Aiken, South Carolina, offers an abundance of learnings and arts opportunities for seniors. You’ll find museums, art centers, theaters, classical concerts, and more in the area.
Discover an engaging lifestyle of the arts and lifelong learning in this blog from Golden Bell Senior Living.
Top 12 Learning and Arts Opportunities in Aiken, South Carolina
1. Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum
View photos, trophies, and other memorabilia highlighting the careers of 40 champion thoroughbreds trained at the Aiken Training Track. The museum also hosts special events and temporary exhibits throughout the year, including children’s programs, book signings, tours, educational presentations, and more.
Established in 1972, Aiken Center for the Arts is a nonprofit organization providing entertainment and cultural experiences nearly every day. You can enjoy visual and performing arts, exhibitions, performances, art education programs, a gallery shop, and more.
Aiken Community Theatre offers a year-round entertainment schedule of plays, musicals, youth and educational programs, and free workshops. What began as a small playhouse in 1952 has grown to include a beautiful new facility and a vital part of the arts scene in the Aiken community.
4. Etherredge Center for the Fine & Performing Arts
The Etherredge Center is located at the University of South Carolina Aiken and is a place for students to perform, learn, and experience new forms of art. The community is welcome to attend gallery openings, theatre performances, and band concerts.
5. Harmony River Chorus, a chapter of Sweet Adelines International
The Harmony River Chorus, a chapter of Sweet Adelines International, is a women’s a capella group that performs barbershop-style music. The group welcomes singers of all ages, or you can view their schedule to catch an impressive performance.
Formed in 2007, the South Boundary Singers is a men’s vocal ensemble that performs primarily in Aiken. Their musical programs range from the Renaissance to the contemporary, and from sacred to secular, so there’s a variety of music to suit all interests.
Related: The History of Aiken: The Town That’s Great for Seniors >>
The Aiken Symphony Orchestra comprises professional classical instrumentalists from South Carolina and Georgia. Each season spans from the fall to the spring and features different music series, including pop themes like holiday music, Star Wars pieces, and chamber and MasterWorks concerts.
8. Aiken County Historical Museum
The Aiken County Historical Museum includes 3.5 acres and features a 1930s mansion, an 1890s one-room schoolhouse, and a log cabin built in 1808. Visit the museum to see Aiken County historical displays from Tuesday-Sunday, free of charge.
9. The Aiken Visitors Center and Train Museum
The Aiken Visitors Center can help acclimate newcomers to the area with maps, brochures, and other helpful information. The center also houses the Train Museum on the second floor. Visitors will find several dioramas within interactive displays that show the railroad history of the towns along the original South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company.
The Dupont Planetarium at USC Aiken is open to the public on select evenings. The planetarium is located in the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center and has a 30-foot diameter tilted aluminum dome by Astro-Tec with a Digistar 6 planetarium projection system.
11. Savannah River Site Museum
The Savannah River Site Museum highlights the history of the Savannah River Plant when it operated as a nuclear materials production facility, producing tritium and plutonium for the hydrogen bomb during the Cold War. Permanent exhibits include 6,000 stories from within communities displaced by the Savannah River Plant, a fallout shelter exhibit, research from the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, and a look at the future of the Savannah River Site.
12. Center for Lifelong Learning
The Office of Continuing Education at USC Aiken offers courses for older adults at the Center for Lifelong Learning. You can take courses in history, music, dance, gardening, cooking, art, technology, and more. To attend, members pay a small annual membership fee and an additional course fee that varies per class.
Lifelong Learning Opportunities at Cumberland Village and Cumberland Hills in Aiken
Residents at Golden Bell’s Cumberland Village and Cumberland Hills have numerous choices for how they spend their days. Many residents participate in wellness programming to enhance their quality of life and well-being.
Some residents explore a new hobby or topic, like gardening, technology, or art, through one of our classes. Others may prefer a quiet spot in a community room, private apartment suite, or patio home to read a book or listen to their favorite music.
Whatever they decide, each day offers a new adventure with supported living services and socialization opportunities. Our caring team provides chauffeured transportation services and customizes programming based on resident input and interests. We often discover fun places to visit in Aiken and nearby Augusta, Georgia.
Life at Golden Bell Senior Living
Senior living communities like Golden Bell provide the comforts of home with the added benefits of supportive care, engaging activities, and a maintenance-free lifestyle. With your daily needs met, your loved one will live more independently and have opportunities to meet friends, discover new interests, and live each day to the fullest.
Golden Bell Senior Living offers a full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, and respite care. Residents have personalized care plans, are treated like family, and are greeted by name in a warm, welcoming environment.
Amenities and activities include:
- Beautiful accommodations
- Landscaped grounds and gardens
- Community outings
- Recreation and social activities
- Chef-prepared meals
- Scheduled transportation
- Beauty and barber shop
- Housekeeping and maintenance services
Please contact us to learn more about our communities or set up a tour. We’d love to hear from you and are happy to help answer any questions you have about senior living. For more information about choosing senior living, download our complimentary Family Decision Toolkit.
