One of the best ways to experience Charleston’s 18th- and 19th-century history is to visit the grand homes once owned by the city’s elite. They reveal not only the decorative and architectural preferences of the South’s most prominent families but also the realities of those whose labor sustained those expensive tastes. Though scant documentation exists, the house museums below help illuminate the lives of the enslaved people — through docent narratives, archaeological evidence and preserved spaces — and make it clear that the owners of these homes were not only merchants and planters but also enslavers.

Aiken-Rhett House

There are dozens of beautiful historic houses to visit in Charleston, but if you have the time (or interest) to see only one, it should be this handsome and atmospherically shabby mansion built in 1820 by wealthy merchant John Robinson, and later vastly expanded by Governor and Mrs. William Aiken Jr. Download the app and visit the house and the slaves’ quarters at your own pace. In contrast to the gleaming restorations of most heritage houses, much of the original wallpaper, curtain fixtures and paint have remained untouched since the 19th century. Note that this home does not have air-conditioning, but it is well ventilated and breezy even on hot days.

Aiken-Rhett House 
48 Elizabeth Street. Tel. (843) 723-1159