A new historic exhibit is opening at the Aiken Train Museum in Aiken, South Carolina, featuring the traveling Smithsonian exhibit “Spark! Places of Innovation,” which opened on November 9, 2024, and runs through January 4, 2025. This exhibition explores innovation and invention in rural communities, highlighting the unique combination of places, people, and circumstances that spark innovation. Alongside this, the museum presents “A Tale of Two Horses: Innovation, Aiken, and Southern Railway,” which showcases Southern Railway’s development and its impact on Aiken’s identity through historical artifacts and materials.
The Aiken Train Museum, rebuilt according to the original 1898 train depot plans, operates Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., located at 406 Park Ave SE, Aiken, SC. The museum includes interactive exhibits and dioramas depicting the history of the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company, adding depth to the historic exhibits on display.​
Additionally, visitors can attend various related programs and presentations about railroading history and innovation in the region while the exhibit is open. The museum is part of the Museum on Main Street program, a partnership bringing Smithsonian exhibitions to rural cultural organizations, making it a significant new cultural attraction in Aiken for history enthusiasts.​
SOURCES
[1](https://schumanities.org/smithsonian-exhibit-spark-places-of-innovation-opens-in-aiken/)
[2](https://aikencenterforthearts.org/happenings/)
[3](https://www.aikencountymuseum.org)
[4](https://tbredcountry.org/attraction/aiken-train-museum/)
[5](https://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction_Review-g30087-d15361312-Reviews-Savannah_River_Site_Museum-Aiken_South_Carolina.html)
