Hollywood comes to South Carolina's State Museum

Carolina movie lovers come visit the State Museum downtown Columbia for a super cool exhibit on all the Hollywood and independent films shot in the Palmetto State. Did you know that over 250 movies were filmed in South Carolina? You bet! Oscar winning movies like Forrest Gump, Cold Mountain and The Abyss, as well as American classics, such as The Patriots, Days of Thunder, Prince of Tides, Renaissance Man, The Great Santini, and Die Hard With a Vengeance. Even the recently released and already award-buzzing comedy, Leatherheads, featuring George Clooney and Renee Zellweger calls Carolina "home".

The exhibit is only $3 over the regular admission price of $5. So for a price of one movie ticket you get enjoy memorabilia, props and costumes and watch adrenaline pumping clips from dozens films made over the past 100 years, right in our backyard. That's something we can all be proud about!

Interesting and Fun Facts to See

1. You will jolly up seeing some of Forrest Gump original sketches: like the scene when he carries Bubba or the one when Lt. Dan finally makes peace with himself and jumps into the ocean.

2. "Fire engine causes fire evacuation!" The 1921 fire engine from The Chiefs TV series was accidentally driven into the building last November setting off the smoke alarms and causing evacuation of the Museum and the entire Dept. of Revenue.

3. Heavy winter snow in Greenville? That's right. Portions of downtown were covered in artificial snow to convey authentic Siberian winter for The Printing movie set in pre-perestroika Russia.

4. Get a good laugh watching several edited clips depicting classic scenes actually shot in South Carolina even though the movies implies otherwise. Like the drive over "a New York bridge" you guessed it was Cooper River bridge; or the one from Renaissance Man's army post clearly shot at Fort Jackson.

5. How about seeing up close and personal some of the costumes and props from your favorite movies? Like Tom Cruise's jumpsuit from Days of Thunder, the scaffold gallows from The Patriots, a full size replica of the Hunley submarine, Eddie Murphy's fat suit, set pieces from Die Hard with a Vengeance and the football team's mascot from Radio.

6. Wanna take part in a movie? You can at the State Museum. You can drive a car pretending you're in Leatherheads. Check this out!

7. End your Hollywood tour with a look of some famos South Carolinian actors.

Where: At the State Museum through October 19, 2008. Open Tuesday - Saturday 10 AM - 5 PM; Sunday 1 - 5 PM; Open Monday between Memorial Day and Labor Day

Have fun and be proud in South Carolina!