Aiken-Rhett House
48 Elizabeth St., Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston’s historic Aiken-Rhett House offers a rare glimpse into antebellum life in South Carolina. The only surviving urban plantation, the 1820 townhouse complex remains largely intact, its rooms decorated with original wallpaper, fine art, and antique furnishings from more than 150 years ago. The original slave quarters have survived since the 1850s, allowing you to better understand the daily lives of enslaved Africans.
A tour of the Aiken-Rhett House takes you across the double-sided porch into the dining room and out to the stables. The home's art gallery, the only restored room, features a collection of sculptures, paintings, and chandeliers. The carriage house and kitchen at the rear of the mansion once served as slave quarters and are among the best-preserved examples in the region. The estate is often a stop on carriage tours of historic Charleston.
- You can buy a combo ticket that covers both the Aiken-Rhett House and the Nathaniel Russell House Museum.
- Self-guided audio tours are available. Before you visit, download the free app, which includes a walking guide of Charleston.
- The house is only partially wheelchair accessible, as you’ll need to climb up and down stairs to tour the entire estate. The backlot also has tripping hazards due to protruding roots, grassy areas, and uneven cobblestone pathways.
The museum is on the corner of Judith and Elizabeth Streets, a couple of blocks from Charleston's visitor center and riverfront. Get there on foot or as part of a guided history tour. The free CARTA Dash Downton Trolley offers three routes that loop around the historic district of Charleston, all of which intersect at the visitors center.
The house is open daily. Since the attraction is largely indoors, it’s a good rainy day option. The last tour takes place late afternoon. Overall, the best time to visit Charleston is spring (March through May) and fall (September through November) when the weather is generally pleasant. During the summer months (June through August), expect hot and humid conditions. Allow up to two hours for house tours.
Originally built in 1820 by a local merchant, the Aiken-Rhett House was bought by wealthy industrialist William Aiken, Sr. in 1827 and was passed on to his son upon his death. In antebellum Charleston, Governor William Aiken, Jr. was one of the city’s most powerful and affluent figures. The governor and his wife moved into the Aiken-Rhett House in 1831 and doubled its size. The Aiken family maintained the home for 142 years before selling it to the Charleston Museum, which opened it to the public in 1975.
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