Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon Reviews

The Old Exchange is an historically important site, and worth the visit. You can stand in the small ballroom where Washington supposed danced with 400 women one night. But the staff were no more than business-like, and the guide to the dungeon not special.

Great little museum with an interesting history. The guided dungeon tour was worth the price of admission. Our tour guide Susan was great! Good place to spend an hour or so to get out of the summer heat.

Tours were excellent and we learned quite a bit about Charleston's history while here. The dungeon's history was fascinating & the docent was very impressive.

We visited the day after a guided walking history tour with a licensed guide.

The building was central to historic Charleston.

I thought the best part was the guided tour of the Provost Dungeon with a docent in period garb. Period Scenes of the use of the Dungeon are illustrated with mannequins and reconstructions. Really brings it meaning.

The main and upper floors have a number of exhibits relating to personages who were key players in Charleston history.

Not expensive to visit - $9/senior

We spent almost 2 hours here.

Tor guides in period dress bring the stories to life. Very interesting building and history. Enjoy a nice walk along the water afterwards

We were visiting our son, who is an avid history lover. Due to Covid, many things were closed, but this was open so we decided to give it a try. The main floor museum is interesting, but we really enjoyed going down into the dungeon area. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable, and we really enjoyed the tour. I would definitely recommend it!

The second and third floor exhibits are interesting and informative, but it's the narrated tour of the dungeon that makes this a worthwhile experience. The southern history and the southern point of view on the revolutionary was was enlightening to me as a northerner. The architecture of the dungeon is fascinating.

Another highlight was interacting with a young docent on the third floor. His knowledge of Charleston's history around the civil war was especially interesting.

Takes about an hour and half.

Not very interesting or well described. No mention of pirates, little mention of the prisoners keep here.

Good place for a quick 25 min tour of history. Tour guide was very good. Cool listening to history of this building

Tour of the dungeon was alright, but between the casual sexist jokes and the tour guide WEARING HIS MASK AROUND HIS CHIN for the duration of the INDOOR tour, I'm not sure this was with the money.

Learnt a lot about Carolinas and Charleston history in specific, the way they built their commerce and wealth.

Very informative. Guides in period costume are very knowledgeable. Our Walks of Charleston tour guide recommended we visit the Old Exchange and Provost Dugeon as well as the Slave Market. He was right.

The top two floors have a nice mix of pictures, information boards, and artifacts. The guided tour of the dungeon was very good and most interesting. Our guide took a few extra minutes and told a few additional stories. Enjoyed this very much.

Our walking tour guide recommended we spend time here and it was time well spent. It can be done in about an hour and we learned some interesting facts about charleton's history.

What a beautiful and historic building!!! The staff is amazing!!! As a serious student of history. I was so pleased to tour this site. So much history here.

This building has had an extraordinary history, and the tour, artifacts, displays, and plaques cover its role as a place to entertain dignitaries (including George Washington), a post office, a dungeon, and a setting for slave auctions. A MUST!

Very small. Historical guide was very informative. We did the combo tour with the slave mart. A little pricey for the small tour.

This was a neat tour. It put realism into the true stories about the provost dungeon and how it relates to today's PTSD. The building is neat

Don't miss the guided tour of the dungeon, which housed prisoners of the Revolutionary War. The other two floors are self-guided, and have a lot of historic information, but not as interesting. And when you are done here, the Slave Mart is a very short walk away - a must see.

This is the most historic place in Charles Town. the dungeon was fabulous too. So hard to go back in time and imagine all that occurred here. Love the tour guide and their costumes.

We did an afternoon tour, which also included walking trough room with documents, paintings and other memorabilia on the main floor. Workers were very friendly and helpful and the docent was very knowledgeable about the dungeon and Charleston history, was easy to hear and understand her and spoke the right length of time--not too wordy. The dungeon was very interesting to see as well (basement). Must have been awful for the prisoners back in the day. Well worth the visit.

This was a fairly brief stop to enjoy some history and cool old architecture. The entry fee includes a guided tour in the dungeon and you can explore the other floors on your own. It’s also located in close proximity to other attractions and restaurants. It’s definitely a “one and done” attraction but worth it nonetheless.

This was a great tour and a great value! My husband and I learned so much from the tour as well as from reading the many displays in the museum! I highly recommend adding this to your agenda. It will add a great deal to your experience in the city!

We highly enjoyed learning about the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon! Bob & Carolyn were excellent docents! And I loved learning more about the DAR! Great gift shop too!

It is important to learn about history. We learned about the Revolutionary war times in the South. The first tea party was here!

Amazing historical spot in the heart of Charlestown. We spent about four hours at historical exchange and Revolutionary War dungeon. We took the extremely informative tour then spent hours reading placards in the three story museum. A must see for history buffs!

Average site to see. If you are in the area and looking to complete your Charleston experience its not a bad stop but probably would not put this on a friends "top stops in Charleston" list.

Charleston obviously abounds with Civil War History, so a visit to a Revolutionary War site was great for expanding my knowledge of Charleston's history beyond the Civil War. Definitely worth seeing.

Although hot outside, it was cooler inside so a great break from the heat and tour of the dungeon was interesting. The rest being self guided so you can be as in depth as you'd like. Two teenagers with us were entertained as well. A must see. Cost for a combo ticket for this site was $15.00 per adult for the Slave market museum as well.

Our Dungeon tour guide was funny, polished but connected with his audience, and highly informative. We learned so much about Charleston’s early history, architecture of the old Provost, piracy, the slave trade, rice, how rich Charleston was compared to the rest of the colonies —so, so much yet it flowed beautifully! Don’t miss this museum and its Dungeon tour!

I learned a lot about Charleston history and it roles in played during the wars. Tour was good and informative. Great experience.

We enjoyed this place and going on the tour to learn more about what went on there years ago. I would recommend the tour and not just walking through it on your own.

You can’t go to Charleston and not learn about it’s beginnings. This tour is a must! You see and learn so much by a guide dressed in period clothing. Highly Recommend!

Easy visit. This was under the radar for us, but what a piece of history this building is. George Washington was entertained here and 3 signers of the Declaration of Independence were imprisoned in the dungeon by the British

We went because of the “dungeon tour” — sounded like something the teens would enjoy. The dungeon aspect was WAY oversold — it was a pretty cool basement that has survived a long time…the structure of it was the most interesting thing. The tour was just looking at tired old mannequins posed in “historical” scenes that really didn’t have anything to do with the “dungeon.” Disappointing.

It is $10 per adult to get in. The upstairs is on your own......self guided. The basement does have a guide to explain things. This is a good spot to spend a hour or two.
I don't know if there is another way in, but you do have to climb some stairs.....maybe not good for someone in a wheelchair.......that would have to be looked into.

If one wants to better understand slavery in America, this is an educational experience. This is a DAR building and the city maintains it. The docents were wonderful.

To get a better understanding of the history of Charleston this is a must see. The tour was all about the history of the city and what happened in the historic city. It was all about what the tour guides and their knowledge of this history. I expected a bit more from the Basement tour...but overall it was still worth the price of admission.

The building is right in the middle of everything you want to do in Charleston. The tour of the lower levels was very informative. We went through the entire building and all the exhibits. We encountered a gentleman who had actual and replica guns from the 1700's, and allowed us to examine them, and experience the weight and cumbersome task of loading a shot ball. We really understood what it would take to live colonial life, as this was a meeting place, a prison, an auction house, a storage facility, etc.

Four of us went on this tour and for the most part, it was very interesting. The narrator did a very good job. They do throw a lot of facts at you but we generally enjoyed ourselves.

We really enjoyed the dungeon tour and then the self guided tour of the rest of the building. So much history we were unaware of!

I love history. I was totally awestruck to know that these same halls were visited by notables such as Washington. It's a beautiful building, rich with history

We accidentally walked up to this museum. We walked in to inquire about a walking tour, but we didn't want to do that as it was too long. However, we purchased the combo ticket with the Old Slave Mart and the Exchange. We ended up getting a private tour of the dungeon because no one else was there when we wanted to tour. The guide was excellent, knowledgeable, friendly, and really personable. Please stop buy this museum and get a tour and then go up stairs to the hall.

Highly recommend everyone going to the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon. Very well done and educational.

Lovely tour guide, Aerial. She was very informative. Great history lesson of Charleston and good A/C.

Very interesting museum and informative about the history of Charleston. Pretty cool to go down in the “dungeon” and see that space.

We were walking by and decided to stop in. We enjoyed our visit and learned so much history and importance of this building. The tour guide was very knowledgeable.

fabulous spot to visit for history buffs.Friendly people nice exhibits tour were nicely done. very informative. would return

Although we did our own exploring, there is plenty of information to read and see. To be recommended.

The Old Exchange was completed in 1771 just before the American Revolution started. The British used it to collect import duties and other administrative functions. During the war the British took control of Charleston and housed Revolutionary leaders and soldiers in the dungeon located below the main level. It really is a must to take the tour of the dungeon as you will get a lot of history of the building, including it's use to hold public auctions of slaves until Charlston banned them.
The building is pretty much as it was upon it's completion and in one place you can see part of the original wall surrounding Charleston which is really amazing. On the main floor there are displays about the history of the building which are interesting and informative. You can also go up to the top floor which was the site of many historic events.

The cost is $16 which is well worth it but if you get a combo ticket for the old slave mart museum you will save a little money and both re worth seeing.

It's 3 levels and has AC which is a HUGE relief in the heat of August. The dungeon has a guided tour and our tour guide Carloyn was awesome! Recommend stopping!

We took a detour to the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon. We learned the history of this 259 year old custom house. It was used as a custom house, public market, public meeting place, and jail.

This is a must-see while in Charleston! When visiting, make sure to do the dungeon tour. It is included in the ticket price and it was so fascinating! The entire visit won't take you too long, but you should definitely stop here. There is so much history here that you won't want to miss.

I would allot 1 hour for this experience. 30 minutes for the museum and 30 minutes for the dungeon tour. Tour guide was great. I wish there was a talk about the constitution on the 3rd floor as well.

$10 per adult. Less if you’re military or a teacher. I am a teacher but they didn’t mention the discount until the group right behind us-so-I paid twice as much, but-even though I told them-they didn’t offer to fix it-they really didn’t even comment. But...aside from that, a very nice experience. Dungeon and provost was guided and the other two floors were self-guided. This museum is kind of what you already of it. The guide was pretty good but the other two ladies who were working seemed rather oblivious to our presence.

Oldest museum in the area. Come and check this out. You won’t regret it.

nice place, friendly staff, admission fee, worth it, u can see some cool old money, can even touch it. hold the guns, what they used to trade, and a dungeon where prisoners were kept, and an old post office. tour available of the dungeon. lot of info.

Was undecided on visiting while in town but glad we did. The guide for the dungeon tour was great and very excited to see one of the 200 original Declaration of Independence copies on site here.

Very interesting museum covering its Revolutionary War and other history. Loved the dungeon tour, a must-do if you have time!

We stopped at the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon as we walked around Charleston. The staff was very friendly and provided us with background information while we stood in line for out tickets. Simple set up- pay the 10 dollar fee and walk around the first floor and 2nd floor until your time to tour the dungeon. The dungeon tour is led by a host. Our host was very knowledgeable and was able to provide a lot of info and answer all of our questions. If you like to understand the history of places you visit, this is a good stop. We enjoyed the experience.

Living History. Doesn't matter if you are a history buff or not, do stop here when in Charlestown. Only one of 3 building original to the colonial era, and long stories to match. The guide is very informative and the dungeon will send you back to then.
Enjoy

I was encouraged by DAR sisters to visit. Did not know this is owned by the SC delegation. They gave me a discount even though I’m a Kentucky daughter! The tour guide was very informative- a retired HS history teacher!

Interesting tour of the dungeon. Glad we took a detour from our walk of downtown Charleston. If you like history, you will enjoy a visit to the Old Exchange.

The tour, led by very knowledgable and enthusiastic consumed guides, is fascinating and informative.

Happened upon this place whilein Charleston. A definite must for those interested in history. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff that love telling you the history of the place.

This was my favorite ghost tour/event. Our guide was so entertaining and knowledgeable. I went on 3 ghost tours while in Charleston and this was definitely the best! You will.learn your history also.

In addition to the great history surrounding this building, the dungeon tour was great. Chris was our guide who was extremely knowledgeable, mixing in the right amount of humor. Following the tour, we wandered about reading from the numerous story boards displayed throughout. Chris caught up with us and continued to share even more about the the Exchange, as well as some additional Charleston history. Worth a visit!

Carol provided a lot of insights into how the dungeon had been used over time. The visual exhibits added to the information. For the Exchange, you did a self-guided tour. There were a lot of explanatory materials to provide details. The organization that runs the Exchange have done a good job with keeping up appearances. The tour was a little expensive.

We went to this as part of our Charleston Tour Pass. This building was very important in both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. It contains interesting displays and art. The best part, however, is the live presentation in the dungeon. The lovely lady that was our guide was very knowledgable and entertaining. Highly recommended.

It's worth the admission price to see the Great Hall were George Washington hosted a few parties and the dungeon is very cool to see with a short tour. Everything else is signage that was very well done coming from a museum worker - yet be prepared to read a lot and research on your own to get a fuller picture of its use in history.

Our tour guide Ariel was super cool and very knowledgeable. I learned so much about the history of Charleston.

Bonus- A/C works!

This tour was extremely enlightening to the history of Charleston during the revolutionary war. It spoke to the change in the physical layout of the city, as the water came up to the front of the building in the past. Also discussed the various uses of the building overtime, and spoke of the terrible conditions that prisoners had to endure. The docent was extremely knowledgeable and the tour was well worth it.

It was closed when I went there, which was a pity. I heard that there was an introduction to the slave trade process inside. I'm not sure about the specific settings inside. I hope to have the opportunity to check in again in the future.

This was a wonderful experience for my family and I. My husband and I have visited here before and there is quite a bit to observe. The tour into the dungeon is about 20 minutes, but it provides a lot of information by the guide. Kids are encouraged to attend and the guide had a seek and find "game" for them to play as the tour was underway to keep their minds occupied and to make the walk into the dungeon less scary.

It is a very good stop if you like Revolutionary war and old historical buildings. the history behind this building is interesting. but if historical buildings is what you like this may be a stop for you. The tour guide does a real good job.

Worth stepping off the street and into a 17th Century dungeon where the guides immerse you in old Charleston history. Only took about 30min and gets you out of the hot sun!

This was a wonderful tour lasting about 30 minutes. Our guide was animated and consistent with dates and timing of the history of the dungeon, who some of the inhabitants were, why they could have been sent there. It was wild to think of how many people were imprisoned in the space at one time, not much ventilation, no running water, it’s no wonder that so many perished. Highly recommend this tour.

The tour guide was super friendly and knowledgeable. The tour takes about 1/2 hour and is fun and informative.

So much information to enjoy at the Old Exchange and Dungeon. The tour of the dungeon was good and worth the time to go through the tour. Allow plenty of time to look around the entire building. It is a great place to take a break from the heat and enjoy some air conditioning while learning alot.

We thoroughly enjoyed this tour. It was recommended by the Pineapple Tour and we were so glad we went! The Declaration of Independence was read to South Carolinians from this building! Great information that links our history!

So interesting. Definitely start your tour in the dungeon. Very knowledgeable staff who love their jobs.

My friend was excited to take me on the Provost Dungeon Tour. She and I payed $5 each since we are local students. Our tour guide was a young girl with dark hair. I assume that she is a college student as well. Anyway, she rushed my group through the dungeon and skipped sections of the dungeon and details. She was talking extremely fast while screaming the information at us in what I can only describe as a hostile manner. I could not make out what she was saying. I’m not usually a Karen about this but I left with a migraine and it was ultimately a terrible experience. My friend had done this tour twice before but this time was just god awful. I could not imagine paying the full $16 for this terrible tour. She was the worst tour guide I have ever had anywhere.

What a great tour and experience. Our tour guide down in the dungeon really knew his history. I do believe his name was Chris. It was really interested to here about the history of this building and Charleston. You need to check it out.

The workers are dressed in the period's attire. It's a guided tour of the dungeon but the first and second floor you can roam about as you please. There is a gift shop as well on the first floor. Our tour guide was Christina and she was amazing and funny. If you are interested in learning more about Charleston's history, you should visit here!

Stopped in as we walked by en route to the waterfront park. Fascinating history of Charleston and its role in the revolutionary war. Well preserved and maintained structure is beautiful. Ariel, our tour guide, gave an excellent and engaging presentation. The African American craftsmanship that built this structure is beautiful, intricate and an engineering marvel. The tour gives credit to those enslaved Americans who were responsible for creating this beautiful structure. It also respectfully discusses the sadder side of the Charleston slave trade. Inexpensive entry charge. Allow yourself a 1.5-2 hours to take the tour (30 min) and read the history and peruse the historic art and photographs.

This was very interesting. The history is almost mind boggling. So much happened on this site. Don't miss the tour of the dungeon. It was very good and we would repeat.

Aside from the long history complete with dungeon, they have two DAR period rooms with important historic meaning. If you only see one thing, come here first! Justina

Dare I say it on here, US History can sometimes be more dry--though important--than other countries with longer, richer history. The museum level itself on the first and second floors has good information, kind staff and I would consider it average.

What brings this site up a notch is the tour given in the dungeon. The history explained to you by a guide provides much better context in a way that is relatable and enjoyable. You go away from the guided piece of this tour learning something. So if you go, don't do the stuff on the 1st and 2nd floors and leave. Make sure to go down to the tour and listen to the smart people who work there.

The highlight of our visit was the guided tour of the dungeon. Our guide was very entertaining and knew his history.

Visited based on reviews from Tripadvisor and we were not disappointed, Staff were friendly and knowledgeable. The tour we took was very atmospheric and the guide (sorry can't remember his name) was very good. The history is great and we were able to relate to the places we had looked at the previous day. A great visit, thank you

This building/tour was so interesting! Definitely take the dungeon tour, the architecture was amazing and our tour guide was very informative! My husband thought it was very cool to be able to walk on bricks that old! It’s also walking distance to many bars/restaurants in the area.

Very interesting place. Amazing architecture. A must for history buff’s. The dungeon tour is kinda hokie, but some interesting facts interjected amount the bs.

This is a required stop in Charleston if you have any interest in history. There are two floors of the old exchange to visit plus a tour of the dungeons. Definitely a place to get additional insights into Charleston’s history.

For $10 you get access plus the tour which is definitely worth it. I would plan for a minimum of an hour for the visit plus the guided tour.

Very worthwhile and one of the historical highlights of our visit.

Wonderful collection of American Revolutionary artifacts. Furniture, displays of armaments and historical explanations were truly well done

There is so much to see inside this building and you are going to learn so much about history. You get a tour of the Provost Dungeon and explore 3 levels of history. Take your time and soak it all up. This is definitely a must see while in Charleston.

I enjoyed the dungeon much better than the other floors. The tour guide in the dungeon really knew all about the history of the dungeon and the building. Very informative!

We took this tour in conjunction with the Old Slave Mart museum. [You can get a combination ticket]. Our tour guide was Carrin, and was STUNNING in her knowledge, great sense of humor, and pacing. We HIGHLY recommend. There's so much more than just the dungeon, however. Upstairs is a great room in which South Carolina reps signed the Constitution, and they have a reproduction Declaration of Independence that YOU can sign. FABULOUS gift store as well.

This was one of the only things we really wanted to do while in Charleston and it did not disappoint...we loved it and Daniel, our guide of the Provost, was soooooo information and entertaining! Thank you, Daniel!

THis is a neat place. The tour is excellent and worth the money. It's full of America's history. So glad the building was saved from demolition. It's neat to be where the founding fathers once were! Our tour guide was great. A recommended stop in Charlston.

A must see! Great dungeon tour and and a comprehensive history of the place. Bring your imagination and the place comes alive!

Great historical site with plenty to do, but not sure it is worth the cost for each person. We enjoyed the dungeon and other parts but does not take too long to walk it on your own so plan accordingly.

We started with the tour of the dungeon. Benny is a great guide; you can tell he loves talking about history. We got a good feel for what it was like being held in prison. Be sure to bring a flashlight for a good look in the corners. Then we made our way back to the main level to learn about commerce in the area, pre- and post- civil war, and what uses the building had.

We squeezed a visit in for a couple of hours during one of our afternoons in Charleston. We are glad that we did. It's an impressive colonial building with interesting and important history. The upstairs portions are self-guided. Lots of exhibits and reading if you so choose. The dungeon has impressive stone work and arches plus some interesting history. You can do some of The Dungeon as a self-guided tour, but parts of it are only seen as part of the tour. Our tour guide was entertaining and we enjoyed the tour.

We had a lovely time walking through the history of this building. Lots to read and the dungeon tour was very informative. The guide was enthusiastic about sharing the history of the provost. We bought a combined ticket which I would recommend if you want to visit the Old Slave Mart museum.

This is one of the most significant public historic buildings in town and it contains a museum. Worth a look and some photos.

We were looking forward to the dungeon tour and it was great. The building's top floor is were South Carolina ratified the United States Constitution, very cool. There is paintings, artifacts and information from the revolutionary and civil wars. Very cool place to tour and a Charleston must see.

Some interesting exhibits to read, and nicely furnished meeting rooms. The dungeon tour was kinda hokey with not much to see (other than some bored-looking mannequins).

We really enjoyed this and we think it is worth it. It is a very interesting tour providing insightful information. I have three boys who are 18, six and four and they all enjoyed it. The dungeon is very interesting.

Recommended. Our tour guide was very informative. Not our first time in Charleston but we just learned this tour was available. Would go again next time we visit.

Very enjoyable and informative on the history of Charleston. Well worth the price of the tour. We had this tour as part of a package deal.

With excellent displays and a guided tour of the dungeon, one comes away with a good grasp of the social climate.

This is the Old British Customs House. There are two floors of museum collections and they you get a tour of the dungeon where they used to keep prisoners and explosives, very informational and interesting to hear about Revolutionary War History. People who work there are all in period costumes. There is a place to sign the Declaration of Independence and you get the feel for what it was like to be in that building back in the 1700s. Definitely worth a visit!

We came to Charleston on a rainy day. This was a perfect activity. The museum is great and the dungeon tour was very informative. Price was reasonable at $15.

We toured upstairs and the dungeon. Very good docents that were happy to share their knowledge of this important part of history. They suggested we visit the sister museum- the slave mart museum- DON"T, it was a waste of time.

This was our first stop on a walking tour. It was a very interesting museum and we are glad the took the Dungeon guided tour. The history of the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon was amazing. I would recommend.

Enjoyed learning about SC's role/timing in US government formation. Dungeon was also very interesting, especially the design/arches.

This is a good place to take kids. They will be enamored by the stories and the history. The gift shop has really neat items, too.

We went here with our daughter and she loves the 17th century architecture and the stories told by the tour guide. It is just like being transported back to 1720.

Nice presentation. Sorry we didn’t hear more about the pirates. Out of some size Large t-shirts. Would have bought the John Adams quote.

Our guide for the Provost Dungeon Tour was great. Very entertaining and knowledgeable. Well worth the price to experience this part of Charleston history.

My friends and I visited here recently and what a bargain for $10. The staff was amazing -- so helpful and knowledgeable! The tour of the first two floors is self-guided and you can spend as much time as you like. So much information and the restoration is awesome. The tour of the dungeon/basement was very cool and our guide was fab. I learned so much about the history of Charleston and cannot say enough good things about this tour/visit.

Very interesting and balanced provost/dungeon tour and good museum exhibits on the upper floors with multimedia displays. Our guide did an excellent job.

Interesting and informative. Plan for about two hours so you’re not rushing. Be sure to attend the guided tour of the dungeon, it was very good!

The Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon is a great place full of history. The stories about the building and Charleston are very interesting. We had a tour of the Provost or dungeon on the ground floor. That part of the building served many purposes over the years including housing prisoners.

It's a cool place to go to get something different than the typical historic homes tour. Very interesting space, lots of good perspective of the history of the city and it gives you a chance to see the changing nature of public spaces. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and interesting.

The docents gave an ininformative tour with good knowledge. My interest was more on the pre-civil war time period. He talked about the issues such as Revolutionary war purposes and slavery in probably the wealthiest city in America at the time.

This was a very interesting dungeon tour as well as the rest of the exchange. Quite a Revolutionary War era history lesson of Charleston

Very nice building inside and gives you insight into the times. We took the tour and the guide was good and very informative.

We had a combo ticket with the old slave mart. This was so worth seeing both!! We had a great tour guide for the dungeon named Deanna. Great information and humor. She said she’s a high school history teacher, so she knows her stuff! Lots of history to learn, and this was a great place to get it!

It was an interesting experience. Pretty cool to see and be in the place where history was made in different aspects. The way they re purposed this location over and over again over a long period of time was cool

Everything you see in the pictures on here is basically what they have to see. Nothing more.

If you are a history buff or love learning then this is a tour for you. The amount that this building holds is truly unbelievable... if only those walls could talk. Our guide really knew his history and had a great sense of humor. If you do visit this Exchange & Provost building, do NOT skip the tour of the dungeon, it is the best part of visiting here. One of the most surprising shocks that I experienced while visiting here was seeing some of my own ancestors on the list of prisoners that were held there during the time period that the Old Exchange & Provost was used as a jail!

This is our first tour of a custom house type building. We didn't know anything about the business end of a harbor. The dungeon tour was especially informative. Quick tour.

The building was saved by DRW, who bought it from the US government. The building is nicely restored, and now is a museum. Do not miss the tour of the dungeons.

This museum was well worth the time. It was especially impressive to see the declaration of independence. I felt there could have been more prisoner detail when in the dungeon section.

I wish I could remember the name of our wonderful tour guide today but it was such an awesome experience. I want him to know that he tripped up on a few words and got so nervous, and it was no big deal at all. We couldn’t have asked for a more knowledgeable guide and we are so glad we had him!

We walked in off the street with no prior intention of going on a tour and I’m so glad we felt prompted to walk in! We signed up for a tour and had a great time. It’s a deeply humbling experience to put yourself in the shoes of these prisoners that were locked up in horrific conditions for potentially nothing worse than anything you or I have ever done.

Also to think of the blood sweat and tears of slaves to build each and every brick. We felt the heaviness of that fact and felt the utmost respect. I appreciated the education and information for myself and my family today. It was an important slice of information for this area and I’m grateful we came. I absolutely recommend this tour

Neat 10 dollar tour that brings you back to what happen in Charleston from before the revolution through civil war! one of four buildings left standing in the entire USA where the constitution was actually signed and ratified!

I enjoyed the history that the museum represents but I really enjoyed our tour of the dungeon. Oue tour guide was great.

We interacted with 2 staff, the lady checking us in and Christian, who did the dungeon tour. They were both smiling, interactive, and happy to share information. My wish is that they had a few more staff planted about to give more information throughout. Overall, a great experience and lots of history. My 3 kids enjoyed it as well.

I didn't realize until after my visit that I could have seen this without paying. The $10 ticket was for a 15 minute tour from a guide. I could have looked around and read the information posted around. It was interesting, but not what I was expecting.

Step back in time and learn something I'm sure you didn't know upon entering. This tour was dark, educational, and at times, even a smidge humorous. If you're not steady on your feet, this probably isn't the best tour for you, as the floor is extremely uneven.

We really liked the tour and information here. Very reasonable tour. Would recommend to anyone visiting Charleston.

Great experience. Definitely worth your time if visiting Charleston. The story telling and history of the dungeon from our tour guide was exceptional.

As one of the last buildings constructed under British rule in Charleston, this structure is really something to behold. The dungeon is worth the price by itself. The architecture and authenticity are mind-blowing, and the story behind it was supremely interesting. Upstairs, the rooms that held celebrations for George Washington’s Southern tour will give you a nice feel for the time period. The artifacts are well-chosen and nicely displayed. Overall, it was an interesting and well-designed museum and well worth the price of admission.

So neat to visit a place so well preserved from Colonial times. It was moving being in the room where the constitution was ratified. We enjoyed the tour of the dungeon. My teens all were engrossed in the History.

Wasn’t sure what the Exchange was about, but the dungeon was cool! Maybe I just missed what the Exchange was about, but it wasn’t very obvious to me. The view from the great room on the top floor is really nice! Not a must see, but definitely see it if you have time! The dungeon has some nice history.

This building holds a lot of history and they have it all well documented with pics, artifacts, and tour guides.

A real must to see. The tour of the dungeon is so historically important and the site is an important museum full of Charleston history.

Good historical information. The presentation was a little dry but lots of information. If you like history I highly recommend but I prefer something more interactive. Some of the physical building dates back to the revolution and the tour focused on that time period. The tour is a 30 minute oration that kids would be bored listening to but most adults would appreciate. Masks were required.

We found this museum so fascinating with so much American history told inside. The building has withstood the test of time. The building dates back to the American revolution. The tour of the dungeon was especially interesting. I would certainly recommend a visit.

Having gone to the museum when it first opened, I have very high expectations. Lately my only complaint is that all of the tour guides have anything BUT southern, much less Charleston accents. That’s a local’s issue. They do a good job with the presentation. The history is accurate, but the passion is missing. I will still continue to take my guests here because it is one place where you can still get the feeling of how it was in colonial times.

I highly recommend this visit to all who visit Charleston. The guided tour to the Dungeon (included in the $15 admission fee) is very informative and must do. 30 minutes tour.

Lots of history here. Where the state of South Carolina ratified the constitution and slaves were traded right outside. The dungeon was eye opening. Would highly recommend this site.

We did a tour here, wanting something other than a historic house. The dungeon tour was interesting and well paced 30 minutes with Carol. We also learned the history of the building. The main and top floors are just explore on your own exhibits but worth the time. We purchased the combo ticket which also included the Slave Mart.

The Dungeon tour is the best part of the museum. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. Lots of interesting history in that place. The architect of the dungeon and the open area of the old sea wall was cool.

Building with lots of history and seeing exchange and what it meant for Charleston history along with use of Dungeon for prisoners and storage of goods.

Should be on your must visit places when in Charleston if you love history and want to experience what life was like back in 1700...

Shocked that the guide admitted to glossing over the “uncomfortable” part of history, and that “it” was not his favorite thing to talk about. Instead he preferred to discuss the tea that was hidden in the dungeons. What a miss. So disappointed.

We enjoyed touring the dungeon and learning about how the building had been used over the years. It used to be on the shore before and you can see the original wall, so cool!

If you are a student, teach, Police officer, military, they give a big discount on entry. The dungeon tour is well worth the 30 mins, Jean was awesome. Takes about 1 hour to walk around and worth the stop for the historical buff and the point in history this place holds

What an unexpected treasure! This was on our list as a historical point of interest but it's so much more. The tour of the dungeons is a fantastic trip through history and our guide spoke as if we were living the events of the late 1700s. He was exceptionally knowledgeable and I wish I could remember his name. He has "We the people" tattooed on one of his arms so make sure to look for him as your guide. The upper floors are fascinating with their colonial displays, but it's in the dungeons where the most history is learned. To walk the same floors as George Washington brings history to life, Bonus: there is a significant discount for teachers for the tours. I strongly recommend this as one of your stops in Charleston.

My seven year old really wanted to go here even though we told him he wouldn’t like it. Sure enough, he found it boring. It’s just a basement with some creepy mannequins from like the 80s. We skipped out early on the tour because he was getting restless. There might be some interesting tidbits during the tour and in the other spaces, but we missed them. Rather expensive for what it is. Probably more suited for adults without children.

Please do a haunted tour that includes this place.... it was awesome to see the dungeon of this place

Great way to learn some of the history of Charleston. Dungeon was very interesting and lots of good information upstairs.

We had a great tour in the basement. The rest of the house is also museum about the signing of declaration, but not as good as the basement.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but found the tour to be full of history, both from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. I learned things I didn't know and it was wonderful to be right there where it all happened.

The tour guide of the dungeon had a lot of knowledge and was able to tell the story of the building without sounding overly scripted.

Interesting tour but there was a bit too many people so it made it difficult to hear. There was a lot of interesting history but I preferred the city walk tour.

I can’t imagine coming as a visitor or living here in this beautiful city without experiencing this old exchange. The amount of history at this site is mind-blowing. Absolutely do the tour of the “dungeon”, best part of the visit, our guide was spectacular, super knowledgeable. The architecture was amazing.

The Old Exchange or Custom House was built from 1767-1771 and is arguably amongst the 3 most important public buildings from the colonial period still standing joining Independence Hall in Philadelphia and Faneuil Hall in Boston. So much history inside these walls. It is here where South Carolina selected it’s delegates to the 2nd Continental Congress and where the South Carolina convention was held to ratify the US Constitution. It was the focal point during George Washington’s week long visit to the city. It also served as a prison by the British during the Revolutionary War and this can be experienced during the guided tour of the dungeons included in price of admission. The 2 main floors can be explored on your own. You need 60-90 minutes to take it all in. Anyone who has any appreciation of history should not miss visiting this treasure.

Must go. Even if you are not a history buff you will find this tour interesting, entertaining and insightful. Our docent had just the right amount of passion as she shared her knowledge of the history of the Exchange and Dungeon.

This was well worth the price of admission which was very reasonable! The artifacts are very cool and the history of the building is fascinating! We've visited several tourist attractions while visiting Charleston and the whole family has enjoyed this one most!

We enjoyed our tour-both the guided tour of the provost dungeon and the self-guided. The main and second floors are self-guided. The second floor had information about the ratification of the Constitution. There was also an interesting display of John Trumbull's paintings of Washington's Victory at Trenton, New Jersey. The basement or dungeon level of the building had a miniature model of the city of Charlestown showing a surrounding wall and many original streams of water. It was neat to walk on the original brick floor and learn how the dungeon (provost) was used as a type of jail or holding spot.

Our tour guide didn't really seem into her job. Wasn't worth the money. We thought the dungeon would be scarier.

We spent about an hour and a half here with our 9 year old daughter. There were multiple staff members available who we found to be very knowledgable to answering our questions. Although the space appears sparse, a lot of history was made in this building! And the dungeon tour was fascinating! Who would have thought so much tea was stored in that building right under the nose of the British??? Definitely a cool place to visit if you enjoy history of the South

Our tour guide was very informative and kept our attention the whole time! He was funny and we found out some cool facts!

25-30 minute tour down in the dungeon. The tour guides really know their stuff and you learn some fascinating history about the founding of the United States and Charleston's role in that.

Super interesting, do not miss it on your visit to Charleston! Take the dungeon tour, included in the entrace fee, it’s very cool!

What a great site to visit, especially so close to July 4 🇺🇸! I enjoyed my visit here. The guided tour of the dungeon was interesting, with stories of events surrounding political prisoners, gun ammo storage, and English tea! Upstairs, you will see artifacts that date back to the 1700’s and 1800’s such as portraits, weapons, and handmade/woven items! You will also read interesting stories about events and about historical figures. Great way to learn about history and be in the same room as important people once stood!

Take an hour out of your day and visit the dungeon. It’s a good example of how America used to be in comparison to today. Wonderful history. Highly recommended!!

This was an additional stop we had not planned on but were happy that we went. Interesting history and stories are told.

Great tour of the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon! The staff was very friendly and talked to us about favorite South Carolina spots to tour. We enjoyed reading about George Washington's time spent in Charleston and seeing artifacts. I liked the historical documents throughout the building. The tour guide of the dungeon was great. It was a great educational experience for our daughters. I love that we could give them a real life history field trip on our trip to Charleston. Educators do get a discounted tour.

Very interesting history of the building. Our tour guide was delightful, humorous and knowledgeable.

I had barely paid for the admission before we were bum rushed by the staff and ordered to get downstairs immediately. And I do mean ordered. No please, no thank you, we were simply barked and ordered to run downstairs because "the tour was starting."

I've been here before, maybe about 8 or so years ago, and it was a great place to spend a couple of hours. It's become a joke compared to what it used to be. Access to The Dungeon, let's be honest, the main selling point of the building for a lot of visitors, is limited to about 15 minutes or so of a guided tour. There's absolutely zero time to read anything, look at any of the exhibits, or simply wander around. Just as fast as we were rushed into the dungeon, we were ordered to rush out because the next tour group behind us was coming. I couldn't even tell you what's down there, the guide rushed through her memorized speech so fast you could barely keep up because you got to move for the next group coming down.

That's it for the Dungeon. You get maybe 15 minutes of a hastily spit out tour before they practically run you out. No time to wander around, no time to ask questions or get further information. If you're coming to actually see the dungeon, forget it. They run you in and out of the place so fast, it's not even worth the time.

Hopefully at some point this will change but I doubt it. Until that happens, find someplace else to visit.

We moved to summerville sc and trying to see sights on occasion. The provost was very interesting, really makes you understand how much history charleston had! It was incredible to stand where washington stood!

This is a self guided walk though the original 1700s old exchange and a 1/2 hour guided tour and talk through the dungeon below. We learned a lot of interesting information about Charleston’s history during the Revolution and the use of the building in the years after. $10 price was perfect. We were there for a little over an hour.

We really enjoyed the tour of the dungeon and the self guided tour of the Exchange building. I was glad we went because we learned about the historical importance of the building. It was also a great history lesson about Charleston. The admission fee for the building was low. They do offer discounts for military and educators as well as students. DAR is the custodian of the Exchange. The tour is air conditioned, it was a nice place to take a break from the heat.

Dungeon tour takes about 30 minutes. The rest is self-guided. Some great history here. Museum on entrance floor and one above. Dungeon down below entrance floor.

The information in the rooms upstairs left something to be desired—I wasn’t quite sure what the building was for or why it was significant. But when we took the dungeon tour, a lot of the blanks were filled in. I wish the tour had been more factual—a lot of it seemed like conjecture on the part of the tour guide, but he was engaging and mostly well informed, so I came away feeling like I had learned something.

Probably favorite place to visit. Highlights the colonial history of Charleston the best. It is a self-tour except for the dungeon. Zack was the best tour guide we encountered while in Charleston. Well worth the visit.

I visited the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon in June 2021 during my visit to Charleston. First there was a tour of the dungeons. I think our group was a little too big because sometimes it was difficult to hear the tour guide. Also it was a little uncomfortable in the dungeons. I found the top floor to be very interesting. There were exhibits on how South Carolina ratified the US Constitution in 1788. There were also paintings of George Washington during his Southern tour in 1791. Other exhibits were about the slave trade and the American Revolutionary War. So my four star rating is for the historical exhibits and not for the dungeon tour which I would probably skip if I visit again.

Ariel was our guide in the Dungeon portion of the tour and her passion for the story was infectious! We enjoyed talking to the soldier in the Great Hall (didn’t get his name) and signing the Declaration of Independence was a nice touch!

It was hot, so this gave us a reprieve from the sun. Our guide was great, and we learned so much. It is a short tour, but it was worth it to walk around and see all of the history.

We enjoyed our experience a lot. It took about over an hour or so (including the dungeon tour with the guide) to walk through the well organized things to see.

The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon in Charleston, South Carolina, is one of the three most historic Colonial public buildings in the United States, along with Faneuil Hall in Boston and Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Located at 122 East Bay Street, at Broad Street, it was completed in 1771 by the British and soon became the economic, cultural and political center for the city and the wealthy colony of South Carolina. In the Great Hall, South Carolina's delegates to the Continental Congress were elected, Independence was declared, the Ratification Convention of the U.S. Constitution was held and President George Washington was entertained. Later, local townspeople watched the bombardment of Fort Sumter to begin the Civil War fro the roof-top. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969 and designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1973, it is a two-story masonry building capped by a hipped roof with a cupola and set on a high brick basement. During the Revolutionary War, it served as a prisoner of war facility. It also has served as an Exchange, a custom house, public market, public meeting place, jail, post office, an Army headquarters in World War I and a USO facility in World War II. In 1913, the building was acquired by the Daughters of the American Revolution, who have preserved it ever since. They operate guided costumed tours that include all three floors of the building.

We hadn't planned on visiting here but another tour guide suggested it. We are so glad we did. Amazing that this important structure with so much diverse and important history has been preserved!

The floor of the dungeon was uneven and so old. Amazing to walk on the same floor the head held so many prisoners. We learned a lot about the dungeon and its uses, and then upstairs we got to sign a fake declaration of Independence. That was so cool. The tour guides are so good. Be sure to tip.

Great visit and tour in the Old Exchange, it has seen a lot in its 250 years of existence. Top two floors are self guided where as the dungeon is guided. Lots of cool stories what went on down there. Lots of good info on why Charleston prospered in those early years.

Awesome information and museum. The man that played George Washington was great! Said he’d been doing that about 14 years. He was also very knowledgeable!
Fun signing “The Declaration”.
The dungeon tour was good, but the tour guide kept looking at his watch. Made it very distracting. It was just a 20 min tour.

If you are interested in revolutionary war history and period architecture the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon is the place for you. The Exchange was the location of the Ratification of the Constitution in South Carolina. Our guide for the tour of the dungeon was superb. Dressed in period clothes she led us to the dungeon where prisoners were jailed, including three signers of the Declaration of Independence, and provided an animated history of the site. The dungeon is particularly interesting from both a historical and architectural standpoint in that the old half-moon battery has been excavated and revealed. The upper two floors of the building house exhibits as well as period furniture. There is also a gift shop with relevant literature as well as other collectibles. A great place to visit for all ages. The cost is $10 for adults; $5 for children; and children under 6 are free.

It seems a little pricey for a 30 min tour and the exhibits,but fun nonetheless. Interesting to hear about the role this building played in the revolutionary War, and the people who were imprisoned. Kids liked the basement and hearing about the prison.

We learned a lot about the early commerce and building of Charleston. They focus on the Charleston's role in the Revolutionary war area versus the Civil War. The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable. A good museum for kids as it's not a huge time commitment. Great value.

If you are in Charleston this is definitely a stop you do not want to miss, especially when you consider the historic significance. Excellent tour (longer than I needed but very informative) and museum. The tour guide was good . The admission is reasonably priced and I would recommend taking the tour of the dungeon. Walking through the halls and rooms of the same place some of our founding Fathers placed their feet is an incredible feeling.

This was an excellent tour- very interesting and the dungeon is cool! Interesting facts about Charleston!

Best Tour in Charleston, Dungeon. Spend time on all 3 floors, explore the Artifacts, learn about what area looked like before they Land filled the area. Amazing History of occupation during Wars. Can easily see History right before your eyes! Very few structures still have Basements in Area, unique. Worth the few dollars, for tour. Well maintained, clean, well lit. Stairs and limited Handicap access (Very very old Building) Narrator women was informative and answered all our questions. Some kids were there, it is "so so" for Kids. Definitely for History buff.

The history is amazing. Very informative tour. The basement part of the tour is guided the rest is self guided. Amazing to be walking in rooms that make up so much of South Carolina history and United States ratification of the constitution. Great place for history buffs

This was a great piece of history. We were able to easily spend about 2 hours here, looking at artifacts, reading through history, and doing the dungeon tour. I cannot say I would go again, just because I feel we were able to mostly take it all in the first time. But I do recommend it for anyone that enjoys putting the pieces of history together.

On our road trip, we went to Charleston, Savannah, and Saint Augustine. It has been interesting to see how their history is tied together. We came to Charleston first, and were able to learn things, at this site, that helped to make sense of things we learned about in the other two cities.

The Old Exchange building and dungeon are interesting, but the most important part of its history is outside, in the small park, against the north wall. There 150,000 human beings were bought and sold.

Sit down. Say a prayer. Never forget it.

We visited the Old Exchange & Provost and we were glad we did. You can buy a combination ticket to see this as well as the the Old slave Mart Museum. Both were informative. We were extremely interested in the Provost. Our guide was Aleck and he was very good at holding our attention.

Good tour short and sweet but very informative. Definitely would recommend it .
Interesting to see life from years ago

Our tour guide Zach was wonderful. He did a thorough job of narrating American history with attention to excluded voices. We also chanced upon him at the Old Slave Mart Museum where he did a thoughtful job answering our question!

Went to the Provost House not really knowing anything about its history or that of Charleston's. Our tour guide, Robert, was excellent explaining the history of Charleston as well as this historical building.
I would recommend a visit here.

Wonderful place with history and a tour in the dungeon that should not be missed. It was one of the highlights of my visit.

Like most everything in Charleston, it is full of history. Enjoyed the tour and walking around on our own. Has a great gift shop. Glad we went.

It was an intersting visit. It's only $10 to get in and the tour of the dungeons was worth that.
I wouldn't plan a whole day or even afternoon around it but interesting for an hour or so.

We arrived with our joint ticket from The Slave Mart and received a cheerful, friendly greeting. We were just in time for the next dungeon tour so joined in.
Our guide spoke very fast in a Carolina accent so we did at times struggle to understand him. I didn’t really find the history of the dungeon that enthralling.

Afterwards we headed upstairs to view the rest of the exhibits and again I wasn’t that enamoured with the historical significance of it all. The only thing I really took away from here was a better understanding of how the Declaration of Independence came into being and how much it was ratified.

I normally enjoy historically based museums but I struggled with this one

Fabulous tour, within the self guided portion and the narrated part as well. The history that happened within the walls is absolutely phenomenal and so much of the original building and artifacts still exist. Beautiful and exciting to be walking in such a historical place.

One of the oldest buildings in Charleston and has been well looked after, when in Charleston this is one of the must see buildings.

We visited, rather randomly, on the last tour of the day, but it's something worth planning to see. Children will be interested in the dungeon aspect. We visited with all adults, so our tour guide was quite candid about what really went on back in the day. It's part Architecture, part American Revolution history. We were fortunate to have Adam as our guide and he is an excellent storyteller. The tour takes 30 minutes but you'll want more time to visit the exhibits about what life was like for the various people groups of the time in Charleston, (enslaved, women, regular folk, businessmen).

This building played an integral part in the history of the city. The half hour tour is definitely worth your time.

Took the tour of the dungeon, the tour guide provided good details and historical information that I was not aware of as it relates to the history of Charleston, especially during the Revolutionary war. The other levels of the building are not guided so you can just walk around at your own pace.

The dungeon area is in remarkable shape. The tour and storyteller really made the experience. We learned a lot. There are also two floors of interesting info above.

I love anything historical and well preserved, this building has an amazing history from the British Invasion, Slave Trade Exploitation to Constitution ratification....George Washington, etc. Worth the visit for any history buff and kid wanting to learn how this country began.

The two upper floors are self-guided and mostly only fun because you are walking on the floors that our forefathers walked on. The basement/dungeon is the fascinating part of this tour. We learned a bit about the history of Charlston and heard some great stories. Afterward, we decided to watch some videos to learn more and ended up really disappointed that the tour didn't talk more about the fascinating and significant role the dungeon played in the capturing of pirates. My advice would be to visit this site, but read up on it beforehand so you are really understanding the whole history.

I did this as combo tour with old slave museum. I thought this was a tad boring. It was about 30 minutes and led by a tour guide. Mostly about the building and the formation of Charleston. If I had to choose, I would recommend doing the Old Slave Museum and you can probably skipped this one.

My 8 year old daughter and I learned a lot about revolutionary war history as well as other periods. Great collection of pictures, paintings and artifacts here.

Great location in the heart of Charleston Historic District, wonderful tours full of interesting local history, or browse on your own. Several levels of artifacts to walk through and review, great architecture inside and out.

The tour gave a good background into the history of Charleston and there were lots of displays to see - 3 floors. I missed this my first visit to town but was glad I made it this time. Everyone loves a good cellar/jail/dungeon and this one had a good story to tell.

We stumbled upon this when visiting Charleston and arrived just in time for a tour of the dungeon. It was fascinating to hear the history of the building and some history of Charleston. I could not imagine being chained up in that building as a prisoner. The docent was so informative and enjoyed what she was doing. Definitely worth a visit.

This tour was just ok. Honestly, the older gentleman tour guide should’ve taken a sick day. He was hacking away behind his mask. At $12 per person, it was definitely overpriced. I was expecting more.

Built in 1771 as a commercial exchange and custom house, the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon has been a Charleston landmark for 250 years. Located at 122 East Bay Street, it is one of the country's premier examples of Georgian/Palladian design. The two-story stone structure, set in a high brick basement with a hipped roof and cupola, is one of the three most historic Colonial Public Buildings in the United States. The other two are Faneuil Hall in Boston and Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973, it is open to the public daily from 9 to 5. The Old Exchange was used as a prisoner of war facility by the British during the American Revolutionary War, then later used as a slave auction, post office, city hall, military headquarters and museum. In 1788, South Carolina statesmen approved the U.S. Constitution in the building. In 1791, city leaders entertained President George Washington at the Old Exchange with a series of lavish dinners, concerts and dances. Today, it remains one of only three surviving structures where the nation's founding document was originally ratified.

Great Price for a tour with so much history. The kids and I really felt the presence of our founding fathers when walking through the building. I highly recommend waiting for your time slot to have a tour of the dungeon as well. Our guide was wonderful and we really got a sense of how much he studied and revered the history that took place in that space. The old pictures on the staircase wall were so cool and the we loved comparing the old pictures to where we were today. My daughter an Alexander Hamilton scholar and 8 year old :) was so excited to see where his buddy George Washington spoke. It was great 2 hours learning, remembering, and being educated on the history of the building and neighborhood.

Good tour. Workers are very knowledgeable. The dungeon tour was great. Our guide was very informative, his story telling was engaging, lots of good tidbits. There was a younger gentleman upstairs who too was a wreath of knowledge and more than willing to share. Lots of people were asking him questions. This place has a lot of history. Lots of well known, historical figures have walked through this building. Definitely a stop to see.

Loved the dungeon tour! I learned so much! Our guide was great! The rest of the building was a self tour. Just walk through and soak up the history! Gift shop. Restrooms. Elevator.

Amazing how old this building is and the history behind it. Dungeon tour was informative. For history buffs it's a must see

A good live presentation here. The price was good. A nice little souvenir shop too. Location is good with plenty else around. Glad we stopped here.

My family agreed to this tour as a way to escape the heat for awhile, but at the end of our Charleston visit, they all agreed it was one of the highlights of our trip. For fans of Hamilton, you will see one of the sites of the ratification of the Constitution. We also saw parts of the original wall that surrounded old Charles Town, and a memorable moment for our family occurred when we signed our names to a copy of the Declaration of Independence and were told that we had just committed a treasonous act! I highly recommend a visit.

The building consists of two floors that are self guiding although there was gentleman in period clothes to talk about the building's use in the 1700's. The basement consists of a "dungeon" which served a multitude of purposes. This was a guided tour of maybe 20 minutes.

Very cool lower level and great piece of history. The price isn't bad, but you'll get through it rather quickly. I still enjoyed it.

Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon was a very informative tour, mostly self paced with no guide or automated guide, which could be more useful. Lots to see on the main and upstairs. Downstairs is the Dungeon, which includes a guide to explain the history behind the dungeon. It was very informative as well as visually interesting.

There is a lot of old items to see in the museum, but the best part is the tour of the dungeon. If you have allergies, this might be a good place to go. The air down there is stale. My wife has been coughing a lot since our visit yesterday. She thinks it might have been from there. But it could just be something in the southern Charleston air. There are many trees and plants here that are not in the north where we are from.

Loved checking this place out and learning more about the history behind this amazing building! Your only takes about 20 minutes and then there’s a few more areas to explore and read about. They had an author there while we were visiting.

This is an inexpensive and not time consuming way of getting some really interesting information about Charleston. The people are super pleasant and helpful. We really enjoyed this tour.

This is a pretty cool place and I'm glad we stopped here while we were in Charleston. The 1st and 2nd floors are self paced and give you history about the building. The dungeon is a guided tour that's included in the admission price. There is an elevator for those with accessibility needs. The tour guide we had for the dungeon was awesome. It's amazing all of things that happened in this building. I highly recommend.

It's definitely worth visiting the building and the Provost Dungeon. The basement tour was interesting, but our tour guide was not great. We actually ended up leaving the tour early as he was not engaging. He did not seen to be as familiar with the history of the area as some of the other guides we met around town. If we had not done the walking tour previously, we would have not understood most of what he was talking about. He must have called us "Guys" 50 times in the first 10 minutes, even though the group was mainly women. I am hard of hearing and he mumbled and trailed off his sentences so much that I lost a good percentage of what he said. Regardless, it was cool to see.

We got the combination ticket for the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon plus the Slave Mart Museum (which is closed on Sunday but you can use the ticket on another day). It was $15 per person, and it was a good deal. It is $10 for just the Old Exchange.

Take the tour of the dungeon. You may have to wait and there is a replica of a post office on the main floor and upstairs are the bathrooms and ballroom where George Washington and many other historical and famous people have danced. They have old guns and some toys that that you can touch and get pictures with.

The dungeon is downstairs, and I didn't see any elevator, so if you can't do stairs, you may want to ask before you buy a ticket. The dungeon tour was half an hour. The rest is self-guided.

As an empath who is sensitive to the emotions and energies of places and people, I was a tiny worried what the dungeon would be like, but other than feeling a little dizzy and a slight feeling of dread as I descended the stairs, it was fine. The tour guide was very engaging and enthusiastic. There was a few exhibits of mannequins of "prisoners" seated and standing, but nothing scary.

The Exchange used to be the Customs house and holding place for goods. It is a big part of Charleston history. It was used to secretly hold hundreds of pounds of contraband English tea from the British. The dungeon was a jail used to hold military but also other people who did wrong - women and blacks included. Infectious diseases and death was very common because of the unsanitary conditions, lack of food, and diseases bought in.

If you only have time to do the Old Exchange or the Slave Mart Museum, see the Old Exchange.

This was our first stop in a short stay at Charleston. The information on the first and second floor was excellent and factual. Our children enjoyed the exhibits and the historical artifacts. However, the trip to the dungeon/provost exceeded our expectations. The guides were very informative and engaging discussing the history of Charleston. Not only did the history buff in the trip learn new information, our children enjoyed the tour. It is a must see on your trip!

It doesn't take much time to see this historical building. Take the time to tour the dungeons. Our guide, Robert, was very good.

Another kid tour guide forcing his woke beliefs during the tour. The first and second floor was ok but not a lot there. The dungeon part with tour was horrible. Waste of money.

Fact: Provost Dungeon is older than our country!

The British originally owned it and used it as a commercial exchange and customs house. Also used as a post office, prison, and city hall, it is currently a museum. In addition, in 1788 South Carolina approved the US Constitution here.

Yet another testament to the rich history of Charleston, Old Exchange, and Provost Dungeon a fascinating places to visit. Built in 1771, it has changed roles countless times: it was a British dungeon during the American Revolution, an elegant hall during George Washington’s 1791 visit to Charleston, and a meeting place for the ratification of the Constitution,

In 1780 the British occupied Charleston for two years and housed many prisoners in one large cell in this basement making it a provost, or dungeon. Because of the awful conditions here, disease was rampant due to crowding, and no bathroom facilities. Under these conditions, many people died while in prison here. This prison held all types of people, including American and British soldiers, private citizens, and slaves.

The first and second floor of the building is home to a museum dedicated to the other uses of the Exchange Building.

Fee: Admission to this historic building is only $12 for adults. For a small fee, a guided tour through the lower level and you can learn a lot from the guide.

Exactly what you want from a historical location. Very well preserved, and honestly the staff were a highlight. Ticket got us entry to the Old Slave Mart Museum.

One of our favorite spots! We really enjoyed going here. So interesting and so close to many other places to see in Charleston.

The history of the building is extensive, from colonial days to after the civil war. Learned as much if not more than I did when at Independence Hall in Philadelphia!

My rating is not based on educational value, we loved touring and getting to read about the Exchange. The welcomer’s were very kind, and the hands on signing of the Constitution was so cool! We were very excited for our tour of the dungeon, but unfortunately, were very uncomfortable after my girls (1 and 4) were yelled at by an employee downstairs for running that did not occur. My 1 year old walks very loudly, so I assume that is what he heard, but don’t feel any child should be yelled at by an adult that isn’t even present in the room, so maybe make sure to bring a stroller (it may be hard to get up and down stairs).

Short tour of the lower level of the Exchange, at your leisure tour of the 2 top floors. Not very exciting but interesting enough to check out.

This is such an interesting building. The history that happened in this building is mind boggling. We learned many things that were not taught in our American history classes.

Self guided tour throughout house. Guided tour of the dungeon, was ok, guide gave the history of the construction and use of the building.

Excellent historical tour. The tour guide was dressed in period costume and told great history about Charleston’s founding and interesting history thru the Revolutionary War. So interesting about Washington’s visit after the war. The museum and Great Hall we interesting and all the story boards were excellent.

The tour takes about an hour and is led by a young man who tells you all about it. He had some interesting stories about the dungeon.

The historic homes in Charleston get a let of publicity. Whilst good this far out ways them in importance regarding Charlestons own history as well as American history. The building is one of Charlestons first and has an amazing dungeon exhibit. You do a self guided tour of the upper two top floors and every 30 minutes there is a dungeon tour. Carol our tour guide through the dungeons was brilliant. All the guides and staff are also in period costume.
Strongly recommend a visit.

I was here and did the dungeon tour and walked the building. The guy doing the tour was well informed and a good speaker. The building is pretty cool and it’s kinda awesome that George Washington was once there.

The dungeon tour is not to miss. Very interesting. Hard to imagine living in the beginning's of our country.

If you love history, take a visit here. Part is a tour of the dungeon and the rest is self guided. Barry was our guide and he was a wealth of knowledge and dry humor. Smaller kids may be bored but if you like Southern History - add this to your visit.

Great tour guide that truly brought the history of the area to life. This was a true educational experience and paired well with the other tours we had completed.

One of the main reasons I decided to visit Charleston was to learn about the area's history. This Museum is well designed and the experience provides a good summary of the history and significance of the Exchange.
We started with the guided tour of the dungeons and then did the self tour of the 1st and 2nd floor. Staff was very attentive and willing to answer all questions.
We took advantage of the combination tour discount to see the Old Slave Mart.
Highly recommend.

We took our teenagers here during our visit to Charleston. We all learned some very interesting facts about the history of Charleston and its role in the Revolutionary War.

This was a great historic building to visit! My favorite part was the dungeon tour in the basement. Our guide told great stories, and gave us interesting facts about this very old building.

This tour was informative. The pictures and information provided was interesting. Going down to the dungeon was also interesting but kind of a let down. I guess I would recommend going just to learn history.

We loved the Old Exchange, seeing and touching so much history. The tour was inexpensive and very interesting. Highly recommended for history buffs.

The building was interesting, tour guide did a good job giving information but would have liked for info on prisoners. Overall it was not for us. We thought it was an old jail with cells

Very nice historic site where the declaration of Independence was ratified in SC. The first and second floors are self-guided, but the lower "dungeon" level is a guided tour with the docet explaining all the details of this basement floor. Super interesting, especially the curved Roman brick supporting structure.

The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon on East Bay Street in Charleston is an excellent place to go on a tour and learn about the history of Charleston. It is a good value for all that you get and I have enjoyed the experience each time I have been here and it is well worth a visit if you get a chance to do it.

If you have any interest in our nation’s history, you will love this tour. The brickwork is truly incredible. The grand hall upstairs is the same room visited by George Washington. Very well worth the cost.

Pleasantly surprised with this visit. Chris, our tour guide in the dungeon WAS AWESOME! Informative, friendly and very funny.

You have access to the first and second floor, which is self guided. On the second floor-there is staff available giving information and available for questions. Very friendly and engaging.

The dungeon was great. So much history and explanation. My kids (11 and 10) thought it was great. (As did the parents)

You can get a combo ticket for the Exchange and the Slave Mart museum-which was a great price.

The guided tour of the provost (dungeon) given by Blake. He was so knowledgeable and entertaining. He was enthusiastic and made the tour fun. Lots of great history in this building, and very reasonably priced.

The museum and tour were a great step back in time! The upstairs museum is fascinating and the dungeon tour is enlightening! Definitely add this to your must do list!

The dungeon tour was very interesting. They have done a good job of preserving it. It is worth the time spent to visit.

Interesting history and cool place to visit. Top two floors are exhibits and placards to read about people and places. Basement dungeon tour is guided by knowledgable staff. Enjoyable and you can pace as you like.

If you are history buff, this is a great place to visit. The dungeon tour was an added bonus. Employees were very helpful with suggestions of additional things to do and provided useful information.

My child had learned that there was a dungeon in Charleston. While there we stopped in for him to see it. The tour of the dungeon lasted 25 minutes. My children, 7 and 5, very politely listened to the the tour guide as he talked the whole 25 minutes. There was no time for the kids to look around and pose their own questions. We were asked to leave for the sake of the next tour which was two people. I asked when we could come back to spend more time and was firmly told no. I was very disappointed for my child who had really been looking forward to seeing the dungeon. Not really worth the money if you aren't afforded the time to explore.

Saw the historical sign and walked in to check it out. We made it just in time for a tour. Turns out Robert Phillips works there! He’s a well known tour guide who I’ve been on several tours in the past around the city. My favorite part was learning about this painting of Washington :-). Thanks for another history lesson Mr. Phillips!

We learned so much about the history of Charleston here.Thank you, Marshall Willis, for the personal tour and the insights you shared with us. You really went the extra mile to help us learn about Charleston and what life was like in its early years.

Another excellent tour that is brought to life by the knowledgeable guide that was dressed in period costume. Many interesting pictures and the dungeon is a must see.

Great tour and wonderful tour guide. The dungeon tour was very interesting and we were given a lot of history of the Revolutionary War. The upstairs museum was interesting too.

A very knowledgeable docent made our experience exceptional. The presentation of the history of the dungeon gave you the ability to picture exactly what it was like. The other two floors had excellent information and exhibits. There is a parking garage about two blocks away for easy parking in what is a busy area with limited street parking. There is a small gift shop.

This is a guided tour except for the provost (dungeon) in the basement. This part is a guided tour that lasts 20-25 minutes. They give good info on the history of the building and some of the archaeology found while digging some renovations. It is amazing to walk around and touch bricks that are older than our country.

The first and second stories have lots of artifacts from the revolution era and civil war era, with lots of information on the times and how people lived in Charleston during those times. There are chairs and clothing on display, along with some very good portraits of important people from those times - especially the revolution. We chose this as the one historical building to visit during our weekend and I’m glad we did. It was worth our time and money to explore this amazing building.

This is a very historic building, located near many other attractions. Charleston is full of history, and this is good sample to enjoy. The tour was very educational, and their staff are very knowledgeable.

This was a pleasant surprise on our recent visit to Charleston. A tour of the Old Exchange provides insight into pre-Revolutionary America, the Revolutionary period, pre-Civil War, and post-Civil War. This old property has been many things in its life and provided a nice vehicle for understanding a little about these different periods. Both the guided part of the tour and the self-guided were interesting. I wouldn't think about it as a "dungeon" tour, rather, it's a tour through a building that has been important to the history of the American south.

Was very clean and nice. Employees were informative. A lot of "narration" in the dungeon. Was kept up nicely and the plaques were very informative.

After you tour the Exchange and learn about the history of slavery, be sure to visit the Dungeon. A guide is dressed in the era and takes you back to that time. The Dungeon was a prison with lots of history. Not to be missed.

We're big historical tour fans, and the exchange seemed like a good way to get a broad overview of Charleston history in a brief visit. And that wasn't necessarily proved wrong, but we just didn't get quite as much out of the visit as hoped. Our guide was lovely and sweet, but not confident in her delivery, and not able to answer questions clearly or completely. And while the idea of making several stops in the provost to show the many functions it had served was strong, the execution was a little gimmicky (the sculptures were more scary than informative) and a little low on fact. Including more of the content from the informational signs (i.e. more specific information on the martial justice system implemented by the British during the revolution, or the economics behind the slave trade) in the tour would be really beneficial, I think.

We went here because my daughter had been learning about the Revolutionary War. I gave it a four just because the placards are a little much for a child in terms of reading. However, as an adult, I was a huge fan. The 25 minute tour in the dungeon was excellent. I would recommend this more for teenage age and up.

This was a very educational and worthwhile venture. I recommend it. I loved getting to see the area and feel submerged in that time period. Carolyn was very knowledgeable and articulate. I enjoyed the history throughout the rest of the building. I also enjoyed the reminders of our Constitution, Bill of Rights and Articles of Confederation. We need to know those documents and we need to know the history, good and bad. That made America the free country that it has been.

Interesting tour of the dungeon I learned a lot. There’s more to see here than originally thought. They offer a teacher discount.

This was one of our most favorite places that we visited during our week's stay in Charleston!! First of all, the guide we had to tell us of this building's history was outstanding. She looked so meek at first, but when she started telling the tales of this building it was like history coming to life! It is an important part of Charleston's history and an absolute amazing building and dungeon to see. The Roman-style brickwork in the dungeon is worth seeing if nothing else, but don't stop there! You must see this unforgettable site.

The outside door indicated that face masks were required inside, but we discovered that the tour guides did not enforce the requirement. We tried to stay far away from the "Karen and her kids" in our tour group.

We thought the guided tour of the dungeon (basement) was well done. Our guide spoke clearly and distinctly and answered everyone's questions.

The exhibits in the other areas of the Old Exchange seemed a bit sparse. With as much slave history as there is in Charleston, we felt that there could have been a lot more there.

One of the more interesting displays was the population breakdown of, I think 1850. They broke it down into "planter folks" (the wealthy plantation owners who owned 10 or more slaves), the "plain folks" (poor white folks just trying to make a living), indentured servants, free Africans, and enslaved Africans. I wish I could remember all of the numbers exactly, but it was something like 6% of the population was "planter folks," and 24% of the population was "plain folks."

Very interesting building with a lot of Charleston history. Museum is well organized and lots of displays. The dungeon has its own history and legends.

Really interesting building. Not too pricey either. Took around a hour. It is a self-guided tour through the main building and upstairs and then a 20 min guided tour in the basement that runs every half hour. The basement tour was really interesting. We had a really great tour guide. Crazy how much history there is down there. If your visiting Charleston I would definitely add this to your list.

This place was amazing! Do yourself a favor and put this on your list of things to do while in Charleston, S.C. If you love history and learning more about America, then this is the place for you. Take the time to go on the guided tour and learn everything about the Old Provost and Dungeon. You won't regret your time here! They tour guides are a wealth of knowledge. Check out our blog!

Had just toured the Edmonston-Alston house and had a hour to burn before our carriage ride, so off to prison with us. Its right on the main road, easy to find and parking all around. So this is where you ended up either as a traitor to the Crown, or even just a pirate sleeping of a bender. While they probably treated the better connected prisoners better, everyone else regardless on your crime was in the dungeon. The tour doesnt take long maybe 20-30 minutes, and dont miss the upstairs which gives a full understanding of how important the Old Exchange/Provost Dungeon was to the city of Charleston.

Very educational and historic tour through the building and dungeon. Tour guides are dressed in period costume and are very enthusiastic and entertaining. Highly recommend!

As a history geek, particularly U.S. colonial history, this was one of my favorite experiences during our visit to Charleston. The tour guide was wonderful - I learned so much about Charleston’s contributions to the Revolutionary War. And the dungeon, as you would expect, was wicked cool. A must see for anyone interested in history - or just want the chance to visit a colonial era dungeon.