Robert Mills House, Historic house museum in Columbia, United States.
The Robert Mills House is a two-story brick building with four Ionic columns in Columbia, South Carolina, occupying a full city block on Blanding Street. The main facade features round-arch windows, and the building is topped by a gabled roof.
The house was designed in 1823 by Robert Mills as his personal residence and later became part of Columbia Theological Seminary. After the seminary moved on, it opened to the public as a house museum in 1967.
The house takes its name from the architect who designed it for his own use, which was rare for someone of his profession at the time. Walking through the arranged rooms, visitors can see what furniture, objects, and spatial choices defined a prosperous household in the early 1800s.
Guided tours are the main way to visit the interior, so it is worth checking opening times before you go. The house sits in a quiet part of Columbia, making it easy to walk around the grounds at your own pace.
The entrance hall has a hidden stairway behind a door that mirrors a false door on the opposite wall, creating a symmetry that most visitors do not notice at first. Looking carefully at both walls at the same time is the easiest way to spot the trick.
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