Museum seeks $1.45 million to expand gallery, weighs dropping "Confederate" from name

Alan Robertson, director of the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum, told a legislative panel the museum is seeking roughly $1,448,000 to renovate the Congaree Room and create a larger gallery and meeting space that could be used for public programs and rented events.

"We are nationally accredited," Robertson said, noting the museum is one of only about 15 accredited institutions in the state and has maintained accreditation through periodic reviews. He described a small staff and said the museum is recruiting a chief curator and a collections manager to support registrar Megan Briggman and to improve artifact documentation and interpretation.

Robertson outlined the renovation plan as a stair-and-gallery project to convert a high-ceiling space that currently lacks heating and air conditioning into a climate-controlled gallery, storage and a rentable meeting room. He gave an estimated renovation cost of "for 1,448,000" and said the room's 28-foot ceilings and location near the atrium make it well suited for expanded exhibits.

The director also reviewed recent collection activity and acquisitions, including a set of Conrad Watts Chapman paintings that Robertson said are valued at $385,000 and are being acquired by the museum "for 150,000," together with additional drawings. Robertson displayed Governor Hampton's sword and described other Civil War and 20th-century military holdings.

Robertson raised a statutory obstacle affecting collections management, citing a provision identified in the meeting materials as 60-17-30 that requires General Assembly consent to remove artifacts from the collection. He said the commission has asked the legislature to change that requirement so the commission can trade or deaccession items in limited, accountable ways.

Committee members and other participants questioned how accession decisions are made; Robertson described a collection committee process involving the registrar and curatorial staff and said the museum adheres to American Alliance of Museums (AAM) standards. He gave the example of older, non-military items (including astronaut memorabilia) that entered the collection before the state museum existed and said the museum sometimes competes with the State Museum for artifacts.

On admission and access, Robertson said current admission is $6 for most visitors and $5 for veterans or people older than 65, that school and homeschool groups are admitted free, and that staff are discussing a possible fee increase. He noted recent programming and outreach to veterans helped visitation rebound after prior declines.

Several committee members suggested the museum consider removing "Confederate" from its formal name to broaden appeal. One committee member said a name such as the "South Carolina War Memorial Museum" would better reflect the museum's multiwar scope. Robertson said he understands the sensitivity and historical significance, but that the word "Confederate" has deterred corporate funders and that any name change would require years of outreach to stakeholders and unanimous commission support.

Robertson closed by inviting committee members to view the Hampton sword and said staff would provide additional details as requested. No formal vote or appropriation occurred during the session; the museum indicated it will follow up with more information about staffing, budget specifics and proposed statutory language.