It is known for its well-maintained parks, horse-drawn carriages and pre-war architecture. Its historic district is full of cobblestone squares and parks, such as Forsyth Park, shaded by oak trees covered with Spanish moss. In the center of this picturesque district is the emblematic Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, in a neo-Gothic style. Telfair Square could also be called Savannah's art block, with two world-class art museums next to each other on two of the four sides of the square.
The Jepson Center for the Arts, one of Savannah's three Telfair museums, houses an impressive collection of modern art and rotating exhibitions featuring some of the most notable names in the art world. More than 7,500 square feet of gleaming gallery space greet museum visitors, young and young at heart. Acclaimed colonial Savannah architect William Jay designed the impressive Telfair Academy in 1818 for Alexander Telfair, son of Revolutionary War patriot and Georgia governor Edward Telfair. Ju Jepson, the Telfair Academy at the Telfair Museum, exhibits a magnificent permanent collection of 20th century American and European art.
Fans of Frederick Frieseke and Childe Hassam will find exceptional works in the museum's 19th-century period rooms. The Savannah School of Art and Design takes a positive charge from Savannah's big and small town environment. In the same way, the city embraces SCAD and its mission to promote and encourage the arts. The SCAD Art Museum, the university's main contemporary art museum, aims to educate students and improve visitor experiences with its wide range of works.
Quarterly exhibitions showcase a variety of media by renowned professional artists, such as Saya Woolfalk and Masud Olufani. In Lafayette Square, an iron door and green shutters alert bystanders to the historic majesty of Andrew Low House. Designed by architect John Norris, this elegant villa served Andrew Low and his family in the mid-19th century, and has since been preserved and restored with its original Italianizing style. The name Low should attract the attention of those familiar with Savannah's history.
Low's daughter-in-law was none other than Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts of the United States. The Savannah River continues to play an important role in hosting ships and barges from around the world. The Maritime Museum of Ships of the Sea applies this perspective and more to naval and aquatic stories from the 18th and 19th centuries. This specialized museum shows nine complete galleries of ship models, as well as paintings and nautical artifacts.
Courtesy of the Jepson Center for the Arts The second of Telfair's three museums, the Jepson Center for the Arts, is located in an impressive 7,500 square foot building designed by the internationally renowned architect Moshe Safdie. Brimming with contemporary art, the permanent collection includes pieces by artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns and Richard Avedon. The museum also houses a series of rotating exhibitions that range from digital installations to decorative arts by traditional and contemporary artists. Don't miss ArtZeum, a large, interactive children's museum with hands-on activities for budding artists.
The American Prohibition Museum now offers a guided tour experience. Buy tickets for our guided savannah tour at the Museum of American Prohibition. The Harper Fowlkes house is a beautifully furnished Greek Renaissance mansion with an impressive garden and fascinating history. Owned by a prominent family in its first 100 years, it was bought by a woman before her time, the conservationist Alida Harper, who donated it to the Cincinnati Society for its headquarters in Georgia, an organization founded by George Washington officials.
Those traveling with children won't want to miss this museum, located in the former railroad carpentry workshop in central Georgia, in the Tricentennial Park. Savannah brims with slow-burning creativity in galleries, movie theaters and music hidden amidst the city's historic architecture. Located in the beautiful brick railroad shed of central Georgia in Tricentennial Park, this must-see museum showcases Savannah's artistic and cultural milestones. Buy works by current students, teachers and outstanding alumni in the ShopsCAD gallery; visit the TAD café for a coffee or an art book to take home as a keepsake; and check out the calendar of conferences, film screenings and other events at the museum's theater, with capacity for 250 people.
The Telfair Academy is the oldest public art museum in the South and the first art museum in the United States founded by a woman. What began in 1886 as a small museum located in the Telfair family home, today encompasses several different sites that offer a wonderful view of the arts for all to share. Built between 1835 and 1840 by Charles Cluskey, this historic monument and museum in Savannah is considered one of the best examples of Greek Renaissance and Regency architecture in the area. The Battlefield Memorial Park, just across the street from the museum, commemorates the bravery of the 8,000 soldiers who fought in the Battle of Savannah on October 9, 1779, the second bloodiest battle of the American Revolution.
Between strolling along historic River Street, strolling through the city's famous oak-covered squares and eating everything from soul food to seafood, you'd be remiss not to add a stop at a museum to your Savannah, Georgia itinerary. With 21st century technology and immersive exhibits, the museum takes visitors on a journey through the past until the beginning of the 20th century, when anti-alcohol demonstrations spread across the country and the United States' fight against alcohol came to light. Even Savannah's youngest explorers have their own mecca of discovery at the Savannah Children's Museum in Tricentennial Park. Located in Tricentennial Park, within the Georgia Central Railroad, Savannah Shops & of the terminal facilities, the Georgia State Railroad Museum provides visitors with an opportunity to get a closer look at Savannah's history as a railroad and transportation hub.
Located in the popular market in the city of Savannah, the American Prohibition Museum is the first and only museum in the United States dedicated to the history of Prohibition. .
