You don't have to be a history buff or an art snob to enjoy visiting a museum these days — especially in the Myrtle Beach Area, where the Sun Fun Capital offers a wide variety of centers for education and entertainment. Sure, the Grand Strand has its fair share of art- and history-based museums, but we also boast some interactive attractions dedicated to good times and learning.
The Breakers Resort itself is something of a link to the past that has been hosting generations of family vacations for more than 80 years. Although expansion and renovations over the years have transformed the Breakers into a modern marvel on the Myrtle Beach oceanfront, the resort offers the same Southern charm and hospitality it has for decades while providing the same wonderful vacation memories. For guests who want to experience more of the great things about Myrtle Beach, here are a few of the best museums on the Strand:
* Burroughs & Chapin Art Museum: Located in a former beach house that was moved to the south end of Ocean Boulevard, this art museum features standing displays that tell the story of this coastal beach community, as well as touring exhibits of nationally and internationally acclaimed works of art. Special lectures and arts and crafts classes are offered, and admission is free with donations accepted.
* Children's Museum of South Carolina: Here's a place just for the little ones, although adults are encouraged to participate and connect with their kids by exploring all the education-based displays. Located just a couple of blocks away from The Breakers, the CMSC has a nature center with live native animals, an arts and crafts center where kids can paint their own masterpieces, and make-believe businesses that are all part of the fun and learning for ages 10 and under. For parents who also have older children, the new Rockin' Jump Trampoline Park is located right next door.
* Hollywood Wax Museum: OK, so this Broadway at the Beach attraction is more of a pop-culture tribute than a serious-minded museum, but the giant gorilla climbing the skyscraper outside should have tipped you off that the Hollywood Wax Museum isn't exactly the Smithsonian. But for guests who are all about the modern era of movies, music, TV and sports, you will find loads of stars and celebrities under one roof — in wax form, of course. Pose for selfies with everyone from James Brown to Justin Timberlake, and from Marilyn Monroe to Katy Perry, and trick your social media friends into thinking you are rubbing elbows with the biggest names in entertainment.
* Horry County Museum: Located in historic downtown Conway, this museum recently moved into a new, spacious building with lots of new displays. The centerpiece of the new attractions is the huge aquarium inside the winding staircase that was built by the stars of the Animal Planet hit TV show “Tanked” and features species that are native to local waters. Displays cover the human and natural history of the area, as well as how this rather secluded section of the Carolina coast blossomed into America's favorite family beach destination.
* South Carolina Hall of Fame: Located in the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, only a couple of blocks from The Breakers, this exhibit features some of the Palmetto State’s most decorated heroes. Author Pat Conroy, musician Dizzy Gillespie, astronaut Ronald McNair and baseball legend Shoeless Joe Jackson are among the many iconic figures featured in the facility, which includes a video presentation as well as plaques paying tribute to the inductees. Admission is free and open to the public during regular convention center hours.
After a full day of exploring the entertaining and educational museums of the area, head back to the ultimate vacation center at The Breakers Resort. Relax on the beach, take a dip in the pools, lazy river and hot tub, and enjoy the oceanfront atmosphere that has been bringing guests back for generations.
