Pigskin Peanuts featuring work of cartoonist Charles M. Schulz opens Jan. 16 at Upcountry History Museum

While the 2020 football season seemed reminiscent of Lucy pulling the ball away from Charlie Brown in the Peanuts comic strip, there were some memorable moments with more on the horizon as the Southern Conference kicks off a nine-week league slate on Saturday, February 20, 2021.

To keep the gridiron spirit going, the Upcountry History Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, will open the exhibition, Pigskin Peanuts – From the STEM Zone to the End Zone, on Saturday, January 16, 2021.

The 3,000 square-foot exhibition showcases many of the more than 250 football-themed Peanuts comic strips created by the renowned cartoonist Charles M. Schulz. The retrospective exhibit examines the artist’s love of sports and highlights the way he incorporated sports themes, particularly football, into his work.

Divided into five sections, Pigskin Peanuts examines the evolution of football in the Peanuts stories. Visitors can explore the progression in each section of Vintage Pigskin, The Fall Classic, Gridiron Tales, Woodstock Plays Football and Girls Rule featuring Sally, Peppermint Patty and Marcie.

The exhibit also includes unique pieces such as “The Charlie Brown and the Football” Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon maquette and other artifacts.

On display with the Pigskin Peanuts exhibition is memorabilia from the National Football Championship years of Clemson University and Furman University, presented with an overview of the noteworthy rise of the Tigers and the Paladins through the history of football in South Carolina.

Greenville is Pigskin Peanuts’ last stop on an international tour, and is on display through April 17, 2021.

Want to visit?

Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe Street, Greenville SC 29601, (864) 467-3100, upcountryhistory.org.

Hours: Tuesday through Saturday,  10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Please note, the Museum adheres to a mandatory mask requirement for visitors ages 10 years and older.

Also on display at Upcountry History Museum is White Christmas: The Exhibition through Wednesday, January 20, 2021.

Header image photo credit: © 2021 Peanuts Worldwide LLC.