The electronic spectrum of C3H has been observed by means of a resonant two color two photon ionization technique sampling a supersonic plasma source. On the basis of ab initio calculations, vibrational and rotational analysis, the complex vibronic system observed in the visible and near UV is assigned to three electronic transitions, (A) over tilde (2)A(')<--X (2)Pi, (B) over tilde (2)A " <--X (2)Pi and (C) over tilde (2)A " <--X (2)Pi of C3H. Potential curves along the CCH bending coordinate have been obtained because of its role for the electronic spectrum and dynamics of C3H.