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    Telfair Academy

    3.7 (98 reviews)
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    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Telfair Academy Photos

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    Amanda A.

    Great experience to be able and go through and see so many marble sculptures and paintings dated back to 1800s.

    Hunter S.

    This is part of a trio of museums/historical sites. There is the Telfair Academy, which is classical art. Jepson Center, which includes a children's section, and focuses on modern art, and then the Owen Thomas house, a historical home with "slave quarters." You can purchase entry to one for 30 dollars and it covers your entry for the other two. So three sites for 30 bucks? That's a steal. Telfair academy is a historic mansion (read: rich people) that became an art museum in 1886, making it one of the first 10 art museums in America and the oldest public museum in South. And the first founded by a woman. The art is mainly 19 and 20th century American and European art. The bird girl from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is housed here. They have some cool folk art I enjoyed (folk art is one of my faves). The architecture is the main star here. I loved the sweeping vistas and giant portraits, making beautiful vignettes. The gift shop has some classy, elegant things at a pretty good price.

    Exterior.
    Marilu F.

    I took two tours with Old Savannah Tours and one was a ghost tour. The ghost tour happened to grant you access to the first floor of the Telfair. Go figure! Apparently the Telfair belonged to a woman who hated men and this woman to this day happens to haunt the museum. Personally I can't say anything weird happened at the museum, but the guide had said she had had weird things happen to her in the past. At any rate, the art collection is lovely and it made me wish I had had time to go back and visit the other floors or the Telfair. Definitely something on my list for my next visit to Savannah.

    Jacquelyn C.

    Cute little museum thats part of a trio of museums. It's fairly small but still has some great art work on display.

    Historical dining room
    RabbiWendy S.

    Small and charming art museum in a converted historic house. An elevator makes disabled access easy to all 5 floors. The famous Bird Girl from Bonaventure Cemetery is here for safekeeping. Figure about an hour to see everything. One admission allows you to also see the Jepson Center as well as the Owens Thomas House. A good value for all 3 places and the admission ticket is valid for a week, so you don't need to rush to see everything in one day (unless that's your jam). Recommended!

    Nicholas G.

    It's not bad. Not great either. Worth a visit though! I thought about a quarter of the art on display was really interesting. The gift shop, like every gift shop in Savannah is totally worthless.

    Ashley S.

    This is a nice thing to do if you've been to Savannah a million times, or staying for a long time, or just want to see the bird girl because you're a fan of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil AKA THE BOOK! The architecture and the history is cool. When you buy a ticket, you get 3 locations for $20, which is awesome. You get the Telfair Academy, Jepson Center and the Owens House and Slave Quarters. The do give a military discount. There is street parking around the square.

    Sonya E.

    I didn't spend as much time as I would have liked to during my visit because I had an appointment to get to, but I did get enough of a glimpse to say the art and sculptures are worth the trip. The tour is self guided and again, with usage of an audio guide accessed from your smartphone. Here is additional info to describe the museum found on Wikipedia -- "The Telfair Academy is a historic mansion at 121 Barnard Street in Savannah, Georgia. It was designed by William Jay and built in 1818, and is one of a small number of Jay's surviving works. It is one of three sites owned by Telfair Museums. Originally a family townhouse belonging to the Telfair family, it became a free art museum in 1886, and thus one of the first 10 art museums in America, and the oldest public art museum in the South. Its first director, elected in 1883, was artist Carl Ludwig Brandt, who spent winters in Savannah. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976."

    E B.

    Not a fan. Big admission price to see the bird girl statue that used to be public. Not a fan at all. Skip it.

    Bird Girl
    Jim W.

    We visited this museum on a Saturday morning when they opened (at 9 a.m.). You were still required to wear a mask while inside (likely due to local government mandates). The ticket you buy entitles you to visit 3 museums: the Telfair Academy, the Jepsom Gallery, and a 3rd location (some sort of slave quarters?). We were only available to visit museums for the same day, and they noted when we bought our ticket that the slave quarters required advance reservations and / or an up to 1-hour wait... We first visited the Academy. It is spread over 3 floors, with interesting architecture and period furniture. We spent over an hour here looking at the art. They mostly have paintings from the 1800s and early 1900s. There is also some sculpture. The architecture of the old mansion is interesting too. They also have the famous 'bird girl' statue on display. This is a worthwhile place to visit for its art. We took a lunch break and then visited the Jepsom Gallery. This was much more oriented to modern art and was not as interesting, IMO. We did cover this museum on all floors, but it was not as interesting as the first one. We did not have time to visit their 3rd location. If you have time, I think the Telfair Academy building is worth checkign out.

    Tekia H.

    This was a unique chance to visit downtown Savannah and check out the Telfair Museum. This was actually part of a stop on a ghost tour I was on which was an added perk. The museum is interesting to see, but my group was limited to the area to visit. If you'd like to see the full location, I would suggest you book a tour of the museum directly.

    Noel J.

    This museum was so cool. It has 5 floors of art and rooms filled with original furniture pieces and art that some dated to the 17th century. It took us about an hour to get through it all, but it was well worth it. I will go back again.

    One of the original sitting rooms for the Telfair family, lovingly restored
    Hannah B.

    Literally so confused how this beautiful museum has anything less than 5 stars...? Its a lovely mix of curated 1800s-1900s art and you get a peak at the architecture and living quarters at that time. It's a mix of so many beautiful modalities. It has 3 floors and gorgeous furniture to sit and gaze at some awe inspiring pieces. To be fair, we came on the Savannah Locals day so our tickets were free but I would go and gladly pay the 20+$ to spend an hour or two.

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    4 years ago

    Fantastic museum with a couple of very large-format paintings. Excellent small collection, and you get a second museum and parking for free!

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    Beautiful exhibits in a smaller venue. Worth the admission price as you get to visit three sites.

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    Review Highlights - Telfair Academy

    One admission allows you to also see the Jepson Center as well as the Owens Thomas House.

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    Graveface Museum - The grave face

    Graveface Museum

    4.8(92 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    Whoa, I was not prepared for how amazing this place was!…read more When we first arrived I thought it would be just kind of a silly tourist trap thing, but boy was I wrong! It is a very large collection of everything spooky, odd and strange! There are entire rooms focused on serial killers, such as Gacy, HH Holmes and Richard Ramirez. We were in there for a very long time and learned so much from the women running the tour. There was even a guy in our group who had been childhood friends with one of Gacy's victims, which was incredibly surreal and really hit home how real all of this was, and not just entertainment. They also have, or are going to have, another location in Chicago which is very exciting and I would definitely seek that out next time I am there. All in all a 10/10 experience.

    This museum was MUCH bigger than I anticipated. We spent about an hour and a half and easily could…read morehave spent another or so in there learning and listening to the gals educate the group. There was so much to read, so much to see, and so much to experience. This is a very dark museum so if you have a weak stomach, are faint of heart if easily disturbed I would not recommend. Even still you are heavily warned about what is in each room should you not want to see or experience something by the staff. They were so helpful!! Their regular price is $25 OR $50 for a two day pass, tshirt, tote (or a pin), and sticker. Absolutely great deal if you're wanting some merch. Very spooky, eerie, and overall an interesting time!

    Photos
    Graveface Museum - Heavens Gate

    Heavens Gate

    Graveface Museum - Two headed calf

    Two headed calf

    Graveface Museum - Grandpa Graveface. A real Odd Fellow.

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    Grandpa Graveface. A real Odd Fellow.

    American Prohibition Museum - Medicinal Whiskey Exhibit

    American Prohibition Museum

    4.5(311 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    Takes reservations
    Private events

    I absolutely adored my visit here. My cousins and I stopped by on our trip to Savannah to check out…read morethe Cocktail Making Class. We reserved a few weeks in advance and had a full class of around 20 in a side room on their second floor. Our instructor, one of the speakeasy bartenders, was fabulous and kept the jokes coming while teaching us so much about cocktail-making! We learned the difference between types of cocktails, and got to do a few hands on ones together while also sampling several others. The experience was complete with a few nibbles to enjoy as we learned. We even got a take home gift! The speakeasy down the hall is also excellent. We stopped by on our way out to sample a few drinks. It has an old time historic feel and even some old pictures and artifacts to peruse. The drinks were delicious and so unique! I highly recommend booking a class through here on your next visit to Savannah. I only wish we had more time to explore the full museum! Till next time!

    This is a typical tourist trap. Does it tell you about prohibition? Yes. It's lot of reading, very…read morecrowded quickly because it's a narrow building with stairs. If you go with the guided tour you will probably get more info without reading the walls. The bar is just a bar with a set number of period cocktails. Cost is $11 if you pay ahead, $13 if you buy at the bar. Plenty of people got them and the room was crowded. The last part of the display was probably the most interesting because it was a movie. However it's in a very hot room with velvet seats that did not attract my party of four. If you've ever watched a Ken Burns special on this subject you know all you'll ever need to know. And you will be comfortable in your own home. I advise to skip it and go to a proper bar for a drink.

    Photos
    American Prohibition Museum - Al Capone Exhibit

    Al Capone Exhibit

    American Prohibition Museum
    American Prohibition Museum - Gangster Exhibit

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    Gangster Exhibit

    SCAD Museum of Art

    SCAD Museum of Art

    4.0(61 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    I visited the SCAD Museum of Art to see the André Leon Talley exhibit, and it did not disappoint…read more The $10 general admission is a steal, especially with discounts available for military, students, and locals. Although I initially came for the ALT exhibit, I found all of the exhibits intriguing and nicely curated. There's something for everyone at the museum. Families will appreciate the scavenger hunt for kids, interactive art pieces for those who like to participate, and impressive visual simulations. One of my favorite parts of the visit was chatting with the docents, who are current SCAD students. It was great hearing about their majors, perspectives, and creative work. I really enjoyed my experience and look forward to visiting again.

    The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) owns many buildings and facilities throughout…read moreSavannah, including an art museum. Honestly, I visited since I had some time to kill and they participate in the Bank of America Museums of Us program, which provides complimentary admission to cardholders the first full weekend of every month. While I do like art museums, modern art is generally not my cup of tea despite my many attempts to keep an open mind about it over the years. For a college/learning institution-based museum, it's pretty middle of the rung in its offerings. You can easily cover all the galleries within 10 minutes to an hour depending on your level of interest. They have a section of bells, which I found very unique. All of the staff I encountered throughout the museum were friendly, and the ones in the bell section were happy to ring bells upon request so guests can hear the resonance. While I wasn't overly impressed with the modern art on display, I did enjoy my short visit, and would recommend the SCAD Museum as a rainy day activity in Savannah to those who appreciate smaller museums focusing on modern art.

    Photos
    SCAD Museum of Art - SCAD MOA Curator Haey Clouser conducts a very informative tour in the Evans Wing of the museum.

    SCAD MOA Curator Haey Clouser conducts a very informative tour in the Evans Wing of the museum.

    SCAD Museum of Art
    SCAD Museum of Art

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    Underground Tours of Savannah

    Underground Tours of Savannah

    4.8(17 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    A Must Do! This Remarkable Tour is told by Savannah's 2025 "Remarkable Woman of the Year" Patt Gunn…read more(Sistah Patt), CEO of the Underground Tours of Savannah! At the last minute, we scheduled Sistah Patt's Tour, and honestly this is by far the BEST ONE, and we did several here and in Charleston, while visiting from California. Sistah Patt is incredible and inspirational, fact-telling, and is currently in projects in Savannah, bringing proper recognition and truth-telling. I wish I had done a little research on her, as I did after leaving her tour...oh my, I probably would have asked so many more questions, I had no idea of the advocate she is. Let me leave you with this: Who in Savannah can change a Squares name, from Confederate Vice President (Calhoun), to Taylor Square, to honor Susie King Taylor, born into slavery, who became the 1st Black nurse to serve in the Civil War and later open a school for African Americans in Savannah? YES, Patt Gunn Can, and it happened only 2 years ago! This is the Tour you will want to do. This is the "Remarkable Woman" you will want to share/ask/listen to.

    Sistah Patt Gunn is an expert truth teller and scholar. She shares a detailed historical, cultural…read moreand economic depiction of the history of slavery in and around Savannah. You cannot begin to understand the history of Savannah, Georgia, the South or our country without this foundational understanding. This experience will stick with me for years to come.

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    Underground Tours of Savannah
    Underground Tours of Savannah - Tour ended in Johnson Square at Slave Auction Block... No marker

    Tour ended in Johnson Square at Slave Auction Block... No marker

    Underground Tours of Savannah - Our Premier Walking Tour 'Slaves In The City' w/ Founder Joe McGill of the Slave Dwelling Project with Patt Gunn & Tour Guide Erica Simmons

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    Our Premier Walking Tour 'Slaves In The City' w/ Founder Joe McGill of the Slave Dwelling Project with Patt Gunn & Tour Guide Erica Simmons

    Savannah History Museum - History Museum exhibits

    Savannah History Museum

    3.4(57 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    The Savannah History Museum has so much potential. Savannah is the first city in Georgia, the first…read morecapital of Georgia, the first planned city in America, the site of Georgia's largest revolutionary war battle (Siege of Savannah), the terminus of General Sherman's Civil War March to the Sea, the birthplace of famous Americans like Juliette Gordon Low, Clarence Thomas, and Flannery O'Connor, the site of over 2500 historically significant properties, and is an American cultural staple (Forrest Gump, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, ghosts, etc.). Strangely enough, the museum instead chooses to lead with exhibits like "1920s dentistry," "wildlife of the barrier islands," and "steam locomotives." When patrons finally get to the Savannah exhibits, the confusion intensifies. The exhibit on Savannah in WWII predeceases the exhibit on Savannah in the Civil War, and Savannah's revolutionary war history is told out of order. Perhaps the worst curation atrocity is that the museum's most famous piece, the "Forrest Gump bench," is behind a glass case. Really? The whole point of museums is interacting with history, and something as sturdy and repairable as a steel bench is a perfect "interactive exhibit" piece. Imagine how much more museum goers would enjoy their experience if they could get their photo taken on Forrest Gump's bench (perhaps even with a wax Tom Hanks sitting on it too!). Forrest Gump was released in 1994 and that bench won't be worth more than the steel its made with in 40 years--no reason to keep it behind a glass case. America is teaming with museum curators desperate for employment. The average SCAD Museum Studies major would froth at the mouth for an opportunity to curate a history museum for such a storied city like Savannah. Please bring in a professional to renovate this museum and have it live up to its true potential.

    While a nice little museum, i was hoping/expecting more, especially for something titled the…read more"Savannah History Museum." Most exhibits contain basic factoids with a few "lesser known" facts sprinkled in. If you're looking for something to do that won't take up much of your day (this would be a perfect stop to get out of the rain or heat) this is a great place to stop. Pricing is relatively cheap as far as museums go and they offer discounted tickets for other museums/tours affiliated with them if you're looking to do more than just the museum. Parking is on site and super cheap!

    Photos
    Savannah History Museum
    Savannah History Museum - Lecture started at 12:30pm

    Lecture started at 12:30pm

    Savannah History Museum

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    Webb Military

    Webb Military

    5.0(89 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    We had an amazing visit to the Webb Military Museum! A special thank you to Lorie, the volunteer…read morewho helped our group. She was incredibly patient, knowledgeable, and kind--especially with our three small children. Lorie gave us a brief history of how the museum started and explained the items came from Mr. Webb's personal collection. She answered all of the kids' questions with patience and kindness, which made the experience even more enjoyable for our family. The collection itself is very impressive, featuring artifacts from the U.S., Germany, the Vietnam era, and even items connected to Hussein. There is so much to see and learn. We truly appreciated the warm welcome and the time Lorie spent with us. It made our visit memorable!

    A privately owned military museum, this is no more than a large room, but is packed with historic…read morememorabilia. While the owner was not there the day I visited, the retired Army medic who was working was nonetheless able to provide a lot of detailed information about the provenance of some of the artifacts. Pretty much the whole military history of the country is covered, and while you certainly won't get a comprehensive historical treatise, for someone who is already knowledgeable, the details here will add color to textbook history. For me, I had to settle for this after finding that Parris Island was closed to non-service members for the weekend, and while it certainly is nothing like that experience would have been, this little museum nonetheless provides a compelling entry to the variety of historical sites in Savannah.

    Photos
    Webb Military
    Webb Military
    Webb Military

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    Telfair Academy - museums - Updated May 2026

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