South Carolina SNAP recipients benefit from one of the most organized state EBT discount programs in the Southeast — the EBT Perks Program, run by the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS).
In 2026, your South Carolina EBT card unlocks free admission at the Columbia Museum of Art, the Charleston Museum (the oldest museum in the United States), the International African American Museum, and the Upcountry History Museum; a $40 annual Angelfish Family Membership at the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston; $5 tickets at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden in Columbia; discounted admission at EdVenture Children’s Museum at three locations statewide; and access to more than a dozen additional cultural venues across the Palmetto State.
Beyond the EBT Perks Program, your card also qualifies you for half-price Amazon Prime at $6.99/month, produce-matching at farmers markets through SC Growing Together, free or low-cost phone and internet service through Lifeline, Summer EBT for children, and energy assistance through LIHEAP.
This is the complete guide to every EBT discount available to South Carolina SNAP recipients in 2026, organized by city.
A Note on South Carolina’s SNAP Program and EBT Perks
South Carolina’s SNAP program is administered by the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS). Benefits are loaded monthly onto your South Carolina EBT card.
South Carolina runs two separate EBT discount programs worth knowing:
EBT Perks — South Carolina’s own state-run cultural access program, managed directly by DSS. Your SC EBT card gives you free or discounted admission at a growing list of South Carolina attractions. New partners are added regularly — check the current list at dss.sc.gov/assistance-programs/food-and-nutrition-programs/ebt-perks/ before planning a trip.
Museums for All — the national program, covering additional venues statewide. EBT cards from any state are accepted. Admission is typically $3 or less per person for up to four people.
At all participating venues, show your South Carolina EBT card and a valid government-issued photo ID at the ticket window or admissions desk. Your EBT benefit balance cannot be used to pay for admission — any admission cost is paid separately with cash, credit, or debit.
If you’re unsure whether you qualify for SNAP in South Carolina, use the South Carolina SNAP eligibility calculator for an instant estimate.
Amazon Prime — Half Price for South Carolina SNAP Recipients
South Carolina EBT cardholders qualify for Amazon Prime at $6.99 per month — less than half the standard $14.99 monthly rate. The membership includes free two-day shipping, Prime Video, Prime Music, and access to Amazon Fresh for online grocery ordering.
Sign up through Amazon’s Prime for EBT page and verify your enrollment by uploading a photo of your South Carolina EBT card or a recent benefit letter. A credit or debit card is required as a backup payment method; the $6.99 fee cannot be charged to your EBT balance.
Columbia — Riverbanks Zoo, Columbia Museum of Art, EdVenture & More
Columbia is the heart of South Carolina’s EBT discount landscape, with the state’s largest zoo, its premier art museum, and its flagship children’s museum all EBT-accessible.
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden (Columbia) — $5 per person, up to six people
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden is consistently ranked among the top zoos in the Southeast and one of the top 10 zoos in the United States. It sits on 170 acres along the Saluda River in Columbia and has welcomed visitors since 1974. Through the EBT Perks Program, South Carolina EBT cardholders receive up to six $5 general admission tickets for any age — covering both the zoo and the botanical garden.
Standard adult admission is $25.95 — making the EBT Perks rate a saving of nearly $21 per adult for a family of six. The six-person limit is one of the most generous in South Carolina and among the best in the broader article series.
The zoo’s collection spans six continents and includes African penguins, Western lowland gorillas, Amur tigers, koalas, rhinos, sea lions, and Komodo dragons. The botanical garden — across the river from the main zoo — features formal and naturalistic plantings across 70 acres of Saluda River bottomland. The historic Saluda Factory ruins on the garden side add a layer of 19th-century textile history unique to any zoo setting in the country.
Address: 500 Wildlife Pkwy, Columbia, SC 29210. Phone: (803) 779-8717.
Columbia Museum of Art (Columbia) — FREE for up to four people
The Columbia Museum of Art — located at the heart of downtown Columbia on Main Street — is one of the Southeast’s finest art museums, featuring a collection spanning 5,000 years of art history. South Carolina EBT cardholders receive free admission for up to four people through the EBT Perks Program.
The collection holds particular strength in Baroque and Renaissance paintings, decorative arts, and works by American and South Carolina artists. The museum hosts rotating exhibitions throughout the year — from major traveling national shows to focused presentations of South Carolina artists — and free First Sunday programming monthly. Children 5 and under are always free.
Address: 1515 Main St, Columbia, SC 29201. Phone: (803) 799-2810.
EdVenture Children’s Museum — Columbia location — EBT Perks discount
EdVenture Children’s Museum in Columbia — South Carolina’s flagship hands-on children’s museum — participates in the EBT Perks Program. Show your South Carolina EBT card at the admissions desk for the current discounted rate.
EdVenture is best known for Eddie — the largest child-sized human body exhibit in the world, standing 40 feet tall. Children can climb inside and explore Eddie’s digestive, circulatory, and respiratory systems. Beyond Eddie, the museum features exhibits on South Carolina’s geography and ecology, a Children’s Garden, a Toddler area for young visitors, and rotating special experiences including butterfly exhibits and science demonstrations.
EdVenture also operates locations in Hartsville and Myrtle Beach — both participate in the EBT Perks Program on the same basis as the Columbia location.
Columbia address: 211 Gervais St, Columbia, SC 29201. Phone: (803) 779-3100.
South Carolina State Museum (Columbia) — $2 per person, up to four people (EBT/WIC/Medicaid)
The South Carolina State Museum is housed in one of the most historically significant buildings in Columbia — the original 1894 Columbia Mills building, the first fully electric textile mill in the United States, now transformed into four floors of natural history, science, cultural history, art, and innovation exhibits celebrating South Carolina’s heritage.
Through Museums for All, EBT, WIC, and Medicaid cardholders receive $2 per person for up to four people. Standard adult admission is $11.95. The $2 rate covers all four floors of permanent exhibition space. Note that blockbuster exhibitions, the digital dome planetarium, the 4D theater, and the observatory are priced separately — ask at the admissions desk for current add-on pricing.
Verify your photo ID matches the name on your EBT/WIC card when you arrive — this is required.
Address: 301 Gervais St, Columbia, SC 29201. Phone: (803) 898-4921. EBT cards from all states are accepted for the Museums for All rate.
Roper Mountain Science Center (Greenville area) — $2 per person (SNAP/WIC/Medicaid)
Roper Mountain Science Center in Greenville offers $2 admission per person for families receiving SNAP, WIC, or Medicaid benefits. The center features a living history farm, a butterfly garden, planetarium shows, nature trails, and science exhibits.
Address: 402 Roper Mountain Rd, Greenville, SC 29615. Phone: (864) 355-8900.
Charleston — Charleston Museum, SC Aquarium, IAAM, Patriots Point & More
Charleston has the richest EBT discount landscape in South Carolina — four major EBT Perks partners within the city, covering history, marine science, African American history, and naval heritage.
The Charleston Museum (Charleston) — FREE for up to five people
The Charleston Museum — founded in 1773 — is the oldest museum in the United States, now celebrating its 250th anniversary. South Carolina EBT cardholders receive free admission for up to five people through the EBT Perks Program, compared to standard adult admission of $15.
The museum’s collections span the full history of the South Carolina Lowcountry — from the natural history of the coastal plain and barrier islands through the colonial and antebellum periods, the Civil War, and Reconstruction.
The Charleston Museum also maintains two historic house museums: the Heyward-Washington House (built 1772, home of Thomas Heyward Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence) and the Joseph Manigault House (built 1803, a Federal-style mansion designed by Gabriel Manigault). Ask whether the house museums are included in the EBT Perks admission when you visit.
Address: 360 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29403. Phone: (843) 722-2996.
South Carolina Aquarium (Charleston) — $40 Angelfish Family Membership (standard: varies)
The South Carolina Aquarium’s EBT Perks benefit is one of the most exceptional in the state: rather than a per-visit discount, SNAP recipients receive enrollment in the aquarium’s own Angelfish Family Membership at just $40 for a full year.
The Angelfish Membership includes:
- Unlimited admission for two named adults in the household and all children under 18 for one year
- 10% off gift shop purchases and souvenir photographs
- Access to exclusive member programs and events
- Discounts at other area Charleston attractions and businesses
The South Carolina Aquarium overlooks Charleston Harbor and features a 42-foot Great Ocean Tank — home to sand tiger sharks, loggerhead sea turtles, stingrays, and hundreds of fish — along with exhibits covering the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Piedmont, the coastal plain, salt marshes, and the ocean. The aquarium is also one of the Southeast’s leading sea turtle rehabilitation programs.
To enroll in the Angelfish Membership at the EBT Perks rate, present your South Carolina EBT card and photo ID at the membership desk.
Address: 100 Aquarium Wharf, Charleston, SC 29401. Phone: (843) 720-1990.
International African American Museum (Charleston) — EBT Perks discount
The International African American Museum (IAAM) — opened in 2023 on Gadsden’s Wharf in Charleston, the very site where more than 100,000 enslaved Africans arrived in America — is one of the most significant new cultural institutions in the United States. The museum sits on consecrated ground where the largest importation of enslaved people in American history occurred, and its galleries and Center for Family History tell the stories of the African diaspora with scholarship and care unlike any other institution in the country.
South Carolina EBT cardholders receive a discount through the EBT Perks Program — $3 entry for all household members. Verify the current rate at iaamuseum.org before visiting, as EBT Perks admission details are confirmed at the museum.
Address: 14 Wharfside St, Charleston, SC 29403. Phone: (843) 872-5354.
Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum (Mount Pleasant) — EBT Perks discount
Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant — across the Cooper River from downtown Charleston — is one of the premier naval heritage sites in the United States. Its centerpiece is the USS Yorktown (CV-10), one of the most decorated aircraft carriers in US Navy history, serving in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Visitors can walk the flight deck, explore the hangar deck, enter the engine room, and board the USS Clamagore submarine and USS Laffey destroyer also moored at the site.
South Carolina EBT cardholders receive a discount through the EBT Perks Program. Verify the current rate at patriotspoint.org or by calling (843) 884-2727.
Address: 40 Patriots Point Rd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464.
The Powder Magazine — American Revolution Museum (Charleston) — EBT Perks discount
Built in 1713, the Powder Magazine is the oldest surviving public building in the Carolinas — a thick-walled colonial-era gunpowder storage structure that later served as a print shop, wine cellar, and stable before being preserved as a museum. It stands as a direct physical link to colonial Charleston and the earliest days of European settlement in South Carolina.
South Carolina EBT cardholders receive a discount through the EBT Perks Program. Purchase tickets at the Visitor Services Desk — the discount is not applied online. Verify the current rate at powdermag.org.
Address: 79 Cumberland St, Charleston, SC 29401.
South Carolina Historical Society Museum (Charleston) — EBT Perks participant
The South Carolina Historical Society Museum in Charleston preserves and shares the documentary and material heritage of South Carolina, with an extensive collection of manuscripts, photographs, maps, and artifacts. EBT Perks participants receive a discount on admission — verify the current rate at schsonline.org.
Address: 100 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401.
Greenville — Children’s Museum of the Upstate, Sigal Music Museum, Greenville Zoo & More
Children’s Museum of the Upstate (Greenville) — $3 per person; (Spartanburg) — $3 per person
The Children’s Museum of the Upstate was founded by Greenville-area mothers to create a play-based learning environment for families in the Upstate region. Through the EBT Perks Program, South Carolina EBT cardholders receive $3 per person reduced admission at both TCMU locations — Greenville (300 College St) and Spartanburg (130 Magnolia St).
Standard admission is significantly higher, making the $3 EBT rate a meaningful saving for a family with multiple children.
Greenville address: 300 College St, Greenville, SC 29601. Spartanburg address: 130 Magnolia St, Spartanburg, SC 29306.
Sigal Music Museum (Greenville) — EBT Perks discount
The Sigal Music Museum offers a musical immersion experience through a collection of historic and rare instruments from around the world — including period instruments, rotating exhibits of acclaimed pieces, and a calendar of live performances. South Carolina EBT cardholders receive a discount through the EBT Perks Program — verify the current rate before visiting at sigalmusicmuseum.org.
Address: 200 S Main St, Greenville, SC 29601.
Upcountry History Museum of Greenville County (Greenville) — FREE for up to five people
The Upcountry History Museum of Greenville County tells the story of South Carolina’s upstate region — from the Cherokee people who inhabited the Piedmont hills for thousands of years through the colonial Scots-Irish settlement, the Revolutionary War (the “Backcountry” where much of the Southern Campaign was fought), the antebellum period, and the rise of Greenville as a textile and manufacturing hub. South Carolina EBT cardholders receive free admission for up to five people through the EBT Perks Program.
Address: 540 Buncombe St, Greenville, SC 29601. Phone: (864) 467-3100.
Greenville Zoo — $5 per person, up to six people
The Greenville Zoo in Cleveland Park offers up to six $5 general admission tickets to EBT cardholders through the EBT Perks Program. Set in one of Greenville’s most beloved parks along the Reedy River, the zoo features giraffes, lions, monkeys, reptiles, and a collection of native Upstate wildlife. Standard adult admission is $12.25.
Address: 150 Cleveland Park Dr, Greenville, SC 29601. Phone: (864) 467-4300.
Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art (Charleston area / itinerant) — EBT Perks participant
The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art — affiliated with the College of Charleston — presents cutting-edge contemporary art exhibitions, programs, and publications with an emphasis on international and socially engaged practices. The Halsey Institute participates in the EBT Perks Program. As the institute presents exhibitions at multiple venues, verify current exhibition locations and EBT admission details at halsey.cofc.edu.
Statewide — SC Growing Together Farmers Market Produce Matching
South Carolina SNAP recipients can access produce incentive programs at select participating farmers markets statewide. The SC Growing Together program supports SNAP produce spending at farmers markets with matching incentives for locally grown South Carolina fruits and vegetables. Participating markets operate in Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, and other communities throughout the state.
Ask at the market information booth for matching program details. The City Root Farmers Market in Columbia and the Charleston Farmers Market in Marion Square are among the best-established EBT-accepting markets in the state.
Phone & Internet — Lifeline
South Carolina EBT cardholders automatically qualify for the federal Lifeline program, which provides up to $9.25 per month off a monthly phone or internet bill. The Affordable Connectivity Program for Internet Service Discount is specifically listed as an EBT Perks partner on the South Carolina DSS website — confirming that internet assistance is integrated into the state’s SNAP outreach. See the Lifeline application guide for step-by-step instructions.
Energy Assistance — LIHEAP
South Carolina SNAP households automatically meet the income threshold to apply for LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program), which helps pay heating and cooling costs. South Carolina summers are hot and humid statewide — particularly in the Midlands and the Lowcountry — and air conditioning costs from May through September can be substantial. Receiving even a small LIHEAP payment can also qualify your household for the highest SUA tier in your SNAP benefit calculation, potentially increasing your monthly food benefit. See the LIHEAP application guide for details.
Summer EBT for Children — South Carolina SUN Bucks
South Carolina families with school-age children who receive SNAP automatically qualify for SUN Bucks (Summer EBT), which provides $120 per eligible child each summer to replace free school meals when school is not in session. Funds load directly to your EBT card in June–August with no separate application needed for current SNAP households.
YMCA — Reduced Membership Rates
Many YMCA locations in South Carolina offer reduced or sliding-scale membership rates for SNAP/EBT cardholders. Contact your local South Carolina YMCA — locations in Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, Spartanburg, Rock Hill, and Florence — to ask about current income-based pricing.
What You Can Buy With Your South Carolina EBT Card
South Carolina has not implemented any state-specific SNAP food purchase restrictions. All federally approved SNAP items remain purchasable with your South Carolina EBT card in 2026. For the full list of what SNAP covers, see the SNAP-eligible foods guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the EBT Perks Program in South Carolina?
EBT Perks is South Carolina’s own state-run cultural access program, managed by the SC Department of Social Services (DSS). It gives SNAP recipients free or discounted admission to a growing list of South Carolina cultural attractions — including zoos, aquariums, history museums, art museums, children’s museums, and performing arts organizations. New partners are added regularly. Check the current list at dss.sc.gov/assistance-programs/food-and-nutrition-programs/ebt-perks/. Out-of-state EBT cards may not be accepted at EBT Perks venues — most require a South Carolina state-issued EBT card.
What discounts do South Carolina EBT cardholders get in 2026?
South Carolina EBT cardholders can access $5/person (up to 6) at Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia; free admission at the Columbia Museum of Art (up to 4), Charleston Museum (up to 5), Upcountry History Museum in Greenville (up to 5); a $40 SC Aquarium Angelfish annual family membership; $3 admission at IAAM in Charleston; $3/person at the Children’s Museum of the Upstate (Greenville and Spartanburg); $5/person (up to 6) at Greenville Zoo; discounts at EdVenture Children’s Museum (3 SC locations), Patriots Point, Powder Magazine, and Sigal Music Museum; $2/person at SC State Museum (up to 4, through Museums for All); half-price Amazon Prime ($6.99/month); produce-matching at farmers markets; Lifeline internet discounts; and SUN Bucks for school-age children.
Is the Charleston Museum really the oldest museum in the United States?
Yes — the Charleston Museum was founded in 1773, making it the first and oldest museum established in America. It is now celebrating its 250th anniversary and offers free admission for up to five people to South Carolina EBT cardholders through the EBT Perks Program.
How do I get the $40 SC Aquarium membership with my EBT card?
Present your South Carolina EBT card and photo ID at the South Carolina Aquarium’s membership desk in Charleston. The $40 Angelfish Family Membership covers two named adults and all children under 18 for unlimited visits for one full year. It also includes 10% off the gift shop and access to exclusive member programs. Standard family membership pricing is significantly higher.
Does the SC State Museum accept EBT cards from other states?
Yes — the SC State Museum participates in the national Museums for All program, which accepts EBT cards from all 50 states at $2 per person for up to four people. EBT Perks (the state DSS program) is specific to South Carolina-issued cards, but Museums for All is open to any state’s EBT card.
Can I get free internet in South Carolina with my EBT card?
Yes — through the federal Lifeline program, South Carolina EBT cardholders qualify for up to $9.25/month off their phone or internet bill. The Affordable Connectivity Program is listed as an EBT Perks partner on the DSS website. See the Lifeline application to apply.
Check Your South Carolina SNAP Benefits
Your South Carolina EBT card balance can be checked by calling 1-800-554-5268, through the ebtEDGE app, or at the point of sale at any authorized retailer. For a full guide, see how to check your SNAP balance in South Carolina.
Additional resources: South Carolina SNAP benefits by household size — how to apply for SNAP in South Carolina — South Carolina WIC income guidelines — South Carolina Medicaid eligibility.
Last updated: 2026 | Discount programs, admission rates, and eligibility requirements are subject to change. New EBT Perks partners are added regularly — verify the current list at dss.sc.gov/assistance-programs/food-and-nutrition-programs/ebt-perks/ before visiting. South Carolina SNAP is administered by the SC Department of Social Services (DSS). EBT card support: 1-800-554-5268 (24/7).