Your Kids Will Love the Marionette Theater

Have you been thinking about a family trip to the Columbia Marionette Theater? Are you looking for something “new” to do with your kids? No matter what time of year it is or how old your children are, you will love it at the Marionette Theater! It is such a unique and wholesome opportunity for fun with puppets, bright colors, lights, music, and smiles to be had by all. We’ve got all you need to know to make your trip to the next puppet show a terrific one! 

Looking for more indoor things to do? Check out our list with 30+ more ideas for indoor things to do in Columbia, SC!

Make it to the Marionette 

The Columbia Marionette Theater is somewhere that I have wanted to go for a long time. When my family and I finally got the opportunity to go to a show, it did not disappoint, and I left asking myself why we hadn’t gone sooner!

The building itself is so charming – painted to look like a castle and oh so welcoming. Neither of my kids, but especially my toddler, could get enough of the magic, and the whole way home he was asking when we could go again! 

It’s Showtime at Columbia’s Marionette Theater! 

The Marionette Theater is a non-profit organization that specializes in puppetry. They host puppet shows every Saturday at 11 am and 3 pm and every third Monday of the month at 10 am. The Saturday shows last about 1 hour – the PERFECT length of time before littles start to get too wiggly! 

The Monday shows are a bit more hands-on than the Saturday shows. At “Marionette Monday”, your kiddos not only get to see the production, but also learn more about the puppets and behind-the-scenes work, try out a puppet, see various puppet demonstrations, and more! 

Each production is shown for about 3 months at a time. You can visit the Marionette Theater website to see current and upcoming shows.

Tickets for the Puppet Shows 

Tickets for the shows cannot be purchased in advance. Have no fear, though, there are 200 seats within the theater, and shows rarely sell out.

Tickets to Marionette Theater are $7 per person and children under 2 years old are free. Senior citizens and active duty military can purchase tickets for $6. 

Seating Within the Theater 

All seating at the theater is general admission. Because of this, we suggest arriving a few minutes early to secure a great spot! To be sure that kids have the best possible view of the show, the first 3 rows are reserved just for them. Our family sat in the 5th row, and we had a great view the whole time. Even our 3-year-old decided to stay with us and never complained about not being able to see. 

Take Home a Puppet of Your Own 

The gift shop at the Marionette Theater is so charming and cute! With beautiful murals on the walls, puppets everywhere you look and the kindest staff, it will be hard to go home without a little souvenir. They have everything from large puppets to $1 finger puppets and everything in between. 

Plan Your Next Birthday Party at the Marionette Theater  

Around the perimeter of the stage and main seating, there are 4 rooms decorated in different themes: dinosaur, underwater, Wizard of Oz, and Medieval Castle. These are their birthday party rooms and can be rented for $75 plus $6 per child. Birthday parties are 2 hours long and come with a special prize for the birthday boy or girl, priority seating for attendees, and more. 

Don’t forget, Kidding Around also has a huge guide to birthday parties in Columbia, SC!

Columbia Marionette Theater 
401 Laurel Street
Columbia, SC 29201

Shows every Saturday at 11 am and 3 pm 
Every third Monday of the month at 10 am 

What puppet show did your family get to enjoy at the Columbia Marionette Theater?