Old Slave Mart Museum Reviews

Informative and moving guide through the slave trade. This is important history that we should all know and teach our children.
We bought the combo ticket with the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon and it was worthwhile.

There is a ton of information packed into a pretty small area. Not a lot of opportunity to interact and only remember seeing the person selling the tickets to ask questions. Was underwhelmed by the displays and expected to get more from our visit.

A must see on a visit to Charleston. While yes, as many people have already said, the museum is mostly reading, it was very valuable information everyone should learn about the United States' history. This is the stuff they don't teach you in school, people! I'd personally like to thank Christine for her research and sharing it with us. She said she came back to the museum to honor her ancestors, and she did just that.

Take it for what it is....history...interesting historical documentation of the history of the area and slavery. Priced right about a 30-45 minute event. Could be more interesting with live tour guide or audio option. No gift shop except books. Would recommend if in the area

A deeply impactful experience. Thank you to the employees and staff who made our visit a truly memorable one.

The history of this country is often the opposite of the lyrics of "America the Beautiful": it's filled with capitalism run amok including the long history of chattel slavery. The Old Slave Mart Museum documents that period, leaving the viewer to consider the long shadow it throws on the country. There are many placards to educate visitors of the negation of humanity as well as documents and other relics of the period. In many ways, this is hallowed ground, proof that the future of this country can change if we confront our history.

America still struggles to accept its role in the global slave trade. Charleston also struggles with its role as the southern epicenter of slavery. The Slave Mart brings the magnitude of this atrocity into focus. With its graphic world view and numbers that are startling by any measure one can trace the years and lives that were destroyed, erased either on the passage over or sold nameless, families separated, the horror that ultimately ensued. Be prepared for an emotional response!

In our first visit to Charleston for our anniversary, my wife and I were interested in getting a more complete (and complicated) picture of the history of Charleston - one that goes beyond the popular affluence and beauty of the area that presents itself at the surface. One obvious part of that history is the enslavement of Africans and African Americans, and the economic system that was built upon it in the city and state. This museum was a very meaningful stop for us to visit and reflect on many components of the history of slavery that are perhaps glossed over way too much in most other tours. There is a plethora of information about the history of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, with information about how it connects to Charleston's history itself. The highlight of our visit however was getting to listen to history interpreter Christine Mitchell, who also speaks as a direct descendent of an enslaved person. Her talk (which focused on a specific slave auction that occurred at the Slave Mart) was important in helping understand the very tangible reality that slavery presented itself through by relating the slave trade system as it existed to how we think and understand commerce and financial systems today. If you plan to attend, please plan for up to a couple of hours, especially if Christine is in and will be offering a talk. If I can influence your decision in visiting here or not: please consider doing so. I think it should be a fundamental component of anyone's experience of learning about the city. If you do go, you will leave the museum with a more grounded view of the city and its legacy. Ultimately your reward for a deeper curiosity will be a fuller perspective of what it means to be steeped in the history of one of America's oldest cities and all the weight of history that comes with.

Some of our friends in the group ended their time here in tears. It is a very sad place indeed, and anyone who cares about others will find it depressing. This is something we all need to see, need to hear, need to feel. It is very well done and teaches important history that explains where we are today.

It was enlightening and an education of the horrible history of slavery. Very interesting to see photos and documents from the era. A very touching experience.

After our historic walking tour, this museum was high on our list. Unfortunately, we felt it wasn’t as engaging or impactful as we hoped. Instead it felt like a very informative pamphlet with a few photos, blown up large and posted on walls. What WAS sobering was absorbing that you were standing where such depravity and human suffering took place. Our favorite aspect was in the very front where a former slave recorded his detailed recollections of slave life in South Carolina. I hope this museum will eventually be more interactive and compelling. They need a visionary to take the next step.

I enjoyed it for the first time, but I think that it is overrated not a whole lot to see, most are posters and printed material. The area is very nice walking to it. It does have 2 floors of information, has some period artifacts. Nice area found easy parking on weekdays.

Extremely well done presentation of a less-than-dignified time in our past, with knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff.

This museum was a very educational and emotional experience for us. The history was very enlightening and heart breaking.

This is a most interesting and informative museum. It is full of great historic stories and testimonials.

I am thankful that there is a museum dedicated to life when slavery was legal. I was a bit disappointed that it was basically large murals and you had to do a lot of reading but it was unique to be in the very spot where slaves were publicly sold. They have a good little section of books to buy which all looked very good. And staff were on hand to answer questions, which was nice.

A lot of history in this building. The displays were very informative.
It's amazing how people were treated and nobody cared.

It’s a small museum, and everything was displayed nicely with detailed stories about the slaves. I was not told upon entering that photos are not allowed but I sure heard about it upstairs when I took a few.

This is a very sad part of Charleston's history, as well as that of the US. A majority of the slaves passed through this market. There's so much history here and so much to learn. This is a must visit when you are visiting Charleston and a reasonable entrance fee.

Went here since I had a double ticket with the old customs house.
Some of the information was nice, but mostly just a lot of reading boards.

We learned a lot about slave trade both locally and internationally. We spent about 45 minutes here doing a lot of reading. There is a lot of good information, but the layout of the building is poor; not a lot of space to move around, especially with a lot of people wandering through. I'd recommend going, but go first thing in the morning when fewer people are there. No photos are allowed inside.

Words cannot express the impact this museum had on us. If you think you know about the slave trade, think again and take time to visit this important museum. The conditions that people suffered through were horrific and history is well-told here.We had just one day to tour Charleston and this was good use of our time.

What a solemn place to visit. While not much of the mart remains, what is left is well preserved and very informative. There was a very informative presentation upstairs to accompany the self-guided tour. The space itself is small, so pack your patience as it is popular but cramped.

Tempered and truthful, the Old Slave Mart Museum should humble any white person who visits it, and you should visit it. Small by comparison with more prominent slave-era sites, like Cincinnati's Underground Railroad Museum, this little Charleston gem helps fill in some blanks of local and regional information. Don'tpass it up.

Excellent .very informative. WE are to never forget this gruesome and horrific part of American history.

Compulsory stop in Charleston!
Small museum but very rich in history, well set up and curated. Make sure and take the time to read everything.

A lot of information to absorb but well worth a visit.
I have an interest in social history so this was a must on our visit to Charleston. The slave trade is a subject that none of us should shy away from. For me it ranks amongst the top three abominations of living history and to know that the British were at the centre of it is something us Brits need to own. It is really hard to understand the thinking at the time and how they justified their behaviour.

This museum definitely shows it for what it was and delivers the facts and for that I am grateful

This is a great museum. It has two levels chucked full of information and photos of when and where this all occured in the Western Hemisphere

No visit to Charleston, SC would seem to be complete without the perspective provided by the Old Slave Mart Museum. Hard to find, but The Staff are knowledgeable and dedicated to the presentation of the "other" Truth of the Holy City, and Our Great Nation, which is somewhat Painful, but Priceless. Excellent!

This museum should be required for everyone to visit to get a clear picture of the horrors of slavery and how America would not be America if it were not for the hard work of slaves.

The saddest part of this nation's history shouldn't be ignored - it should be studied and remembered. This unique museum accomplishes that in a thoughtful, precise, and candid manner. Visitors to Charleston will understand much more about a dark period in the city's history and gain a better appreciation of how slavery shaped both the area as well as the nation.
This museum is a stark reminder that Charleston and the surrounding plantations of wealthy, privileged owners would never have existed without the toil and perseverance of oppressed and mistreated people. The true wealth of the low country belongs to Africans who experienced terrible conditions; yet contributed so much. Every American should visit this museum so that we can learn from the horrendous mistakes of those many years ago.

Very impressed with the Slave Mart Museum. The two floors of artifacts and shared stories of slavery in the 1700’s to the mid to late 1800’s was very interesting and insightful. The actual museum was where the actual Slave Market Auctions took place. I walked away saddened and enraged by what took place! A must see when in Charleston.

Mostly a museum where you read posters and unfortunately you don’t get a good feel for the, relatively small space, where slaves were traded. Information boards were good and the limited artifacts illustrative. We just felt that maybe you could just as well have read it at home...

This was a stop on our walking tour. We learned about the transition from outdoor slave markets to inside this building where they housed a slave auction.

I think this small museum is bursting with information. Yes, you need to read through the exhibits as others have said but the information is well presented and covers a range of topics such as how the domestic slave market flourished after the transatlantic market was outlawed. The docents on site had a fabulous knowledge of the slave markets and history in general. We had some interesting conversations. It’s more than worth the price of admission.

We learned so much about the slave trade & experienced personal stories of the enslaved. A must-see sight in Charleston.

The way it was explained to us by the worker there was that really the only thing of historical significance about the site itself were the two walls on either side of the building, as there was nothing else there at the time the tragic selling of slaves was occurring. The presentation inside the museum was jumbled and a bit hard to follow. Some types of Multimedia presentation are needed to help people actually learn what happened here in a more meaningful way. Children or young teens would be lost and find it very difficult to learn anything here because of the lackluster presentation.

This is one of the most important of eras in our history, and a site which calls itself a slave museum needs to relay these events in a manner which captures the attention and interest of those who come to visit. If I want to just read about it I can google it and then visit the site from the outside.

I'm giving this museum 5 stars because I am still haunted by Mae - I hope her escape was life long. I still think about her alot and she symbolizes the cruelty of slavery. (See the advertisement for her return on the second floor.) Most of the exhibits in this museum are to be read so you can't just walk through. They will not disappoint in illuminating the horrors of slavery. Others made comments about crowds. When I went in February it wasn't crowded but I could see how you need to avoid them.

The Old Slave Mart Museum is interesting. We learned many facts about the slave trade and enslaved that we never learned in school. It is a self guided museum. One must read everything and there are a limited number of photographs and other items on display.

Touring this museum I realized that this was part of the original structure where human beings were bought and sold as animals. We must learn to accept that this horrible experience did happen in the US as well as all thru the Americas. Many exhibits, take your time and take a moment of reflection.

This was a stop as part of a combo ticket we purchased. The museum is small and there is a lot of information to read. There was a lot of information but it felt disconnected. I didn't know where to start and end with the exhibits. Thankfully we timed our visit well when Christine began her presentation about domestic slavery. This presentation definitely added to our time in this museum.

This museum was interesting but small so if felt very crowded with only a few people inside. There was minimal information about the slave trade in Charleston so I was looking for more information. They do offer a student discount so it wasn't too expensive.

It's a nice site to support, but it's just a lot of reading on the inside. I was expecting more - maybe restored parts of the building or an audio tour.

Small museum where you read the history while standing in the actual historical location. Items on display add impact.

The museum does an excellent job of education, primarily through posters with a lot of reading and a few pictures. There were very few artifacts, but the context of the topic kind of explains that. I appreciated the museum because it really puts the grandeur of neighborhood antebellum Charleston into context. Upon reflection, it seems that more questions are raised than answered, but the museum provides a useful starting point.

Interesting exhibit which details the slavery period of the United States from its inception to the dissolution via the emancipation proclamation of Abraham Lincoln (a Republican).

The museum is not that elaborate but provides an opportunity to gain insight into the lives of slaves.

If you haven't been to the Smithsonian's National Museum on African American History and Culture in Washington, DC, come here for a condensed history of slavery: why it started, how it operated, where in Africa the enslaved people came from, and most importantly, how it impacted them and how they survived it. It's small (2 rooms) but the posters and other exhibits are effective. It has a few books on slavery and Reconstruction for sale. We found street parking and there are parking garages nearby.

We visited this site because this was one spot we had not seen after many trips to Charleston. The museum is housed in a building that used to sell slaves in the 19th century. The ground floor provides a local perspective of the slave trade and slavery in Charleston and surrounding area. The upper level provides information about slavery from the international and national perspective. The museum had artifacts and informational panels. Visiting this museum gave us a better understanding of how the slave trade worked in the 19th century and the horrors of this institution.

Some good information but I still left feeling some of the injustices done to these people was being whitewashed somewhat as there was little on the incestuous side of the slave/master relationship. Still a good starting point as we search for truth and reconciliation.

Do this on day 1 to truly appreciate the magnitude of slavery’s impact on the city. I’m a pretty conservative guy, and not prone to overly liberal perspectives, but this was enough to give me pause and think “it’s good for me and my family to be exposed to this part of our, and Charleston’s, history”. Worth it

Very informative and the staff here are great. Walk through the dark history of this "building" and learn what they didn't teach you in school.

The most informative site we visited in Charleston. Great exhibits that are highly informative, descirbing impact, without being melodramatic. It allows facts to do the heavy lifting. Also, a comparatively great value compared to the cost of most other sites. Small but information rich.

There are those who would rather ignore negative history and those who are sufficiently well grounded in reality and mature enough to acknowledge and explain it. This museum amply addresses the slave resale business in Charleston and elsewhere. The economic foundation of slavery was perhaps doomed to die. But mankind continues it's ethical decay with ethnic, religious and territorial strife. For those wise enough to digest history this museum is an educational experience.

Yes this all reading based. Yes it's worth doing. It takes less than an hour and does a nice job of putting a personal story to the slavery issues that were in our country.

Definitely a must see in Charleston! With Charleston being such an integral part of slavery, having a museum that speaks of the horror that occurred in Charleston is essential and is necessary in order to be remembered. It is definitely a hard museum to get through but so is most of our important historical museums. Please go…the only way to ensure history does not repeat itself is to remember it…the good…the bad…the ugly!

This was a good learning experience. It is sad to see how human beings have treated other human beings thoughout history. This is a good place for learning a bit about the past and the effects of slavery on our country. I hope that we can learn from the past and learn to love each other more thoroughly in the future.

This was one of the best things I did in Charleston. Fortunately, I was there when Christine King was there. She is an amazing historian story teller. We were riveted for 2 hours. We left.... and came back (after we realized how amazing she was) after lunch. We spoke to her, again, for about 1/2 an hour. We exchanged emails. What an amazing plethora of knowledge she has! It opened my eyes to so much!! Thank you Christine! PLEASE put her knowledge on video.... they can have it on a loop and her knowledge wouldn't be lost!!

Have'nt been here in years. Additions were made and there is a variety of items to buy. There is also somewhere to eat and restrooms. It was'nt very busy when we went. There is coin parking on the street. There are also other shops and restaurants on both sides of the market.

Interesting, well presented, and powerful. I initially was not planning to go here on our visit to Charleston but I'm glad that I did.

We did the combo with the Provost dungeon tour. Nice museum. I would have liked to have more of the history. It's very small for the amount of history Charleston holds for slave market trade.

No Historic Tour of Charleston is complete without visiting this museum.....its history is intertwined with the slave trade and slavery and the regional commerce that resulted.

First floor leads you through the history with series of kiosks and panels. The second floor has exhibits of artifacts as well as some panels that provide context and curation.

Entrance fee was $5/senior. We spent about 1-1/2 hours here.

We enjoyed the Old Slave Mart Museum very much. While there isn't a whole lot of artifacts and things to look at...there are some that are very interesting. Several displays of tools, shackles , etc etc used by the slaves. There is a lot of reading that explains the era. Probably not good for smaller children, but a good way to familiarize yourself with the slave trade that went on in Charlotte.

We visited the Old Slave Mart Museum. We were aware of quite a bit of the horrendous conditions in which the enslaved were forced to live. However, to be standing within the building which once housed a slave auction gallery is something which many haven't experienced.

Great information laid out chronologically. Tragic and dark part of our nations history but highly recommend to visit.

A quick museum (30-45 minutes). This was an active site for the slave trade during the last few years of the domestic slave trade in America. However, the museum does provide some good information and we learned some facts previously unknown. I’m not sure that this is a “must visit” in Charleston, but at $5/person (for teachers), it’s worth going.

You can combine this place with the Old Dungeon, although I only went here.

It is self guided

1st floor focuses on South Carolina, and mostly Charleston and how the building itself was used for a slave trade business. Explanation of the business is very informative on displays.

2nd floor focuses on international slave trade.

Really gives a clear picture of how it started, how it worked and the culture clash of approving and disapproving of the practice

Upon arriving we were giving a brief "history" then it was a self guided tour. There was a lot of reading, not many exhibits and no pictures may be taken. When we asked the person working some questions they seemed to be annoyed by our questions. For younger kids (11 and younger) it was not interactive or interesting. Would have been nice if there was a more person story of a slave (maybe a child) and some hands on experience.

Everyone should take an hour to go through and read all of the exhibits. This place provides an opportunity to educate yourself on our country's history. Take it.

Highly recommend visiting this piece of history. Staff was kind and knowledgeable, especially Ms Mitchell. Pictures of exhibits are not allowed so you need to visit for yourself. You’ll be saddened and disturbed but for the right reasons. My 10 year-old son said “this place makes me sad”. I reminded him that we need to learn history, the good, bad, and horrible, to learn from it and hopefully never repeat it. #Lestweforget

The Slave Mart has two floors of straightforward information, in words and pictures, about slavery and slave sales in Charleston. Nothing extraordinary, but good, basic, information. One drawback is that the floors are pretty small and crowded, especially in this COVID time

I tend to prefer "happy" vacations and not do anything that could make me sad, but my husband is a big history buff and we both agreed that this was important, so we went, and I'm glad that we did. It was a very well-done presentation about the slave trade in Charleston. There were some personal stories and artifacts that really made it hit home. I would say that this is a must-see if you're in Charleston.

The building is historic, but the inside is not. I would have rather seen the inside of the slave market as it was in the 1800s, so that it could be more devastating. Instead, there was a lot to read, a couple of things to see, and then we were on our way. It felt like a missed opportunity to really share history.

It is as if the person that decided on the experience thought there was too much to tell, so they had to put as many words on the walls as they could fit. In my case, I would have rather seen something historically preserved, perhaps with some mannequins or other visual aids, to help me understand what happened there. Instead, I read a lot about slavery, much of which I already knew.

It was a real eye opener, people that worked there were really awesome on explaining things. If you have time I would definitely check this place out and see the history in this building.

It was very informative, telling about the horrific times of slavery. There are lots of signs to read. A few interactive displays and a few pictures. It takes an hour because it is quite small. It is the actual site where slaves were sold.

They insist on wearing those masks that don't help anyone, so that's a point off for us. Good visit though.. It's not exactly an extensive museum, but it does contain information that is important for everyone to know. Worth visiting.

We toured this at the recommendation of our walking tour guide and we were glad we did. It gives a good history of this and other slave marts in Charleston (there were many) and always a good reminder of our sordid history.

A must visit. Extremely moving. Would suggest getting combo tickets for Provost Dungeon down the street as well. Eat at the Brown Dog down the street.

Being that this is the original building I would have expected a lot more but none the less the building is an actual part of History which it's worth the trip itself

No docents, only information written on the walls. not much to see. Upstairs was also disappointing ,very little to see. Save your money and time GOOGLE slavery.

I was disappointed. Most of the exhibit is posters, with lots of data. Hardly any artifacts. I could have read the information at home.

Our visit was 9 August 2022, 5 women, three seniors in 80s. This was an interesting learning experience. I have done a lot of reading but seeing some of the artifacts used in the past was truly felt. What was endured in the past is something the rest of us have benefited from and I pray folks continue to learn from it. Removing and burning down the past only hurts us if we don't open our minds to understand the past. I respectfully appreciate this establishment and would bring others back to learn.

This old Slave Market was most interesting .. We learned a lot about charleston and the Slaves that were abused here. The photos are sobering and the artifacts are real. This place is well run, clean and interesting.

Gutwrenching. There is no other word to describe the thoughts that crowd your mind when you realize you're standing where men, women, and children were treated like cows and pigs.

Arguably one of, if not the most depraved museums in South Carolina. Educational on slaves being sold and traded before the 13th amendment and the reunification of our country were to take place.

A must visit to learn about the history of slavery. It gets crowded though which makes it hard to walk around and read everything.

Thoroughly appreciated the real in depth content of the history of the old slave mart and the history of the people who made Charleston so wealthy in the colonial times.

In process wil be Excellent .... but a must see if in Charleston...
Low cost , .......Black history must see!

The Old Slave Mart was an indoor slave market before the Civil War, when slave markets were no longer allowed outside. The exhibits are moving and harrowing. No frills, videos, etc. just explanations of the process and artifacts from the time.

Maya Angelou said it best, to paraphrase, We saved this place as a museum so as to never forget what happened in the past so it will never happen again. You preserve historical structure to learn from them Thank Gad Charleston does not allow the cancel culture to destroy statues and monuments.

Our tour guide from the Oyster Point tours had made note of the museum so we wanted to visit it. As the name makes clear, the museum sits on the site of an old slave market. Slave auctions were moved from the sidewalks to interior spaces after a time because it was believed that the outdoor slave auctions impacted the gentility of Charleston (as though indoor ones didn’t). Inside the museum you have the opportunity to listen to recordings of interviews with former slaves about their experiences which was particularly moving. The museum itself is small and mainly made up of signs with a lot of reading material. There are only a handful of artifacts. You can probably visit the museum in under an hour.

My husband and I enjoyed the visit to the Old Slave Mart Museum. We feel it is a must- see for anyone visiting Charleston, SC. It’s heartbreaking to read and hear the stories of our past. And to walk over the same ground as my ancestors was surreal.

This is a relatively small museum which gives you a lot of information on the international slave trade and the domestic slave trade. It is located in one of the biggest private slave marts which opened after Charleston banned public sales of slaves as being too unseemly. It's creepy and sad to be standing in a room where the sale of slaves took place. The cost is $8 per adult but if you combine admission to the Old exchange and provost dungeon building you save a little money. Both are worth seeing.
The museum also has a good selection of books concerning slavery and the slave trade available to purchase.

no visit to Charleston would be complete without seeing this...while it was very educational it was also gut wrenching to stand in a room where human beings were once bought and sold...

Self Guided Tour that required lots of reading. Small museum with a wealth of information. Could be improved with headphones issued to visitors like they offer at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

A well-kept museum but short on actual artifacts. It's mostly about the history of this location but very few items to look at.

This place isn't very big, but there is a lot of interesting info available if you take the time to read all of the exhibits.

The Old Slave Mart Museum is built where an actual slave auction gallery once was. There is a lot of reading, so little kids may not find it interesting.

A comprehensive, historical look back at the slave trade. I learned a lot, and I was glad we made a spur of the moment stop here.

This is a must-visit in Charleston, but don't go expecting a history lesson. Wonderful place to walk through and purchase some you didn't know you needed as a Charleston souvenir. Don't forget the Charleston French Quarter on your visit.

Located at 6 Chalmers Street in Charleston, South Carolina, the Old Slave Mart Museum was opened in 1938 and is the oldest museum of African-American history and the first museum to document the history of slavery in the United States. It tells the story of Charleston's role in the domestic inter-state slave trade from 1856 to 1863. The building that houses the museum was built in 1859 and is considered the last surviving slave auction gallery in South Carolina, where human beings were displayed and auctioned off to the highest bidder. The museum gives visitors an overview of the history and economics of American slavery and focuses on the mechanics of the slave trade and Charleston's role in the industry. Exhibits include the daily operations of the business, first-hand accounts and personal letters. But the main artifact at the Old Slave Mart Museum is the building it is housed in. Envision that you are standing on the site where hundreds of slaves were sold. In 1975, the museum was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It is open to the public from 9 to 5 Monday through Saturday.

This small museum is located in a previous slave market. The dramatic and extensive explanation of the impact of slavery and the slave trade is presented in a large series of panels. The museum is very well done and worth a visit.

Not a big museum, quite a bit of history to absorb. Price was most affordable. Plan on an hour for a reasonably complete visit. Most of the time is for reading history being conveyed at each station. No regrets.

This is a must see for African-Americans who want to feel connected to their roots and empowered by the resilience of the ancestors. It sits on the very ground where Africans were sold, so the sense of reverence was so profound that I walked gently throughout the museum. It's small, but it's loaded! It contains a wealth of information about American slavery, and specifically Charleston's far reaching role. The historian at the desk was wonderful! I mentioned that African Americans should visit for spiritual reasons. But the museum is for everyone! It is definitely worth a visit if you are ready to learn and grow.

My wife and I visited the old Slave Mart museum a few hours ago. This is a must-see. The entire museum is only two floors in a compact setting, so you can go through it in about 90 minutes. But those 90 minutes will be precious. The museum’s focus is on the history of the “domestic “ slave market which emerged as the international slave trade became illegal. Sadly, the illegality of importing slaves didn’t effect the continuing exploitation and “resale “ of slaves within the US during the middle of the 1800s. Hence the need for a “domestic “ slave market. It’s enough to make you throw up but it’s nevertheless essential that we all become familiar with this pathetic chapter of American history. Great exhibits. 10 stars.

If you are looking for a place to learn about the slave trading/buying, this is the place. There is lots of information and you can combine your ticket for a few dollars more and get to tour the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon. We’ll worth the money.

The Old Slave Mart Museum is a small museum housed in the actual location and remnants of the old Slave Mart where enslaved people used to be bought and sold.

From the moment you step foot inside, you can feel the heaviness of the history surrounding you. This is a must-visit museum. While it's somber, heartbreaking, and tragic, it's an incredibly important part of our history and it's crucial that we never forget it. This is a must-visit museum, as the lessons of our racist past are especially relevant in today's day and age.
(5/2018)

As a first time visitor to the area, I wanted to learn about the history and I was recommended a visit to this museum. The museum is small and self guided, but the message is potent. A few exhibits, but plenty to give you a clear picture of what has occurred in this building.

The museum is well put together. They offer a ton of information and a really good look into the slave trade and life as a slave. It was a really eye opening museum.

Honestly I liked this a lot more than my husband did. It is inside a historic building where slaves were sold before the Cvil War
The museum consists of lots of things to read and photos vs lots of stuff
I don’t mind reading all the posters so I found it fascinating and informative
I think my husband was a little bored
I liked it very much and would recommend

Small museum in an actual former slave market. Detailed interpretation give a depth of understanding to the devastating impacts of the underside of the historic City.

Two story building. Some information spread out. Artifacts are upstairs. Really not much to see. It was ok for the most part. Stepping into history being an old slave market was okay. Just wish there was more presentation

This was our last attraction for the day, and I wish we had more time. We could easily have spent two hours (or more) reading all the interesting information.

My wife and I bought the joint Old Exchange/Old Slave Mart ticket. While a small museum, a lot of information was presented on the cruel sale of enslaved people. The market actually sold people until 1863.

Sometimes, it's good to learn about the crueler parts of our history, so we can learn from our mistakes.

Catherine spoke about her research and use of primary sources tracing financial documents and other sources back to a slave sale. Her passion and knowledge changed my life.

They were closing when we got there but still got a great little history lesson about the building, city, and slave trade. It was very interesting and super nice of them to give us a few minutes of time and info. Very informative. My teenage son even got into it and was paying attention!

The museum is mostly done in story board format. There is also a place to listen to the voices of former slaves. We learned a lot about the slave trade that was such a big part of Charleston. I was difficult to see how selling people was just a business. There is an upstairs room with more information. My husband has mobility issues and was able to climb the stairs however there is a lift that is available with staff assistance if needed. Highly recommend.

If you enjoy history as I do, you'll want to visit the Old Slave Mart Museum. It was a very popular attraction, making it feel crowded and oppressive, which may or may not be an intentional (and, under the circumstances, appropriate) effect. Either way, it was well worth my time. The exhibits were all very good, and I could not tear myself away from reading every last word. Glad I made time for it!

It was a moving experience to visit the actual site of such a vile piece of our American history, and the information was enlightening and informative, The presentation could be better, however, with mostly posterboards and some artifacts. Half of the building is used for the museum, while the other half is now a law office. It’s too bad that the entire space couldn’t be utilized to offer a more authentic space to really bring home the barbarity of the heinous practice. Even so, the information was concise and interesting.

This is a small museum but chalked full of information and statistics I will not forget. Took about 40 minutes to get through. It's also in a great location and walk-able to many destinations.

My husband and two kids (17 and 11 years old) went to this as part of the ticket package with the Old Exchange/Provost. It is not a big museum and does not have many artifacts. However, there was a lot of information and our family learned new things about slavery in the US and South Carolina. Highly recommend. Good value.

To step into the actual building where slave trade took place was a somber experience yet necessary to honor those slaves who never received any of the historical recognition for all their contributions to the development of the colonies and suffered so greatly. There suffering must be acknowledged and this was an opportunity for that. Only thing missing was a short film which would have added so much to this tour.

Very humbling experience. Incredibly well done and moving. It is not a large place, so may want to try for earlier in the day. They do offer a combo ticket with the provost, and gave military, teacher, or a student discount as well.

If you want to continue to be educated with the history of the enslavement, come here. It’s a self guided tour and offers historical perspective, knowledge that you will not otherwise have known unless you intentionally read about this part of the US history. The price to enter is affordable but they give discounts if you have a student ID or teacher.

It is always hard to see these things. I know this is the past, but it is so ugly to see what humans can do to one another. This place makes you think!

The old slave mart is a building which shows the history of the slave trade with some relics from the time.

This museum helped me understand the difference between the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and the domestic trade. I’d never before understood that there was a difference. It was also fascinating how they translated the price of a slave into today’s dollars.

This place is the last stop that slaves were sold - an important place in history! It chronicles the slave life, the history of where they originated from, the croonies that grew wealthy from extorting them, and the sad lamentable conditions that no human should ever have to endure. They showcase shackles (which touch the heart) and have a wealth of information in regard to this disparaging time in our country's history. It is a must see for education... from here we visited the McLeod Cotton Plantation which was equally just and touching. Very well done - Thank you for the honest approach.

A very interesting and thought provoking museum which highlighted the awfulness of the slave trade and put context into the history of the building. Certainly worth a visit.

This was disappointing to us. Basically posters. I guess I had high expectations. I wanted to have it invoke an emotion or feeling. Unfortunately much of the original building was covered with carpet and wall coverings. Lots of reading, just not much else.

This museum is a historical site and not your typical museum. It has a few artifacts but is mainly filled with storyboards describing the slave trade as it pertained to the Charleston area. It is highly informative. To physically stand in a place where families were torn apart, and human beings were treated worse than cattle was humbling and horrifying. I touched the walls which contained original brick and let it all sink in. I will always be amazed at the level of cruelty man can inflict on others. Go read the storyboards, learn from it and let it sit in your heart.

Charleston was one of the largest ports that sold blacks as slaves. This museum is a wealth of information.

We are not allowed to take pictures because of the intensity of slavery shown.

I see some people on this app took pictures inside which were against the rules.

Save yourself time and money. Read up on slavery for free because this place is a lot of reading and a tour guide who adds his own political commentary equating prisoners of now working for low wages to slavery. I left after this comment. Very few artifacts. A whip like ones used on slaves was on display this one display gave me a better appreciation of what slaves went through.

Informative, would be excellent for a school tour. It's just a bunch of large boards with information on them and a few items that were used on slaves or for slaves.

Although I knew some of the history of slavery, the museum provided many unknown details. It was interesting yet sobering. Very sad to learn about the experiences.
The front staff was very knowledgeable and helpful. This hadn't been on our list of things to visit but glad we did.

Like it or not, slavery is a part of the history of the United States. You can't erase it or delete the chapters from the history books. The Old Slave Mart Museum, located at 6 Chalmers Street in Charleston, South Carolina, tells the story of Charleston's role in the domestic inter-state slave trade from 1856 to 1863. The building, which was constructed in 1859, once housed an antebellum slave auction gallery where hundreds of enslaved men, women and children were bought and sold. It is believe to be the last extant slave auction facility in South Carolina. In 1975, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its role in Charleston's African-American history. Today, it houses the Old Slave Mart Museum, which interprets the history of city city's slave trade and displays artifacts and arts and crafts made by African-Americans in slavery. The Old Slave Mart, known as Ryan's Slave Mart, is a 67-foot by 19-foot brick structure with a stuccoed facade. Originally, the slave market covered a large enclosed lot between Chalmers and Queen streets that included a four-story slave jail, a kitchen and a morgue. The building's auction table was three feet high and 10 feet long and stood just inside the arched doorway. Slave auctions were held until 1863. In 1965, the Union Army occupied Charleston and closed Ryan's Mart. Recognizing the significant importance to the African American story, the City of Charleston acquired the property in 1988 and opened the museum in 2007.

After passing by it on our walking history tour, my wife and I stopped in the following day. Although it is a small museum, it was packed with a wealth of information and displays on one of the lowest points in American History. It was quite sobering walking through a building that was an actual slave market and reading about the horrible life suffered by African Americans. But given the wealth of information, the Museum provides an excellent educational benefit. It is a must see.

Gives story what occurred with sale of humans enslaved and what that meant to those sold and those doing the selling. Very well done.

We can not visit the beautiful plantations without learning about the slave trade. This museum is small and requires reading (not for kids) but is absolutely necessary. Takes 30-60 minutes and discounts are offered for seniors. In walking distance from Rainbow Row and all of downtown. Do not miss.

This small 'museum' has information about the slave trade of Africans to the Americas through history.
While the displays were interesting, the man on the front desk can be heard throughout the building (as his voice is rather booming) and it made it quite difficult to concentrate on what I was reading. (I would suggest either a change of staff or some way of partitioning the reception area so his voice does not travel through to the exhibits)
Although I can understand that he says the same thing to arrivals probably 15-20 times an hour, his tone was a little condescending (and it took him at least 10 seconds to make eye contact after he'd started talking which I thought rather rude)
The ground floor is very cramped.
Information, curiously, is in English only on the first floor but English and Spanish on the second floor. (What's the point of that?)

I had a nice visit here, the setting is nice being in the building of an old slave mart as its name implies. Lots of storyboards with good information and some vintage shackles and other items. The best value for me was one of the employees who was an encyclopedia on the subject.

The site of the museum is where slaves were bought and sold in the 1800's. When you walk in you are given a quick overview of the history of the building, and then there are exhibits on the first and second floors. There are even audio recordings of former slaves telling their stories in their own voice. Very educational and moving.

2 storey exhibit. Upstairs exhibit has Spanish translations . Downstairs, no. This museum relies heavily on the assumption that you read. All exhibits are in text with occasional realia. Images are available but dont mean much without text. The museum is small so can get tricky trying to read exhibits avoiding blocking other visitors or them, you. Still pretty informative. Discounts for students and teachers.

The Slave Mart Museum is operated by the City of Charleston, and is staffed by knowledgeable individuals at the front desk. As the other reviewers note, this is a small museum mostly filled with story-boards; but they are informative story-boards. Also included are some artifacts including restraining chains and cuffs. Photos are not allowed inside, but that is okay. The experience of actually being there in the building where enslaved Africans were auctioned.

This is a great place to learn about the untold history of Charleston. Also it a good place to get plugged into other Black Historical sites in Charleston.

Made it to ghe slave mart last week and very wothwhile to visit. It is sad to see how humans were treated in that time but eye opener. Need to make sure it nevers happens again.

Very good smaller representation of slave life in the Carolina's areas during the 1700-1800's. As many have said, very sad but something we should never forget about our country. Nice staff here as well. Worth the visit.

Great museum explaining the history of slavery. I learned the kings in Africa sold the blacks to the traders. Brutal!

It was nothing like what I learned in school. Refreshing, to learn the real history. Hard to relate to the mindset of those times.

Learn about the transatlantic slave trade and the domestic slave trade at the Old Slave Mart Museum.

Artifacts, including shackles, letters, diaries, and photos tell the brutal history. Enslavers and traders treated people like property, like bale's of cotton.

The biggest artifact is the slave market showroom that houses the museum.

Go to the Old Slave Market Museum.

Christine was a fountain of knowledge and clarified several points of misinformation others had provided us. She has studied slavery and is able to answer any question. This place put the whole issue into perspective. Well worth the visit.

I'm surprised by all of the negative reviews on here. This was definitely a must-visit stop during your time in Charleston. The museum is small as it is contained within the only remaining portion of the original slave mart complex. The displays were very interesting and informative, though it doesn't take more than an hour to experience the whole building.

I was disappointed. Charleston has played such an unfortunately enormous role in the slave trade that this museum on the very grounds of where it took place seemed an inadequate memorial to that event. The men, women and children who suffered so horribly and inhumanly deserve more to be told, explained and revealed about the injustice that was forced on them. One recording wasn’t working, the other was an indistinct noise in the background. It was all reading, nothing particularly inciteful and many of the pictures were duplicated. I agree with others, I learned more from Google. They should get some tips for the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis TN., now that is how you chronicle information.

Wonderful little museum, rich with slave history. Artifacts, photos, stories, newspaper articles and more are featured. This would be boring for most kids as you have to read everything. As an adult, I loved it. It is very small and does get very crowded and it can be hard to navigate. My one complaint is that the long haired kid working the desk was extremely unfriendly and acted like he’d rather be digging his eyes out with a spoon then working there. People who came in after us got a spiel about the museum, but for some reason he didn’t think we needed any acknowledgment. I almost turned around and left, but this museum was more important than this little jerk. If he’s a paid employee, I would fire him. Even my teenagers (experts in eye rolling, boredom and contempt) expressed their irritation at this guy. No eye contact, no friendliness, no explanation as to the history of the museum…nothing.

This is a very small museum, but the exhibit is worthwhile. They do a great job of presenting difficult material in a sensitive, yet informative way. Definitely worth a visit.

The information presented is factual. To be able to stand in the same spot where the actual history took place was sobering. Historical truth is critical to know. This site is well done for this.

There is more to making a museum than filling a couple of rooms with information boards. This is not so much a museum, more like a website. The information should be put into a booklet and published.

Museums have come a long way. They now present information in an informative and accessible way with a lot of interactivity, firsthand accounts using audio and video imaginatively: not this place.

It’s an incredibly important and sensitive topic and it needs to be presented in a way that engages the audience and which is accessible to people with low vision and various neurodiverse conditions that mean that they are unable to take in large amounts of text.

A massive disappointment.

Very small and mostly one needs to read a lot… It would be better to have other media, such as TV/Audio/video to enhance the experience. The info provided though is plentiful. Very important place to visit.

Small, fascinating, heartbreaking museum on the actual site of a former slave mart. Definitely worth visiting, takes about an hour.

Absolutely wasted my time and money with this museum. Except for historical building that I could checkout from outside, there was nothing else to see. There was a bunch of a cutout boards with historical facts that I could easily look at in Wikipedia and not waste $8. Stay away from this fraud.

This was an informative self-guided tour about slavery in Charleston. The building was actually used as an auction floor. It's sad but also important to educate yourself on what took place here back in the day. We arrived on a Saturday at around 12:45. If you have a student ID, tickets are $5. Otherwise, it's $8. It took us about half an hour to get through both floors, but I think it was really because we were just trying to get out of there because it was so crowded. All the people + narrow walkways = very hard to move around. I'd recommend going when it opens if you want to try and avoid this.

This is, for the most part, a self-guided tour. Very educational and well worth the time. Admission to the Old Exchange is part of a combined ticket. Well worth the additional cost.

This tour takes you through the years of slavery. From the time they arrived to the time they were sold to the Plantations. I learned a lot that I had never heard before.

This museum is set up in the building where one of the many slave markets of the city were located. They had diagrams and prototypes of what the grounds/complex would have looked like when the building was used for housing/selling enslaved people. All in all I did not feel that there was anything spectacular about the displays in the museum. It is great that they are preserving the history and bringing attention to the atrocities that occurred in that location but I've been to better museums that focus on the topic of enslaved.

Small, but a required visit in Charleston to understand the horrors of slavery and the slave trip. Important to acknowledge the history of the people's whose labor made all those fancy houses possible.

Historically significant stop. Small museum dedicated to the enslaved population that moved through this building and many others like it in the United States. Makes a person reflect on the perspective of the experiences of others over the course of history. There was a historian giving a small slide show presentation on the 2nd floor when we were visiting - he was very knowledgeable and interesting to listen too.

Sobering but critical to balancing your perspective on Charleston. Much that you see throughout this city was built by slavery either directly or indirectly.

This heartbreaking time in our country's history has been captured in this devastating museum. The weight of what happened here settled on my soul just walking up to the building and stayed with me the whole time. I read the displays thoroughly through tears and will never understand how such atrocities could happen.

Coming to Charleston, it was important to me that we pay homage to the people who suffered during such a dark period of our country’s past. This museum does a great job at providing factual information and glimpses of what a large portion of the population endured during that time. Thank you for keeping some of their names and stories alive.

The Old Slave Mart in Charleston is really interesting. It is situated on the original domestic slave market and gives a good history of the local slave trade and some personal testimonials. Well presented and shows another side to the prosperous town with beautiful antebellum buildings and local plantations

The Old Slave Mart is located at 6 Chalmers Street and is a must-have on your itinerary, even if you visit Charleston for a short time.

In the heart of the French Quarter, near the French Huguenot Church, One of the first African-American slave museums in the country, Old Slave Mart, is set inside the building where enslaved people were auctioned before the Civil War and is a somber, but important part of a Charleston trip focusing on history.

The tour is self-guided, with signage explaining the history. There are also personal accounts from enslaved individuals, artifacts, and audio and visual exhibits. It is a small but deeply affecting museum that gives a sobering view of history. Here, you can listen to the recording of an interview with a former slave.

Old Slave Mart was a real slave auction site in the 18th and 19th centuries. Slave auctions were held here till 1863.

We visited with our walking tour. We were told this was the market where slaves were resold, not originally sold. Terrible either way. It is an interesting place to visit and worth the time.

Compared to the drama of the slave trade, particularly the role of the city of Charleston in this trade, the museum is poor.
While the blacks brought a certain know-how, in ironwork for example and an Influence in the kitchen, not to mention music and dance. As if this contribution was still disturbing. Moreover, everything is in English, if you are not an English speaker you don’t deserve to know what the wealth of this region is based on?

While the intentions are good here, there is not much to see. The inside is small, and gives no flavor of being an old slave mart. All the information is imparted on large posters, and is quite repetitious. There is no audio accompaniment, or otherwise interactive component to the experience.

The museum is small, but packed with information. Entrance fee is low and it doesn't take long to see. Nice break when you want to slow down and get out of the heat.

The Old Slave Mart Museum was a "must-see" on my list, but I was a bit disappointed. The area used to be used to sell U.S. born slaves for about seven years. You can see the brick on the sides of the buildings, but I think the area used to be more of an open market. Now, just looks like the inside of a building with colorful, big signs with a lot of history and some pictures. I have watched movies and read books about slavery, so most information was not new to me.

The information that amazed me was that the price of a 1 year old child was the same as that for a 55 year old man - $100. The value for a man in his prime with skills was $1,500 or $35,000 (in 2007 dollars) and for a woman it is $1,350. I also gained a better appreciation for how horrible it was for the families to have their parents or children sold off, never to be seen again.

There was not many artifacts. The shackles, branding iron, whip, and the picture of a man whose back was heavily laced with scars from a whipping stood out for me.

There are stairs to climb to the 2nd floor with pictures of how cramped slaves were on boats coming from Africa and other history.

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. It is a good deal to get the combo ticket. We spent half an hour at the Old Slave Mart Museum reading the signs that were interesting to us, but if you read all the signs, it would have been longer. We spent an hour at the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon and did the tour.

I was a little disappointed by the fact that the museum is self-guided, but the information is plentiful and they also provide brochures on Black-owned restaurants, businesses, and tours that you can take for more information.

Enlightened and sorrowed for the way people have been treated. I did not know the history of African American slaves in this country and the Transatlantic history of slavery. Excellent displays and explanations along with some period artifacts.

The two story building is full of photos and written documentation of the buying and selling of slaves. How they were treated and prepared for selling. How families were split up and sold. In today's money they sold for near $35,000.

Following a guided tour of the older section of Charleston, my wife and I made our way back to The Old Slave Mart Museum. It is a relatively small facility, with friendly staff and a quite reasonable admission fee. Displays are easily understood, and shed light on an aspect of the slave trade of which I had little prior exposure or knowledge. Sixty minutes should allow for a non-hurried experience. It is worth a visit.

Definitely worth a visit and your time. Extremely sad what we did to these people, but we must learn from our history as to not repeat it. Our 8 year old learned lots as we talked about and read about the atrocities with her.

Of the 4 of us 60 year olds, the consensus was "not what I expected" . I am a museum nerd and I wasn't that impressed. Seemed like slavery info that I already knew, Would have liked to see more artifacts or personal family stories versus so much reading about slavery in general. Did learn some new info about Charleston's own slavery history.

This museum is not for the squeamish. It requires a lot of reading, but in the end, what you learn is well worth it. Charleston is a lovely city, but it is too easy to enjoy it without reflecting upon its complex history and the role of slavery in its past. Here, you will see exhibits and primary materials around how slaves were transported, prepared for sale, priced, separated from their families, and treated by their masters. I would not recommend it for children under 12. It is not an easy tour, but I do think it is an important part of coming to terms with the past, and hopefully learning a thing or two.

I was with my adults daughters that are not much into museums that require alot of reading so they zoomed right through this one. Also, there were so many people it was impossible to read anything. Loved the cobblestone road it is located on though.

This is a tour that walks you through the process of trading in human life. It is an mark on the history of the United States that cannot and should not be erased. The museum team is very informative and the displays are easy to read and follow. You can spend 30 minutes or 3 hours depending on how in depth you wish to get.

Wasnt crazy about this place. Very small and thought it would be more than just reading a few cards on the wall. Being of the culture I did feel a very heavy energy with the place. Interesting to do once but I wouldnt do it again.

Especially appreciated the presentation on the second floor. Learned so much, and the research was impressive.

A very boring museum. They could have done so much more but failed terribly. Lack of in depth history of parties involved. Told most of the story through poster type boards. Very few artifacts.

It's like you dont even care. Let's just throw a few things together, write some stuff on the walls and call it a museum. Please do better to truthfully educate people. You have got to have the slave ship manifesto. What were some of the slaves names and ages etc? Who owned all those slave ships? There's plenty more to be told. Nothing learned here it's like you dont care.

This is an amazing museum, small with well done placards and artifacts. The downside is this is a self guided tour. It is easy to gloss over the massive amounts of information. I don't know if you can hire a personal guide, but the museum could definitely use a docent or two.

Though this is a smaller museum (made to fit the historic space), it is incredibly powerful to be in the place where the City of Charleston sponsored and supported and monetarily benefitted from the trade of human beings. The old brick walls are still in place, the staff is dedicated and knowledgeable, and the museum itself does an excellent job of portraying both the horrors of life for enslaved people and their agency in resisting and agitating for abolition.

This was hands down the most important and impactful stop we made on our tour of Charleston. Despite the beauty of the historic homes, there was certainly a much uglier side to the city’s past. This museum offers an informative understanding of the slave trade in the South, much of which originated in this city. As difficult and painful as it is to learn about the atrocities, in my opinion it is every visitor’s duty to come to this museum. An absolute must.

Excellent museum. Found out a lot of information at the museum that I have never heard or seen before. Must see location in Charleston.

Although a small museum, it is packed with well-researched information about the slave trade in Charleston. We only had 40 minutes before close so didn’t get as much time upstairs to learn more about the trans-Atlantic slave trade as we would’ve liked. Given how much of Charleston was built on the forced labour of enslaved Africans and Africans-Americans, I’d say this is a must see to provide context, understanding, and a reckoning with the past for the whole city.

We were very moved by the information of the slave experience on the various posters in the museum. The museum also included artifacts from that time period.

This is recommended by our tour guide Amy (historic walks of Charleston). It is relatively small, but informative and thought provoking. Its story is also central to the history of Charleston.

This museum provides a well organized overview of a difficult subject. They handle Charleston's slave past tastefully. Definitely worth the visit.

This really wasn’t much of a museum. It was more like a library type thing. Lots of stuff to read but not much to see.

Slaves are no longer sold here but tourist stuff is. This is the sight of the largest slave market in the US prior to the Civil War. A disgusting initial history but a source for that special item for a friend now. Have visited here many times when in downtown Charleston.

This place is absolutely amazing and enriched in history. This place is a self-guided tour through the building. It's been well preserved over the years and contains a wealth of information. For those history nerds out there, this is a must do thing to add to your stay while in Charleston. From reading everything about the history of slaves to standing in the room where they once sold the slaves. You will find yourself reading every word and learning everything you can. It's a must do! Check out our blog!

Glad we made the effort to stop in. I am reading “The Invention of Wings” so it was so pertinent to this historical fiction. Was able to see old slave work medallions and learned more about this horrible part of American history. There were a couple docents there that really knew their facts. One was able to point me in the right direction of the Grimke house on E. Bay St. it all came alive...

This is an important part of Charleston's history and while I felt the self guided tour could have been presented in a better way, I still would recommend all to visit this museum.

Got a bundled ticket here and to the Old Provost and Dungeon. This location had information on stuff that I (unfortunately) never learned about in the past, but was fairly cramped for a Tuesday afternoon.

As others have noted this is a very small museum and all of the information is just reading off posters. Its not ideal. That said, its an important topic and we felt it was worth $8 per person.

This is a small but well informative museum. You are greeting by a museum historian that explained to you with documentation of the ins and outs of the slave trade industry once it went behind doors. Time well spent to gain a better understanding of thiis horrific time of history.

I was impressed with the information they chose to include in this small museum. In about an hour you can gain insight into fundamental facts related to the African slave trade generally, and the U.S. South specifically. The museum designers made really good choices on what to include and how to describe it.

Wow. Very well done. A somber educational experience for everyone. So much to be learned and the staff takes it very personal. A must when visiting Charleston. This completes the picture that is painted as you tour all the historical homes and gardens in the area.

I’ve seen the movies about the old south. I’ve seen the miniseries Roots, and I’m certainly aware of how horrible slavery was in America... but to actually stand in the place where thousands of families were torn apart was heartbreaking. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I was there. Well worth the $8.00. Takes about a 1/2 hour. But you will be moved forever.

Please come here and educate yourselves about Charleston's participation and expansion of Slavery in America. Slavery made Charleston the wealthiest city in this young country.
Take as much time as you want or need, there is a trove of information on multiple floors of the building.

The museum is small but packed with information. The building was an actual slave auction house. The guide was very knowledgeable. I would love if this museum could be enlarged with additional artifacts.

This Museum gives a small window into the atrocities of the slave trade and the greedy landowners and town officials who traded in these atrocities. It is said to be on the last remaining site of an actual slave auction site and has a lot of history crammed in to its very small size. A very interesting lady provided some of the historical introduction at the entry and was happy to answer questions subsequently. The entry fee is minimal and there is not a lot of historical items but I am guessing that it maybe struggles for financial backing. However it provides a very emotional glimpse of the horrors of the slave trade into and within the USA and this appalling part of the recent American history. May this never be repeated in any way, shape or form.

I am giving this 5 stars because of the story and everyone should see this story. The displays themselves do not merit 5 stars. The museum itself is lacking in artifacts and exhibit quality, but everyone needs to see the story it has to tell. Everyone should stand in a room where other humans were actually sold. It is an actual slave auction site.

This small museum is packed with history and information. We came away feeling so much more informed on a number of issues. The fact that the museum is in the actual building where human beings were bought and sold brought a whole different level of reverence to the experience.

I did the combo tour with old exchange. For $20 this is well worth it. Place is not huge, only two floors but plenty of history to read. Friendly staff. Probably spent 45 minutes reading everything.

An eye opener on the treatment and sale of slaves. How much they were bought for based on age. Actual Shakels, branding irons and chains on display. Slave stories about their treatment and self inflicted injuries to deter their sale to another owner.
Sad times.

Very informative. I thought they presented the information well in a factual and an unbiased way. Its a lot of reading but the illustrations, maps, and topics covered help explain a lot of the lasting legacy created by this institution. I think this should be a must see stop. I hope the museum continues to evolve and expand its offerings.

We cannot say we enjoyed this museum so much as we can say that it made us feel sad and that is the way some history is and why it is so important to see it, hear it, and understand how to keep it from repeating. Everyone should experience this museum for its place in the history and fabric of our nation.

We were disappointed. Only some posters which you could have read anywhere else. With this very special location, I was expecting way more rich history telling and specific exhibitions. Not worth the entry fee and time.

For the money we paid I wasn't too impressed. This is a great historical place to visit I was just expecting more. It's 2 stories and very well preserved but just thought it would be a guided tour but it was just a bunch of reading.

If this museum does not make you cry, nothing will. It had a higher emotional impact of both myself and my husband than any other we've ever seen.
If you want to understand what slavery did to our country, you can't afford to miss this museum

The Old Slave Mart Museum ($15 per person) is primarily a reading experience. The museum consists mostly of posters. There are very few exhibits with artifacts. One can just as easily look up the same information from home. In addition, most of what consisted of the historical site has been torn down and turned into a parking lot. Other than the facade, the building’s architecture is not really even visible. In my opinion, it’s worth a walk by to see the location but I wouldn’t bother entering.

Great place to visit for historical value, but know that it is small so will not take very long. They do a great job presenting the history of the location and slave market at that time in Charleston. Price is very reasonable for value.

Charleston reminds me of the book "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde. It is a beautiful and magical place that seems to have been created by selling its soul. The Old Slave Mart Museum does a good job of educating visitors about how Charleston did that. I appreciated the informative exhibits, photos, and artifacts on display. There is a small, but strong selection of books for sale, as well as a suggested reading list. The staff person who checked me in was extremely knowledgeable and answered my questions about the current racial inequities in the city. This museum could exist anywhere in the city, but its setting in one of the many places in the area where people were sold makes its impact even stronger. After visiting this museum, I suggest going for a walk on the promenade in Battery Park to process your thoughts and contributing to the current fight for racial justice.

Very moving and impactful to be where enslaved people were once sold and bartered. Profiles of people, pieces of equipment, photographs are arranged in the building. It's definitely worth seeing, especially combined with a visit to the Old Exchange.

I visited midday on a weekday, and the museum was crowded with visitors. The museum is small, but does a great job providing information on signs. The information is interesting, but the crowds standing in front of them made some difficult to read (lack of visibility). Overall, there is great information here that is great for children and adults. I’m a history buff and I learned some new things today!

This museum helps to paint a picture of slavery in Charleston. The buying and selling of American born slaves and the contribution slaves made to the development and economy of Charleston. We really appreciated talking to an employee who is a descendent of slaves in the Charleston area and hearing about growing up in Charleston in the 1950’s.

Very interesting and an important part of our country’s history. A real eye opener for many of us. The museum is small and crowded, but well worth it.

The best thing about this place is the old architecture. Inside there are a myriad of posters which you read as you go along. Very boring and disappointing.

For the price this a go see. Not the biggest of places, but it’s in the actual slave mart. Which I would take any day over a newer built building. The history you’re standing in adds to it. A lot info provided. Most I had some idea of, but did learn a few things as well. Would recommend to see.

WOW!!!
Excellent first hand experience and history of the slave trade in the New World.
So much to see and learn about it’s a must see if you are in Charleston

Historic building well preserved.

A number of stories on placards inside but few physical exhibit items.

No photo’s allowed.

Worth a brief stop but not a destination location.

This is a deep dive into a big part of Charlestown's history. It covers more information on the issue of slavery than general tours can.

One of the more interesting sites in Charleston. Slave trade history well explained and narrated. A must stop while in town.

Very interesting. This is a self guided tour and took us about 45 minutes. Teachers, military, etc... can get a discount in admission.

So much information and very good displays. We purchased the combo ticket with the Old Exchange. The only reason I did not rate it higher is that there were way too many people in there making very difficult to see everything comfortably which is trivial compared to how the first occupants of the Old Slave Mart must have been.

Very educational and informative museum. Small but impactful. I am one to pore over every sign and explanation. But still with taking my time, it only required probably one hour, maybe a little more if you want to look at the books at the front to purchase, which I did not.

This was fascinating and a well compiled history of slavery and its impact. As a "northerner" we don't have access to this sort of museum and I found it very eye opening and worthwhile. It is not an easy topic but a very important one to understand.

The museum is just some artifacts and lots of boards to read. You really don’t see the structure inside or how it would feel to be a slave being auctioned off. It was informative, but I could Google the same info. It was not worth the price of admission and I would not have gone had I known.

The place was rather small, very crowded, and consists entirely of reading signs. Had it been less crowded, I might have taken the time to, but felt like I would be better off buying a book if I wanted to know more. Will not hold the interest of most kids/tweens.

Difficult and important museum. Although small, best to takae your time and think your way thru. I would read book for articles about what the actual day slaves were sold prior to going to give perspective.

The site of this museum is an actual slave market. It is basically a lot of reading about the basics of slavery.

Love learning the history of a city and Charleston is full of history. Spending time reading the events that took place in our early American history really gives you perspective of that time. This is a walk through museum reading as you go along. We spent about an hour there. Would be great for children that can read.

I was entered prepared to read about a ugly part of our history. I did not expect to have such an emotional response. The staff where extremely knowledgeable and kind. This is a must see for anyone coming to Charleston. Thank goodness they had tissue available.

It was an eye opening experience and very well done. I wish they offered more information via recorded audio. It was well worth the visit and I recommend this to anyone looking for a good museum in Charlestone.

The imposing building is the first clue that this was not a nice place to be. Interesting, informative exhibits depict the history of this place and the horrors and humiliation that the slaves up for sale here must have felt. Height recommended for a look back at part of our history that we would prefer to forget, but need to remember.

This is a really important museum. But there are some issues that I struggled with that I just couldn’t overlook.

It was heavy on information about the traders but did not as much about the slaves’ experience. Maybe that’s appropriate, since the museum is on the site where the trading took place, but I felt uneasy that the experiences of the enslaved weren’t given precedence.

There’s also an apologist tone to some of the writing that I found disconcerting. It seems to emphasize the idea of the benevolent slave owner. The interpretation seems designed to pacify those who might not want to acknowledge this horrible part of South Carolina’s history.

I’ve been to several world class museums about slavery, civil rights, and African American history, and this one doesn’t measure up.

Informative & powerful museum. Small, but wow! We all felt a bit overwhelmed by the stories and depictions of the intentional cruelty. An excellent history lesson.

If you are a history buff or want to learn about the history of the south, then you might want to check this place out.
It is open 9am to 5pm Monday through Saturday.

The museum has lots of information including some I never knew but very few artifacts or actual exhibits. Mostly posters and storyboards which I can see in books or on the internet. Sadly, this is the case not only at this location, but throughout Charleston...history is being scrubbed cleaned.

I took my kids through the gas chamber at Dachau and they saw the incinerators and they sensed the horror of what went on there. I tried to show them what happened during the slave trade in Charleston and they saw a restored building with posters on the walls...It didn't make the same impression.

This is not a museum. Few artifacts and tons of old research to read and wade through on the walls. Tells no relevant stories of individuals. A real disappointment. It’s an infomercial on one simplified perspective on the history of slavery.

Great staff and information. The employee that tenders your tickets will tell you a bit about the location/museum before you begin which was really important to the experience. Extremely moving and educational. It cost $13 for two people (regular and a senior) which is very reasonable, the museum is quite small. Thank you for the work on this exhibit.

An excellent opportunity to learn about the slave trade and the role South Carolina played. There is no sugarcoating. Images are accurate and historical anecdotes are backed up with factual data.

This is not what I expected. Its a location of a historical slave market but instead of restoring or replicating how it looked back in history, the rooms are just full of signage to read and pictures to look at. It had good information but the presentation was not that appealing for me. I'd rather visit the places where its more visual and hear stories rather than read them. Not worth it for me. $8 was not that much but still.

stand in the slave mart while reading and listening to the stories of the horrific history of Charleston's slave trade. small area with an upstairs and downstairs relics. Lots to read!

Very interesting museum that lays out the facts surrounding the slave trade that was a large part of the Charleston economy for many years. On the site of what was a slave trade market and holding pen.

Amazing museum with touching insights on the history of slavery, especially domestic slave travel into Charleston. Definitely worth the visit.

The museum is very interesting, but there is not much there and not worth the $8.00/admission. We learned more about Slaves at the Boone plantation.

The detailed information presented was well worth the the nominal fee. Excellent presentation through story boards on the history of the slave trade in Charleston. A must visit.

I was deeply surprised that most of the Americans do not know anything about the slavery in the Balkans from the 13th century all the way until the official abolition in 1890 via the Brussels convention although clandestine slavery of Balkan people (and other North Mediterranean nations had it's people abducted and sold into slavery) continued even in the 20th century as many rich western travellers encountered in N Africa, with Suleiman the Magnificent even marrying his Ukrainian/Polish slave Roxelana around 1530 after the Siege of Vienna of 2 weeks trying to expand his empire thus getting more people into forced slavery on the streets of Constantinopole, nowadays Istanbul or sell them further east or south - in their millions). Military campaigns were specially designed during this 600 years to not occupy only land but kill the fighting men and take the children and women in slavery in the long journey back to Constantinople, thus destroying the basic economy these countries had in these centuries when they were divided between the Ottoman, the Tzarist and Austro-Habsburgic empires and their greedy, forced occupation!!!!

Thus, this museum, the size of a small London flat, provided not much information on what we already learned from history anywhere in any education system in Europe or via books and documentaries you can even access on YoutTube about the 'nastiness' of slavery: here you could read about how the slavery started in central Africa where warlords would sell the members of the tribes whose land they conquered further out until they reached the shores of the African countries where from they would be sold to inhabitants of another continent. Lake Volta in central Africa provides huge measures of concern because of this practice still existing nowadays there!!!

The museum, in this respect, with an entrance fee of 8 USD, can be visited in less than 30min if you can reach each information written on boards, with a handful of artefacts: due to high number of visitors on the day we were there I chose to take lots of pictures reading the info later. On the bright side, you can park the car freely on the one way cobbled street for a while where all the cars go very slowly, until the locals come back from work.

We parked our car on a nearby street thus paying at display and we were done rather fast: this museum could be very interesting for a very studious child but I do understand why mature people are left disappointed with this place.

The place was a bit difficult to find, distracted by the annoyance of the cobbled streets, however romantic they look when you walk, so print your google directions from your hotel to here.

Why top marks: because we all have to learn about this part of the history of the world and not only in the western world and learn how our ancestors suffered and fought so much in their lives, nowadays some take for granted and use the knowledge to how it suits them.

An informative and historic stop with educational displays and objects. Likely a 30-45 min visit, but could stay longer. Worth seeing with a combo ticket (for just a few dollars more) including the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon which is very close by.

I think for a museum such as this the price should be nominal. There isn't a lot to see. I did find what they had interesting, mostly that we were on actual grounds of the Slave Mart. It is hard to imagine what the people went through. I visited this first before seeing a plantation, so I am thankful that it gave me a base to build my knowledge of slavery on.

I expected to see an actual slave market and what we saw was a room that previously housed a slave market. There was a lot of very interesting reading to understand what transpired here over 150 years ago. The volunteers were very knowledgeable and friendly.

The place was disappointing. It had storyboards that told of a slave's plight, but had few artifacts. It was hard to feel what a slave might have felt when you just are reading it. The building itself resembles little of what it did in the psst.

I will definitely recommend to have an authentic tour guide. Perhaps a local historian who can trace their family history

I felt an eerie vibe of the atrocities that occurred at the slave market while standing in front of the building

It is unsettling to observe and read the data that the city homeless population is majority blacks/ African American, so much wealth on commercializing the community does not ease this crisis

The neighborhood is gentrified to the fullest.

Very interesting and so sad that this is a part of American history. Walking through the building is chilling, the exhibits eye-opening and one cannot leave without developing an awareness of the cruelty that was endured by so many

We must never forget. It was emotional but necessary. The exhibit is short. Staff is very well versed. I definitely learned a few things. The recorded interview was by far my favorite moment of this tour.

To know where we were and where we have come with human life is something to behold. its a shame more of the buildings on this complex were removed, but the original main area was a great spot to contemplate the realities of then and now.

This museum had quite a bit of history, pictures, and displays providing information about the history of the Old Slave Market, where slaves were bought and sold. Highly recommend a visit.

As a museum this place leaves a lot to be desired. It doesn't have a lot of artifacts, is small, doesn't allow photography, isn't interactive, is small and doesn't have guided tours. All of that said, it's a must if you're visiting Charleston and will be educational even to those well acquainted with the story of the Atlantic slave trade. It's powerful to be in place that literally sold human beings and learn more about everyone's roles and how it all worked. If you're in Charleston, you gotta go. It's close to a lot of other sights as well.

I found the museum interesting but not worth the entrance fee. Sure it’s in the original building but all you really see is displays to read.

Small museum that really packs a punch about the history of slavery in Charleston.
Actually on the site of where slaves were bought and sold in the street in Charleston - a shocking insight in a seemingly genteel town.

Informative learning experience about the slave trade history explained with some artifacts. This should be required learning about how Charleston was built on the backs of slaves and how this part of history is usually glossed over (and explains the few artifacts available). Your entry fee supports this museum, thank you to the volunteers.

We paid $8 each for what is, effectively, a two. room museum.
Despite expectations of audio materials none of these seemed to be working.
The photographs and written materials, including graphics, were very informative and I came away feeling I had learned something.

This was a sobering visit. We learned so much. The museum manager was so very nice. We got there just 40 minutes before closing and he let us come in for half the price. He was so knowledgeable also. He even got a chair for my husband. It is a small museum but packs punch. Totally worth seeing. Though provoking . Many little know facts revealed.

One should not enjoy the beauty of Charleston without understanding and compassion for the slaves that helped build it. This is a must see for anyone who wants to know the whole picture of American history.

i was hoping for a lot more. It felt like they had used this as an opportunity to showcase a limited number of artifacts and not much else. A brochure would've done the trick. And its very crowded to boot.

Because of so many iffy reviews we almost did not go here. People sounded like there wasn’t much to it. We then we’re on a tour where our guide encouraged us not to miss it, so we went. It was worth it. Yes it is a lot to read rather than a guide. There are also important photographs that depict the horror and realities of slavery. I think it is an important place to go to bring acknowledgment to a historical truth

It is a sad history.
I wish it is a bigger place with more artifacts and more space for the exhibits. Admission was $8.
It located in the historical side of the town.

Our walking tour guide recommended a visit so we did. This is where slaves were sold before the Civil War and tells the history of how that worked. There is a lot of reading but tells a somber story of the history of Charleston. We learned how much a slave could be bought for based on their age and then converted into today's dollars(2007). It probably will take you 45-60 minutes to go through.

All U.S. residents should visit this museum at least once until the information listed here becomes shared knowledge.

The staff was available to answer my questions. I appreciate his generosity to spend time for my better understanding of this dark history.

We learned a lot about the history of Charleston through this museum. It focused on the selling of enslaved people in Charleston.

The detailed information presented in the very location of slave auctions was enlightening. Though not many artifacts, the illustrated posters and information provides a detailed picture of slave capture, transport, and treatment of these people. In addition, the young men staffing the museum were knowledgeable and informative. This amazing experience will not be listed in many of the city's tourism literature, but it deserves much praise and more positive promotion.

I visited the Old Slave Mart Museum during my stay in Charleston in June 2021. The museum covers the history of slavery and the slave trade in South Carolina. It covered the process in detail of how human beings were bought and sold which made me sad to think about. This small museum has two floors and can be covered in less than an hour.

A good museum with lots of story boards. I wish they had left more to see of the mart - most of the walls were covered in the boards. I also wish it was a bit more interactive instead of just having its of story boards. Very reasonably priced.

A historical must to continue to learn and grown around the enslaved communities that shaped America.

Kinda cool to see where this actually happened, but the interior is a series of posters with written info of things that aren’t surprising. There’s no new info here for people who are at all informed. Walk by the outside and save yourself the $8/person.

Two story museum. Visited on a Sunday and was very crowded. Front desk was very informative and it was very well laid out. When crowded, it was hard to stand back from the displays to read the stories. If crowded, best to go at a different time, but definitely a must see.

Hands down the best thing I went to see in Charleston. It makes you reflect on the history of Charleston (and South Carolina as a whole) and everything you see in the city. So nicely done. I spent about 45-55 min there - it's relatively small but there's a lot of information. Highly highly recommend.

The slave market museum was on our list of "must sees" in Charleston. However my friend and I both found the experience underwhelming. The exhibits are text heavy - and mostly text - basically, you read your way through a relatively small space. Because so much of that space is filled with panels (and words) the place no longer speaks for itself.

This museum was small, but interesting. It felt emotionally heavy along with other attractions in the historic district of Charleston dealing with this incredibly sad part of our history. The museum was in a location that was easy to walk to from about anywhere in the historic district.

Housed in what used to be Thomas Ryan's slave market, the Old Slave Mart Museum reminds visitors of a horrid chapter in humanity's history: an age in which human beings were bought and sold as chattel. Even though the subject is painful, the museum does a good job of educating visitors about the slave trade -- detailing how traders groomed, dressed and marketed slaves; exhibiting the price difference between males and females, old and young, and between skilled laborers; showing the actual manacles that constrained the slaves. It gives facts about slave ownership, as well. (For example, according to the Museum, only 3% of the US population owned slaves by the time the War Between the States was fought. Only 15 families in the US owned more than 500 slaves; and of those 15 families, eight resided in the state of South Carolina.)

Despite the huge volume of information that the museum contains, its method of presentation leaves much to be desired. The museum is like a huge pamphlet, its walls lined with written displays. They're lengthy, and the front size is such that you must stand within 3-feet to read it. So groups huddle together in front of the displays, creating bottlenecks, and frustration can lead visitors to skim over presentations, or skip them entirely.

Go? Yes. The museum contains a wealth of information, and some of it is quite eye-opening. Worth the time-investment.

I was hoping to see more than just a museum. Informative and educational but not what I was expecting..

This "museum" is basically just a bunch of things to read, that you could easily read from a book. It was 8$ per adult and, honestly, I would have paid $8 just for a bit of air conditioning that day. However, if you want to steward your time, skip this. Walk by the outside, which is the most historic and interesting part.

To the few people today (absolutely not gentlemen) who decided a location where ten thousand humans were bought and sold would be a good place to make jokes about how slave ships were like picking cabins on your cruise, I will now be making a donation to help them continue their good work, and I will put the donation in honor of our interaction.

During our visit we had the pleasure of attending a presentation by Ms. Christine, we greatly appreciated her presentation. The museum is within walking distance of the Charleston Street Market (parking garages are provided within walking distance).

We got the combo ticket at the Provost Dungeons. I could have skipped this one. Has lots of info but very small. We were there less than 30 minutes.

Very impressive and informative, describing the worlds’, the US and Charlestons history of slavery. Detailed, good insight into how slavery was practiced. A lot of text to read but also pictures and objects.

It's not flashy or high-tech, but oh my, does it tell the story. It's not fun, but definitely necessary. Necessary if you want to have more than a romanticized view of Charleston. You gain insight into why South Carolina would be the first state to seceede from the union, given it's economic dependence on slave labor. But the hard part and yet the most valuable part of the experience is gaining a better understanding of man's inhumanity toward humanity. My wife and I left the exhibit sadder and better informed than before we entered. Don't miss it!

€21 for 2 adults and 1 child. The museum is tiny and there is not much to see. You work your way around by reading boards. So although it was very informative we didn’t feel it was good value.
I wouldn’t recommend it for families with younger children (age 10 and below). Our son found it interesting to start off with but was very quickly bored with the amount of reading.

My family bought a package deal which included the Old Exchange/Provost Dungeon and the Old Slave Mart Museum. The slave museum is small with two floors filled with displays describing the slave market and system that was in Charleston. BTW, we were told no pictures or videos are allowed in the museum.