The South Carolina Maritime Museum (SCMM) opened its doors in December 2011. The Museum has been a 16 year-old vision of the Harbor Historical Association (HHA), a grassroots volunteer group that began in 1996 with a mission to preserve and promote the maritime history of Georgetown County and South Carolina.

Through community support of the annual Georgetown Wooden Boat Show and related events, HHA was able to accumulate initial funding for the museum. It is the only museum in the state with the sole mission of interpreting South Carolina Maritime history.

The SCMM is located on the first floor of an old McCrory five and dime store building, on the waterfront in the middle of Georgetown's historic business district. The front third of the Museum's 5,000-square-foot space has been finished and fitted for an exhibit area and small gift shop. The original maple floors and brick walls have been exposed and a moveable wall can be slid back as more exhibits are added.

The Museum will opened a new exhibit on Friday, November 30, 2012, titled “1905, Georgetown’s Golden Year”. The exhibit includes 35 enlarged and mounted photographs and other images, showing Georgetown’s waterfront and downtown area during 1905, which was the busiest year in the history of the Port of Georgetown. The exhibit will run through the winter of 2012-2013 and will be free and open to the public.