Aiken-Rhett House Museum

Really loved this preserved house tour. Was very cool to see the original features of the house.

I really enjoyed this tour, for a couple reasons. First, I appreciate the self guided tour with headsets allowing you to pause if you wanted to. The audio was clear and the detail kept it interesting. I also enjoyed the fact that this plantation was not shiny and restored. It properly showed its wear with pride. It felt almost eery to think of the many generations of this family and slaves who had been here before us. Seeing how each lived and viewing some furnishings was a true learning experience.

Excellent piece of history that has been preserved nicely. I felt like going thru the front door was a step back 200 years; very cool experience. If your visiting one plantation in Charleston this one would be a great choice.

OK, so went to two plantations on my visit to Charleston. The tour guide at the McLeod Plantation was really knowledgeable on historic preservation, so I asked him, «If you had to pick one other plantation to visit, where would you go?» and he said, «The Aiken-​Rhett House — hands down».
Now I see why.
First of all, since my hotel was downtown, the Aiken-​Rhett House is conveniently located close by in a fairly urban setting — very unique /​uncommon for a plantation to be located in an urban setting.
Second of all, this is by-​far, the best example I have seen of historic preservation. Unlike other plantations that have been «restored», this one has been left as it originally was, even in its deteriorated /​disrepaired state. Note that not everyone will prefer to see it this way, but for me, leaving it untouched left me with more of a vision of how it must have been — with due respect to the structure and how it was always meant to be.
Over time, the house was expanded by Aiken family members, and it was interesting in itself to see where this was done, and how the structure progressed — an example might be how/​where the front door was changed and relocated. Another example would be the marble circular staircase, and art gallery, which both have a very slight Italian Renaissance influence.
The stables, slave quarters, and kitchen are in outlying, yet connected, outbuildings; there is even an alle of oak trees (small tree avenue characteristic in plantations).
Here are some notes for your visit —
1. On approach, ring the bell to the front door, and someone will let you in.
2. Follow the sign past the foyer to the basement check-​in/​gift shop, but don’t venture anywhere else!
3. They will provide you with a self-​guided audio tour, which is important to follow as you do your walk-​through — not only because the house is cavernous with many unmarked rooms, but also to prevent you from venturing anywhere else that is unmarked, and the risk of losing your bearings.
4. Understandably, with all due respect to historic preservation, no interior photos are allowed.
5. Parking is limited to restricted street parking.
This was really worth it at $ 10, and by far, my most favorite site that I visited here in Charleston.

This was an amazing house. It was great to see a place as it was in the 1850s (I think that is the correct decade). Being able to really see the slave quarters and the stable was awesome.

Incredible exterior including some of the most baller wraparound decks of all time.

I really enjoyed this house tour, the audio guide was informative. The explanations were detailed. The grounds and home are beautiful, the marble entry was stunning. The tour included a good balance of family history and historical information.

Built in in 1820 by merchant John Robinson, this «typical Charleston double house «was sold in 1827 to William Aiken Sr.; as Robinson fell upon hard times. After Aiken Sr. passed away unexpectedly in a carriage accident, the house was passed to his wife and only son; William Aiken Jr. (former governor of South Carolina).
The house remained in the hands of the family descendants for 142 years (circa 1972) and was occupied by the family until it was sold to the Charleston Museum in 1975. Only20 years later, it was sold again to the Historic Charleston Foundation in 1995 and remains under their ownership.
Prior to the Civil War, the house was maintained by approximately 14 African slaves, who lived and worked in the 2 outbuildings. The 1^st outbuilding had the laundry & kitchen with rooms above it on the second floor for the slave quarters. The 2^nd outbuilding had a carriage house which also had rooms above it on the second floor for the slave quarters.
The house itself has been preserved, not restored. Therefore, everything is exactly as it was back in the 1800’s. Although this gives a great perspective on what life was like in the 1800’s, it just feels like the house is sliding further and further into disrepair.

The pre recorded audio tour is a must and gives tremendous insight into each and every room of the house. Without the audio tour, I would have not enjoyed this tour at all.
What came as a huge surprise was the very last room (gallery) on the tour, as it had been restored to like new condition and featured many works of art that were displayed in the home. This room immediately transported you back to the 1800’s and really gave you a feel of what it was like to live in this house. It also ended the tour on a very high note.
Is this a must see attraction in Charleston? Maybe not. But you can see the house and walk the grounds in approximately one hour and I think it’s a great bang for the buck. Besides, it is a top rated attraction and part of Charleston’s historical past.
FYI — there is no photography allowed inside the house, so all pictures that I have were taken from the outside and from the porch. I recommend buying the book in the gift shop if you are interested in a pictorial record of your visit here.

This was interesting but expensive for what you get. Some of the ladies working there were very nice but others were kind of cranky/​rude. I don’t regret going but I was underwhelmed.

This has been my favorite historical home in Charleston in the many years i’ve been visiting this city.
Not to rehash what has already been said by other reviewers, but the things i liked most were:
The house has been preserved and not renovated. I think that’s nice because it takes you back to the time when there were fewer modern conveniences like cell phones, reliable constant electricity, etc. Although there’s value in seeing these old homes restored, i think there’s value in seeing it in a rougher state as well.
I liked that there was a pre-​recorded audio tour instead of a tour guide. It allowed you to go at your own pace and experience it on a more introspective level. Although granted, there are some who are more extroverted and may kind of resent not having a more interactive experience with a tour guide.
Some things along the tour really struck me… The disparity in the way of life between the classes… While the rich white class was having elaborate dinner events and taking tours of Europe, the slave class lived above the stables or the kitchen where they worked, which could be quite dangerous. Really quite sad. Although the rich class couldn’t escape disease or illness or war. Those were equalizers. This tour also brought home the fact that life for a slave on an urban plantation was most likely better than on a rural plantation (a la 12 Years a Slave)… at least in general.
However, all of that takes nothing away from the quality of the preservation of this historical house and the accompanying tour. I’m glad and appreciative that opportunities exist to look back at the past and remember this history… the good and the bad.

Be sure to visit this place on your trip to Charleston. This mansion was built in 1820 and lived in up until the early 1970s, and is unique in the painstaking efforts made by the historical society in order to keep it as close to its original state as possible. Photography is not allowed inside the house, which is a shame, since the huge rooms with their original wall coverings and paintings are stunning in an almost dystopian way. The self-​guided audio tour is fantastic and leads you through the slave quarters, stables, and backyard, before winding you on a tour through the house. You really get an idea of the effort undertaken by the museum, recovering the original pieces of furniture and artwork, then arranging them in a way that would be historically accurate. This unique tour is well worth the $ 10 entry and the Aiken-​Rhett house is a must-​see for anyone visiting Charleston.

If you are going to go on a house tour in Charleston, make sure the Aiken-​Rhett House is at the top of the list. It is a large city plantation with a lot of different things to see. Unlike most of the other historic houses in Chareleston, this house has not been renovated or is it furnished (except the dining room). This is done on purpose as it is a preservation home rather than a restored one.
There is no tour guide. You get a pre-​recorded audio tour (with the price of admission) in the form of headphones and an MP3player. There are a few docents around to answer questions if you have them. With an estate so large, I feel this is the best way to take a tour. You can take your time wandering around rather than being shuttled from room to room or being subjected to stupid questions from other people in your tour group.
The grounds themselves are pretty fantastic. They have their own avenue of oaks, as well as a carriage house and slave quarters. The house, as I have mentioned, is in a state of preservation. It is really cool to be able to walk around the whole room without any furniture in the way that you can’t touch or get near anyway.
It is located in Wraggborugh, which is a bit farther away on the peninsula than the main ones downtown, but it is well worth the trip. It is also less expensive than the other house tours.

Beautifully organized tour. Everyone gets their own headphone, but attendants are also right there to help out.
The house is authentically, if not purposely, not-​so-​restored nor overfull, giving a real experience of what the actual spaces felt like.
I was also very impressed with the flow of the tour — first through the rolls and quarters of the slaves and then on to the grandeur of the patrons living on the house. Most houses are guided in the opposite manner, showing impressive oil paintings first, then discussing the reputation of the owner at length, and other real people as an instrument of those or an afterthought.
Too bad it cost so much — we were a family of 5…

A fascinating historical artifact, and one of Charleston’s most interesting museums. This spacious urban plantation is presented in its ‘preserved’ state, which definitely makes it less glamorous than some of its counterparts. But what it lacks in artistic appeal, it makes up for in authenticity — this is one of the most complete representations of the antebellum lifestyle of Charleston’s upper class. A couple of tips: first, leave yourself about 20 minutes to walk here from the Charleston market, and another 60 — 90 minutes to explore the property once you’re there. The self-​guided audio tour covers the history of the house, the family and the era, but there are docents stationed around the property should any questions come up. A must-​see museum!

Other than Boone Hall (which I recommend saving until the end of your trip — save the best for last, right?), this was one of my favorite things I explored while in Charleston. Out of all of the house tours in the downtown Historic district, this is a can’t miss. It was considered an urban plantation back in the day and is conserved rather than refurbished. It literally feels like you are stepping back in time because you can feel the history and authenticity of the home.
I love the audio tour that lets you go at your own pace. You can’t take pictures inside so make sure you visit this because you won’t be able to just check it out online. Definitely agree with the recommendation to go early because there is no AC so it could get hot. I happened to go on a day when it was pouring rain, so not a problem for us.
This tour is pretty awesome because you get to see so much more than a home — slave quarters, kitchen, dining room, patios and piazzas, bedrooms, stables and more. Also, the staff is SO KIND. The check-​in ladies spent 20 minutes after the tour giving us advice about Charleston. When leaving, a gentleman that worked there told us all of the tourist traps to avoid and gave me a bag so that my purse wouldn’t get wet in the rain.

I love the history surrounding Charleston and the Aiken-​Rhett House Museum is not to be missed! It has been preserved in its current state since 1995 and still has many remnants of its rich history. Most of the furniture are originals from the 1800’s, and it was fascinating to see how people lived back then.
Unlike other tours, you actually got to walk through and look at most of the house (except the top floor), as well as the stables and servants’ quarters. It was an audio tour, which was done quite well, and you can move along at your own pace. This was my favorite house tour in Charleston! Must-​see!

I am a huge fan of touring historic houses and this one is a must see.
The house is unlike any other historic house tour in Charleston because it features in tact slave quarters, the stable, the carriage house, the kitchen/​laundry area, and the home has been conserved not restored, which is similar to Drayton Hall.
I’m annoyed at the people complaining about the choice to conserve rather than refurbish on here. The Aiken-​Rhett house is unique because it literally feels like you stepped back into time. It gives you chills!
They give you a headset to tour the home which I loved.

Got lured here via the wife (wanted a break from just food and booze i guess), and soaked up some history. Nice set up with the MP3 players, and go at your own pace. The backyard story was interesting, and kinda humorous that the family decided to built a whole new room just to display there art they picked up across the pond. OLD MONEY baby

Goodness this is a beautiful old home. It’s very illustrative of antebellum home-​building. Bricks were made poorly at that time and as a result over time families stuccoed over the brick and then scored it to make it look like stone.
There are slave quarters, a detached kitchen, and a stable are part of this property, with a lot of original fixtures preserved. Also, great tours given by knowledgeable staff.

I decided to be a tourist in my own town today and visited. What a fabulous stop! I love going into a museum and seeing things in its original form. I’ve been to several *Historic Houses* to see that the house isn’t original or that it’s filled with things bought during the
explosion.
This is in its splendor and the audio tour told story after story about the house. It felt as if it almost «came alive».
Whether you are a tourist or local, this is a must see!