Telfair Museums

The Telfair Museums is a small museum complex in downtown Savannah, Georgia, established from Mary Telfair’s bequest and opened to the public in 1886 as an early public art museum in the American South.

The Telfair Academy building was completed in 1819 and was converted into a public gallery following Mary Telfair’s 19th century bequest; the Owens-Thomas House dates from about 1816-1819 and is associated with architect William Jay. The Jepson Center was added as a modern wing in 2006 to expand gallery and program space.

The museum complex sits within Savannah’s National Historic Landmark district, clustered near Telfair Square and within easy walking distance of the riverfront and other downtown attractions.

• Sites: Operates across three nearby sites within Savannah's historic district, which together display period rooms, decorative arts, paintings, and rotating contemporary exhibitions.
• Founding: Opened to the public in 1886 from a bequest by Mary Telfair; commonly cited as one of the earliest public art museums in the American South.

What to See #

• Telfair Academy: Housed in a Regency-style building completed in 1819 and converted into a public gallery, it contains the museum's historical collection of European and American paintings and decorative arts.
• Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters: A Regency townhouse built about 1816-1819 and preserved with its period interiors and connected slave quarters; interpreted as an early 19th century domestic complex.
• Jepson Center for the Arts: A contemporary museum building that opened in 2006 and provides flexible gallery space for modern and temporary exhibitions as well as education facilities.