Free Sundays Presented by Richland County | Robert Mills House

The third Sunday of the month, residents of Richland and Lexington counties are invited to tour of one of Historic Columbia’s house museums for FREE thanks to Richland County, with support from HC Board Liaison, Councilwoman Gretchen Barron! This month’s featured house is the Robert Mills House.

Now named the Robert Mills House in honor of its famous designer, this Classical Revival mansion was once known as the Ainsley Hall House, as it was intended to be a fine townhome for Ainsley and Sarah Hall when work began on it in 1823. Instead, circumstances led to the property being used as a campus for three different religious schools, including a Presbyterian theological seminary and Columbia Bible College. Abandoned and threatened with demolition in 1960, the early-19th century architectural masterpiece became a lightning rod for historic preservation advocates who banded together to form Historic Columbia.

The Robert Mills House operates as an historic house museum featuring period rooms and focus galleries highlighting late-18th through mid-19th century decorative arts. Complementing the mansion are gardens that feature a combination of early-1970s landscape design, hallmarks of 19th-century English-style gardens and the accomplishments of contemporary gardeners.

Tours are free for HC members and residents of Richland and Lexington counties. For all other visitors, admission to Robert Mills House or other properties is $12 for adults and $8 for youth. Register for tours at the Gift Shop at Robert Mills. Tours will be semi-guided and offered at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00. Space is limited so guests will be registered on a first come first serve basis.