Inside: Local parents share the best educational things to do in Greenville, SC, across the Upstate, and in nearby North Carolina.
Looking for educational things to do near Greenville, SC? Families in the Upstate have plenty of ways to combine learning and adventure close to home.
From historic mill sites and battlefield hikes to nature observations and scientific discoveries, Greenville offers so many opportunities to learn while having fun. So, get out of the books and out for a family learning adventure! Even better, many of these adventures are free or very low-cost.
Best Educational Fun: Who Has KABOOM?
The KABOOM Awards are Kidding Around’s annual best of contest. Readers say these are the TOP 5 Educational Places to Visit in Greenville, SC
Educational Things to Do In Greenville, SC That You Don’t Want to Miss
Book a Happy Hive Bee Co Hive experience. You’ll get to suit up like a beekeeper and get an up-close tour of the inside of a beehive. Hold a bee frame and watch the Happy Hive beekeepers do some maintenance tasks on the hive to keep the bees happy, healthy, and producing lots of yummy honey.
See Hundreds of Raptors in the Air at Caesars Head: In the fall, Caesars Head State Park is the place to be to see hundreds of raptors as they migrate.
Exploring Flight: Downtown Greenville Airport Park: Watch airplanes take off and learn about the amazing science behind flight.
Butterflies at the Roper Mountain Science Center Butterfly Garden: Enjoy a morning at the butterfly garden at Roper Mountain Science Center. Learn about the butterfly life cycle. Take some photos, count the butterflies, sort them, and make a chart or some artwork!
Historical Textile Mill Sites You Can Visit: Visit these textile sites to learn about the Upstate’s unique local history of textile mills.
Watch The Trains Inbound From Charleston: Head to the Inland Port and see how cargo is moved across the country.
Head to Model Train Station at Taylors Mill to learn about the hobby of model trains and a little about the trains that run on the tracks right behind the mill.
Explore Space! Inspire your future astronaut or engineer. Find a dark spot in the sky to hunt for the International Space Station.
You can also learn more about the universe at the planetarium during Friday Starry Nights at Roper Mountain Science Center!
Read our Kidding Around Review of Friday Starry Nights at Roper Mountain Science Center to find out all you need to know about this fun event!
Birdwatch at Lake Conestee Nature Preserve: See how many different kinds of birds you can spot along the trails of Lake Conestee Nature Preserve.
Learn about electricity and how lights stay powered on at Duke Energy’s World of Energy near Lake Keowee.
Enjoy Shakespeare for free in the summer at Falls Park with Summer Shakespeare.
Educational Venues in Greenville
These facilities and venues near Greenville are wonderful places for families to learn together.
- The Children’s Museum of the Upstate
- The Greenville Zoo
- The Upcountry History Museum
- Roper Mountain Science Center
- Greenville Museum of Art
- Greer Heritage Museum
- Spartanburg Science Museum
Educational Sites and Things to Do Outside of Greenville
Day Trips to See Dinosaurs! Check out dinosaurs at Roper Mountain Science Center in Greenville or plan a trip to one of these fabulous places to see dinos in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Hagood Mill Is A Free Historial Site In Pickens County: Check out an old grist mill, cotton gin, moonshine distillery, petroglyph site, and more at Hagood Mill.
Visit Stumphouse Tunnel for a look at a pre-Civil War tunnel intended to link Charleston, SC, with cities in the Midwest by train.
Learn about alpaca at Lucky Acres Farm.
SC Botanical Gardens: Check out a huge variety of plants, nature trails, and more at the 300-acre SC Botanical Garden. You’ll also find the Campbell Geology Museum on site. Admission is free to both the garden and the geology museum.
Visiting Columbia? Make your trip fun and educational! Check out EdVenture, the city’s wonder-filled children’s museum. You can also check out the Woodrow Wilson Family Home before making a stop at the Riverbank Zoo or the South Carolina State Museum.
Head to Atlanta to explore black history at these historic sites and museums.
Check out our Kidding Around Review of Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC!
Battlefield Sites Near Upstate, SC
There are several battlefield sites near Greenville for you to explore.
Musgrove Mill State Historic Site: Learn about the Revolutionary War battle at Musgrove Mill State Historic Site. Be sure to check out Blackstock Battlefield hike while you’re there!
Kings Mountain State Park: Hike through a Revolutionary War battlefield and living history farm.
Cowpens National Battlefield: Another Revolutionary War battle occurred nearby in Gaffney.
⭐Bonus: If you like battlefield hikes and tours, take a day trip to Greensboro, NC to see where the Battle of Guilford Courthouse occurred. You can drive through the large battlefield and learn via signage at each stop. It was one of my family’s favorite Revolutionary War sites.
Nearby North Carolina Educational Adventures
The Schiele Museum of Natural History offers guests a look at prehistoric creatures and living. There is a lot to see and do in Gastonia, NC where the museum is located.
Visit Anne Springs Close Greenway for nature and historical hikes, plus events, water sports, creek stomping, and more.
Western North Carolina Nature Center– Check out animals native to Western North Carolina at the WNC Nature Center.
Carolina Raptor Center– See all kinds of hawks, Eagles, owls, and more at the Carolina Raptor Center.
Carl Sandburg Home: The home of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and writer Carl Sandburg. Connemara is located in nearby Flat Rock, North Carolina.
Immerse yourself in the educational lessons found in nature at the Holmes Educational State Forest in Hendersonville, SC.
While in the Western North Carolina area, check out the Cradle of Forestry in Pisgah National Forest in Brevard, NC to learn about forestry.
Educational Events Near Greenville, SC
Join in on the fun as we paint and learn fun facts about this month’s planet: Uranus. Nothing could be better than relaxing and letting your creativity flow into this instructor-led acrylic painting class. Learn about Uranus and all its wonders including its freezing temperatures, sideways tilt, and even more. Patrons are encouraged to bring clothes they can ruin/get messy. Materials and paint supplies included. This program is recommended for ages 10 and up. Please enter on time, if you’re more than 10 minutes late, we may have trouble catching you up. Registration may be required.
Docents are on hand in front of select exhibits to share fun facts about our rhinoceros iguanas and red-footed tortoises and answer your questions. Two sessions run this day: 10:30 am and 12:30 pm. Some animals may change due to weather.
Cost: Zoo admission
📍 Location: Greenville Zoo, 150 Cleveland Park Dr, Greenville, SC 29601
👉 Read more
All aboard for a magical Polar Express experience, including ornament making, cocoa, and photos with Santa. Materials available to the first 200 children under 12.
Storytime is for children ages 2-5. STEM Storytime will be on the first and third Wednesday of the month in 2026. Updates will be on the Spartanburg Science Center’s Facebook or website.
https://www.spartanburgsciencecenter.org/stem-storytime/
Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our twice-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go. If you catch them on a rainy day or cold day, storytime is held inside in the children’s section toward the back of the store. Keep up with changes to the schedule here> Book Store & Coffee Shop in Downtown Greenville Check out our Review of Storytime on the Steps at M. Judson Booksellers!
In partnership with the Spartanburg Philharmonic, SCPL is proud to present Music Sandwiched In featuring Arbor Wind Trio. Bring your own lunch or there will be a limited number of boxed lunches available for purchase from Jason’s Deli. Doors to the Barrett Room will open at 11:45 a.m., 30 minutes before the program starts at 12:15 p.m. Tables and chairs are first come, first served. Please refrain from bringing heating equipment or hot liquids for lunch when attending.
A recurring early-childhood program at the Anderson County Museum for little ones and their grown-ups.
Afternoon Explorations- September 17, 2026 – May 7, 2027
Begin your visit in the Environmental Science and Sustainability Building, where you’ll find The Water Story and Sustainable Future exhibits as well as the highly popular Nature Exchange
Explore Harrison Hall of Natural Science, where you’ll discover a wide variety of plants, animals, and invertebrates in the Indoor Rain Forest and Rainforest Classroom, have the chance to pet stingrays, sea stars, and horseshoe crabs in the Marine Lab, and learn about South Carolina’s major ecosystems in the Ecology Lab
- Step back in time on the Living History Farm and discover what it was like to live in the Backcountry of 19th-century South Carolina.
- Have a larger-than-life adventure as you search for young and adult dinosaurs on our ever-popular Dinosaur Adventure Trail
- Tap into the power of imagination through creative play at the Pirate Adventure and Dinosaur Playgrounds
- Immerse yourself in the beauty of nature as you stroll through the Butterfly Garden
👉PURCHASE TICKETS HERE> Afternoon Explorations
And don’t miss our themed Special Event Days held throughout the year that include:
- October 16 – Science Magic
- November 20 – Fall on the Farm
- December 11 – Grinchy Christmas
- January 15 – Winterfest
- February 19 – Future Engineers
- March 12 – Dinosaur Adventure
- April 23 – A Pirate’s Life for Me
Click Here to Learn more about Roper Mountain Science Center and all of its fantastic programming!
UHM is open on the first Thursday evening of select months throughout 2026
The Anderson County Museum’s Homeschool Friday program for homeschool families.
Afternoon Explorations- September 17, 2026 – May 7, 2027
Begin your visit in the Environmental Science and Sustainability Building, where you’ll find The Water Story and Sustainable Future exhibits as well as the highly popular Nature Exchange
Explore Harrison Hall of Natural Science, where you’ll discover a wide variety of plants, animals, and invertebrates in the Indoor Rain Forest and Rainforest Classroom, have the chance to pet stingrays, sea stars, and horseshoe crabs in the Marine Lab, and learn about South Carolina’s major ecosystems in the Ecology Lab
- Step back in time on the Living History Farm and discover what it was like to live in the Backcountry of 19th-century South Carolina.
- Have a larger-than-life adventure as you search for young and adult dinosaurs on our ever-popular Dinosaur Adventure Trail
- Tap into the power of imagination through creative play at the Pirate Adventure and Dinosaur Playgrounds
- Immerse yourself in the beauty of nature as you stroll through the Butterfly Garden
👉PURCHASE TICKETS HERE> Afternoon Explorations
And don’t miss our themed Special Event Days held throughout the year that include:
- October 16 – Science Magic
- November 20 – Fall on the Farm
- December 11 – Grinchy Christmas
- January 15 – Winterfest
- February 19 – Future Engineers
- March 12 – Dinosaur Adventure
- April 23 – A Pirate’s Life for Me
Click Here to Learn more about Roper Mountain Science Center and all of its fantastic programming!
Build, create, and visit with friends. We will have lots of LEGO bricks and other blocks to fuel your creativity. This program is for kids in the 5 to 12 age range.
Friday nights are for space exploration at Roper Mountain Science Center. Friday Starry Nights invite families to relax under the stars inside the planetarium and enjoy immersive astronomy shows that change throughout the evening. It’s an easy, engaging way to spark curiosity about the night sky, whether it’s your first visit or a returning favorite. On clear nights, be sure to head over after your show to the Charles E. Daniel Observatory refractor to see through the telescope!
👉Get your tickets here > Roper Mountain Science Center
Friday Nights in October
4:30pm – Starry Nights – Spooky Science
6:00pm – Starry Nights- Solar Superstorm
7:30pm – Starry Nights – A Race Through Space
Remaining dates for 2026:
Friday – 11/6/26, 11/13/26, 11/20/26, 12/4/26
4:30pm – Starry Nights – Cosmic Adventure
6:00pm – Starry Nights – Solar Superstorms
7:30pm – Starry Nights – A Race Through Space
Location:
T.C. Hooper Planetarium
Roper Mountain Science Center, Greenville, SC
Find out more about Friday Starry Nights and why we LOVE this planetarium in our review of RMSC!
Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our twice-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go. If you catch them on a rainy day or cold day, storytime is held inside in the children’s section toward the back of the store. Keep up with changes to the schedule here> Book Store & Coffee Shop in Downtown Greenville Check out our Review of Storytime on the Steps at M. Judson Booksellers!
Spark Squad is a hands-on kids’ program at the Anderson County Museum.
This workshop covers navigating around Excel, entering data, selecting data, adjusting rows and columns, and using basic formulas. Sign up by phone at 864-439-4759 or in person.
Docents are on hand in front of select exhibits to share fun facts about our pythons and snakes and answer your questions. Two sessions run this day: 10:30 am and 12:30 pm. Some animals may change due to weather.
Cost: Zoo admission
📍 Location: Greenville Zoo, 150 Cleveland Park Dr, Greenville, SC 29601
👉 Read more
Homeschool families are invited to the zoo for a special day of learning and animal encounters.
Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our twice-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go. If you catch them on a rainy day or cold day, storytime is held inside in the children’s section toward the back of the store. Keep up with changes to the schedule here> Book Store & Coffee Shop in Downtown Greenville Check out our Review of Storytime on the Steps at M. Judson Booksellers!
Knee-high Naturalists at Conestee Nature Preserve is an environmental education program designed for little nature lovers ages 2–5 and their grown-ups! Sessions may include stories, songs, hands-on activities, crafts, movement, and outdoor exploration.
Time: 9:30–10:30 am
2026 Dates & Themes
Sept. 3 & 5 – Migration/Dragonflies
Oct. 8 & 10 – Bats/Nocturnal Animals
Nov. 12 & 14 – Invertebrates/Snails
Dec. 10 & 12 – Wintering Birds/Bird Feeders
2027 Dates & Themes
Feb. 11 & 13 – Aquatic Animals/Frogs
March 11 & 13 – Metamorphosis/Caterpillars & Butterflies
April 8 & 10 – Earth Day
May 13 & 15 – Synchronization/Fireflies
Who: Ages 2–5 with a parent or guardian
Cost: $10 for the first child (includes one parent); $8 for each additional child or adult. Children under 2 are free but must be registered at the full child rate to participate in the craft.
Location: Meeting locations vary throughout Conestee Nature Preserve. Registered participants will receive location details by email before each session.
Registration Deadline: Midnight on the Tuesday before class.
Bring: A water bottle. Apply sunscreen and bug spray before class as needed.
For more information you can visit the Conestee Nature Preserve Website
Looking for More Adventures?
Check out Kidding Around’s
Guide to Educational Travel and Day Trips!
Are you looking for more fun things to do in Greenville, SC? Check out our Kidding Around Guide To Things To Do in Greenville!
Did we miss a fabulous educational experience near Greenville? Let us know in the comments!
