Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon
Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon
Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
History comes alive as Colonial dressed guides talk about Pirates, Patriots and Presidents! Explore the location where pirates were once held and view a section of the 1698 fortification that once protected the Walled City. Completed in 1771 as the New Exchange and Customs House, recognized today as South Carolina's most historic building. Where Patriots were imprisoned, the Constitution was ratified and George Washington was entertained.
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Neighborhood: Charlestowne
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See what travelers are saying
- NeillibinLa Mesa, California470 contributionsOld Exchange and Provost DungeonsOld Exchange and Provost Dungeon was a very informative tour, mostly self paced with no guide or automated guide, which could be more useful. Lots to see on the main and upstairs. Downstairs is the Dungeon, which includes a guide to explain the history behind the dungeon. It was very informative as well as visually interesting.Visited May 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten May 28, 2024
- mangopeach105 contributionsVery educationalWent to the Provost House not really knowing anything about its history or that of Charleston's. Our tour guide, Robert, was excellent explaining the history of Charleston as well as this historical building. I would recommend a visit here.Visited October 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten October 12, 2024
- jerrys01Bel Air, Maryland652 contributionsGood dungeon tourCarol provided a lot of insights into how the dungeon had been used over time. The visual exhibits added to the information. For the Exchange, you did a self-guided tour. There were a lot of explanatory materials to provide details. The organization that runs the Exchange have done a good job with keeping up appearances. The tour was a little expensive.Visited October 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten October 31, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,519 reviews
Excellent
785
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543
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148
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34
Terrible
9
meg
Mountainside, NJ24 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
This tour was extremely enlightening to the history of Charleston during the revolutionary war. It spoke to the change in the physical layout of the city, as the water came up to the front of the building in the past. Also discussed the various uses of the building overtime, and spoke of the terrible conditions that prisoners had to endure. The docent was extremely knowledgeable and the tour was well worth it.
Written April 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Life2Travel
Charlotte, NC1,974 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
We did a tour here, wanting something other than a historic house. The dungeon tour was interesting and well paced 30 minutes with Carol. We also learned the history of the building. The main and top floors are just explore on your own exhibits but worth the time. We purchased the combo ticket which also included the Slave Mart.
Written October 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Frank C
Sarasota, FL410 contributions
Aug 2022
Best Tour in Charleston, Dungeon. Spend time on all 3 floors, explore the Artifacts, learn about what area looked like before they Land filled the area. Amazing History of occupation during Wars. Can easily see History right before your eyes! Very few structures still have Basements in Area, unique. Worth the few dollars, for tour. Well maintained, clean, well lit. Stairs and limited Handicap access (Very very old Building) Narrator women was informative and answered all our questions. Some kids were there, it is "so so" for Kids. Definitely for History buff.
Written August 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ucan Q
Charleston, SC13 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
I had barely paid for the admission before we were bum rushed by the staff and ordered to get downstairs immediately. And I do mean ordered. No please, no thank you, we were simply barked and ordered to run downstairs because "the tour was starting."
I've been here before, maybe about 8 or so years ago, and it was a great place to spend a couple of hours. It's become a joke compared to what it used to be. Access to The Dungeon, let's be honest, the main selling point of the building for a lot of visitors, is limited to about 15 minutes or so of a guided tour. There's absolutely zero time to read anything, look at any of the exhibits, or simply wander around. Just as fast as we were rushed into the dungeon, we were ordered to rush out because the next tour group behind us was coming. I couldn't even tell you what's down there, the guide rushed through her memorized speech so fast you could barely keep up because you got to move for the next group coming down.
That's it for the Dungeon. You get maybe 15 minutes of a hastily spit out tour before they practically run you out. No time to wander around, no time to ask questions or get further information. If you're coming to actually see the dungeon, forget it. They run you in and out of the place so fast, it's not even worth the time.
Hopefully at some point this will change but I doubt it. Until that happens, find someplace else to visit.
I've been here before, maybe about 8 or so years ago, and it was a great place to spend a couple of hours. It's become a joke compared to what it used to be. Access to The Dungeon, let's be honest, the main selling point of the building for a lot of visitors, is limited to about 15 minutes or so of a guided tour. There's absolutely zero time to read anything, look at any of the exhibits, or simply wander around. Just as fast as we were rushed into the dungeon, we were ordered to rush out because the next tour group behind us was coming. I couldn't even tell you what's down there, the guide rushed through her memorized speech so fast you could barely keep up because you got to move for the next group coming down.
That's it for the Dungeon. You get maybe 15 minutes of a hastily spit out tour before they practically run you out. No time to wander around, no time to ask questions or get further information. If you're coming to actually see the dungeon, forget it. They run you in and out of the place so fast, it's not even worth the time.
Hopefully at some point this will change but I doubt it. Until that happens, find someplace else to visit.
Written September 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin B
Denver, CO833 contributions
Aug 2024 • Solo
I did this as combo tour with old slave museum. I thought this was a tad boring. It was about 30 minutes and led by a tour guide. Mostly about the building and the formation of Charleston. If I had to choose, I would recommend doing the Old Slave Museum and you can probably skipped this one.
Written August 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A Midlife Adventure
Dursley, UK2,872 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
We arrived with our joint ticket from The Slave Mart and received a cheerful, friendly greeting. We were just in time for the next dungeon tour so joined in.
Our guide spoke very fast in a Carolina accent so we did at times struggle to understand him. I didn’t really find the history of the dungeon that enthralling.
Afterwards we headed upstairs to view the rest of the exhibits and again I wasn’t that enamoured with the historical significance of it all. The only thing I really took away from here was a better understanding of how the Declaration of Independence came into being and how much it was ratified.
I normally enjoy historically based museums but I struggled with this one
Our guide spoke very fast in a Carolina accent so we did at times struggle to understand him. I didn’t really find the history of the dungeon that enthralling.
Afterwards we headed upstairs to view the rest of the exhibits and again I wasn’t that enamoured with the historical significance of it all. The only thing I really took away from here was a better understanding of how the Declaration of Independence came into being and how much it was ratified.
I normally enjoy historically based museums but I struggled with this one
Written August 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelingSoccerLoon
Saint Paul, MN7,863 contributions
Nov 2021 • Couples
The Old Exchange or Custom House was built from 1767-1771 and is arguably amongst the 3 most important public buildings from the colonial period still standing joining Independence Hall in Philadelphia and Faneuil Hall in Boston. So much history inside these walls. It is here where South Carolina selected it’s delegates to the 2nd Continental Congress and where the South Carolina convention was held to ratify the US Constitution. It was the focal point during George Washington’s week long visit to the city. It also served as a prison by the British during the Revolutionary War and this can be experienced during the guided tour of the dungeons included in price of admission. The 2 main floors can be explored on your own. You need 60-90 minutes to take it all in. Anyone who has any appreciation of history should not miss visiting this treasure.
Written December 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AuntK21327
14 contributions
Oct 2023 • Friends
Good tour. Workers are very knowledgeable. The dungeon tour was great. Our guide was very informative, his story telling was engaging, lots of good tidbits. There was a younger gentleman upstairs who too was a wreath of knowledge and more than willing to share. Lots of people were asking him questions. This place has a lot of history. Lots of well known, historical figures have walked through this building. Definitely a stop to see.
Written October 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Traveller
New York City, NY3,323 contributions
Jun 2021
I visited the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon in June 2021 during my visit to Charleston. First there was a tour of the dungeons. I think our group was a little too big because sometimes it was difficult to hear the tour guide. Also it was a little uncomfortable in the dungeons. I found the top floor to be very interesting. There were exhibits on how South Carolina ratified the US Constitution in 1788. There were also paintings of George Washington during his Southern tour in 1791. Other exhibits were about the slave trade and the American Revolutionary War. So my four star rating is for the historical exhibits and not for the dungeon tour which I would probably skip if I visit again.
Written June 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cynthia J
1 contribution
Feb 2021 • Family
My child had learned that there was a dungeon in Charleston. While there we stopped in for him to see it. The tour of the dungeon lasted 25 minutes. My children, 7 and 5, very politely listened to the the tour guide as he talked the whole 25 minutes. There was no time for the kids to look around and pose their own questions. We were asked to leave for the sake of the next tour which was two people. I asked when we could come back to spend more time and was firmly told no. I was very disappointed for my child who had really been looking forward to seeing the dungeon. Not really worth the money if you aren't afforded the time to explore.
Written February 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Someone said you really don't have to pay admission to visit this. The $10 was for the tour. Is this true? If we don't pay are there things to read explaining things? I did read on the website that the self guided tour only includes the top 2 floors and not the dungeon. Anyone have experience with this?
Written July 8, 2020
We paid the $10 which included the dungeon tour. The self guided part still required the $10 admission to get in and see the two upper floors.
Written August 23, 2020
How often do you have the pirate trials during the day? Are they scheduled for specific times?
Written December 31, 2017
Hello!
The pirate trials are not a regular feature of The Old Exchange. The trials are a reenacted yearly as part of Colonial Charles Towne Festival. We have not set a date for 2018's pirate trial yet, but will be the 300th anniversary of the trial of Stede Bonnet, the infamous Gentleman Pirate. Please check our website or our Facebook page in the coming year for more details.
Written January 2, 2018
bought tickets gives via pirate walk ....would you know if we gwt the tickets when we start the walk?
Or how we get the tickets thanks Chuck
Written March 17, 2017
If you purchased tickets through the pirate walking tour, they will provide you with an admission ticket during the walking tour.
Written March 18, 2017

A Tripadvisor member
Hi, I've read comments that there might be a 'combo' admittance that includes Slave Mart Museum. Any details on that?
Written September 28, 2016
Hello and thank you for the question.
We sell a combination ticket that includes both The Old Exchange and The Slave Mart Museum. The ticket can be purchased at either location and doesn't have to be used in the same day.
The Prices are:
$15 for Adults
$11 for Seniors
$8 for Children
If you have any other questions, please call us at 843-727-2165.
Written September 29, 2016
Thank you for your interest in The Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon.
The building's prices are:
$10.00 for Adults
$5 for children ages 7-12
Free for children ages 0-6
There is a discount of $2 off for adults who are Seniors, have a military ID, AAA card, or groups of 6 or more.
There is a student discount of $5 if a student has a school ID.
We also have a combination ticket with the Old Slave Mart Museum. It includes admission to both locations and can be used on any day. The prices are as follows:
$15 for Adults
$11 for Seniors
$8 for Children and Students
I hope this clears up the pricing. Thank you!
Written November 17, 2016
What times are the dungeon tours provided? Thanks.
Written February 20, 2016
How much time should we plan to spend here? It is just my hubby & I, no kids. Thanks!
Written June 24, 2015
The dungeon tour is about 30 minutes, and, depending on how fast you read/look, you can get through the other two levels in 45 minutes. I'd say 90 minutes should cover you!
Written July 17, 2015
Any place you can find. There's a small lot behind the museum, but it fills up quickly. The parking enforcement officers are very vigilant. Godspeed.
Written June 14, 2015
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