais St., across from the State Museum.

Bridget Winston, Special to The State

This story was originally published July 5, 2015 at 10:16 AM with the headline "Several Columbia museums offer free or reduced admission today."