Best Museums in Savannah

Savannah Georgia is one of the oldest cities in the United States. For this reason it has a very extensive history and I invite you to get to know it by visiting the best museums in this town.
Best Museums in Savannah

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Museums are an excellent way to get closer to the culture and history of a place in an entertaining and educational way. In turn, there are cities that have dozens of museums while others only have a few that stand out for their excellent quality. In the case of Savannah there are a few that deserve to be visited and that is why I will tell you about them throughout this publication.

Read on to find out exactly what kind of exhibits you will find as well as to learn about their admission prices, hours and location within this beautiful and entertaining city.

1. The Webb Military Museum

Sign at the Military Museum|©Kelly Michals
Sign at the Military Museum|©Kelly Michals

The Webb Military Museum is a very interesting institution because its facilities are not excessively large and the collection exhibited in this place belongs directly to the family. However, many specialists and collectors of military artifacts come to the conclusion that this is one of the best museums of its kind in the entire United States.

The collection of artifacts exhibited at the Webb Military Museum covers the period from the Civil War to the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. This means that there are uniforms and weapons that have been part of the entire wartime history of the United States. Keep in mind that the museum is located in the heart of the city's historic district and so trolley rides throughout Savannah are a good entertainment alternative to complete the itinerary for the day of your visit.

Details of interest:

  • Price: the approximate fee for this museum is about 12 euros per person and this price includes the payment of a guide who will accompany you throughout the whole experience.
  • Hours: This museum is open every day of the week from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.
  • Location: Webb Military Museum, 411 E York St, Savannah, GA 31401-3816.

Get your general admission ticket to Webb Military Museum

2. The American Prohibition Museum

American Prohibition Museum|©Wayne Hsieh
American Prohibition Museum|©Wayne Hsieh

For more than a decade in the United States there was a prohibition on the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages that in a way the identity of this country. Many elements of cinema, television and literature have a direct inspiration in this curious moment of American history and specifically in Savannah there is the American Prohibition Museum.

This is the first museum in the country dedicated to analyzing this period that took place between 1920 and 1933. It also has a curious bar where you can sit and have a couple of drinks as Americans did in the speakeasies of that time. It is located one street away from the Savannah market and therefore can be a good alternative for entertainment before a shopping session as well as after an excellent lunch.

Details of interest:

  • Price: the approximate fee to enter this museum is about 18 euros per person and you have to know that children can also enter. Children pay a fee of approximately 11 euros.
  • Hours: this museum is usually open every day of the week from 10 am to five in the afternoon. There are exceptions to this rule such as Thanksgiving Day or December 24, 25 and 31.
  • Location: American Prohibition Museum, 209 W Saint Julian St, Savannah, GA 31401-2513.

Buy your admission ticket to the American Prohibition Museum

3. The Andrew Low House Museum

Andrew Low House|©Easy Traveler
Andrew Low House|©Easy Traveler

One of the great attractions of Savannah is the architecture that managed to survive several centuries of history in this city and that allows tourists to observe how the houses, or rather the mansions, looked like before the American Civil War. In this scenario it is logical that some of these buildings function as museums and specifically the Andrew Low House is one of the most interesting and important of that style.

The house was built between 1848 and 1849 by a New York architect who was directly inspired by the Renaissance and therefore Italian details are mixed with distinctive elements of the buildings that were made in New York at that time. One of the great attractions of the museum are the extensive gardens that have managed to survive the entire middle of the 18th century as well as the 20th century.

This site is an excellent place to spend the afternoon of a sunny day in Savannah and you should also keep in mind that it will not take up your whole day. That's why a Savannah Ghost Tour is a good entertainment alternative for you to continue your evening in a curious and spooky way.

Interesting details

  • Price: the approximate rate per adult to enter this museum is about 13 or 14 euros.
  • Hours: this house museum is open every day of the week from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. The exception to this rule is Sundays, as the opening hours are set at 12 noon.
  • Location: Andrew Low House, 329 Abercorn St, Savannah, GA 31401-4634.

Meet the Andrew Low House

4. The Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences

Museum welcome sign|©Robert English
Museum welcome sign|©Robert English

The Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences is the first museum dedicated to the arts in the entire American South. Today it is actually an institution with several buildings around Telfair Square, and the main academy is where you can learn about the historical origins of this important institution of American art.

Among the museum's collection are both European and American works, specifically those created under innovative currents of the nineteenth and twentieth century.

This museum is one of the best things to do in Savannah with kids because the facilities are spacious enough while also being an educational and quite entertaining experience for the whole family.

Details of interest

  • Price: adults pay about 22 euros to enter the museum while youngsters between 13 and 15 years of age pay about 15 euros. Children between 6 and 12 years of age pay five euros and children under five years of age get in for free.
  • Hours: this museum is open every day of the week from 10 PM to 5 PM. It is closed on holidays such as December 24 and 25.
  • Location: The oldest location where the academy is located is at Telfair Academy, 121 Barnard St. Savannah, GA, USA.

5. The Jepson Center

Jepson Center|©Joe
Jepson Center|©Joe

The Jepson Center, part of the network of museums belonging to the Telfair Academy, is the home to all of the Telfair Academy's most contemporary works of art. The building itself is a true work of art, as it is a modernist construction located on two different streets and is connected by an elevated bridge between two of the highest floors of the structure.

The museum's collection focuses mainly on works created in the last 50 years and the museum is over 2200 m² in size. It constantly features temporary exhibitions by internationally renowned artists. Jeff Koons, Frank Stella and Richard Avedon are just a few of the names that have works permanently exhibited in this museum.

This is a place that would take up about two to three hours of your day and is therefore an excellent plan to accompany the date you would choose to participate in one of the best food tours in Savannah. Especially due to the fact that its strategic location in historic downtown Savannah allows you to be close to some of the best restaurants in the city.

Details of interest

  • Price: this museum's rates are directly linked to those of the Telfair Academy. That means that when you buy a ticket for either of these two places you also get the admission ticket for the other site.
  • Hours: This museum is open every day of the week from 10 am to 5 pm.
  • Location: Jepson Center , 207 W York St. Savannah, GA, U.S.A.

6. The SCAD Museum of Art

The SCAD Museum of Art|©JR P
The SCAD Museum of Art|©JR P

The Savannah College of Art and Design is one of the most important art colleges on the planet. As you might expect, thanks to this college there is a museum dedicated to exhibiting artwork by internationally renowned artists. As well as for lectures and educational activities for students as well as tourists.

The exhibits of this museum are composed of photographic art, contemporary art and also has a whole section dedicated to the world of costumes. The building is quite modern and is impressive because it combines its structure with the original brick walls that existed in the railroad depot that was located on this same piece of land in the city.

It is an important institution in this community that is usually a basic stop among the best tours of Savannah Georgia. So you shouldn't miss it even if you don't have the opportunity to tour the city with the accompaniment of a guide.

Details of interest

  • Price: the entrance to the museum has different rates. General admission costs €10 while a family of three or more pays €20 for group admission. Children under the age of 14 are free.
  • Hours: the museum is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. On Sundays it opens at noon until 5 P.M. and is closed on Tuesdays.
  • Location: SCAD Museum of Art, 601 Turner Blvd. Savannah, GA, USA.

7. The Davenport House

Davenport house|©Lee Bennett
Davenport house|©Lee Bennett

Historic houses abound on every corner in Savannah and it is only logical that there are other buildings that are also museums that allow visitors to discover what life was like in the 19th century before the Civil War. In this case, the Davenport House is one of them and it is a federal style house that to this day is maintained with the same furniture used by the inhabitants of the property during the Civil War.

This building is a good alternative to visit when you are in the vicinity of the ferry port of the city, as it is quite close to this site. In fact, it is a good plan to make before or after participating in one of the best boat tours of Savannah, either through its river or the city's Atlantic coast.

Details of interest:

  • Price: general admission for adults costs approximately 10 euros while children between 17 and 6 years of age pay five euros. Children under 6 years old are free of charge.
  • Hours: open every day of the week from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M.
  • Location: Davenport House Museum, 324 E State St. Savannah, GA, U.S.A.

8. Wormsloe State

Wormsloe Plantation, Savannah|©JR P
Wormsloe Plantation, Savannah|©JR P

This site is located a couple of miles south of the historic city center and if you visit you will have the opportunity to tour a field full of Georgia's distinctive oak trees. You can also visit the village of Wormsloe.

This place is the oldest structure in the city and currently functions as an archaeological ruin. Either way, they are a very appropriate way to see what the slave plantations that existed during the first centuries in that part of the country were like.

This field that functions as a historical museum is usually part of the plans of those who have a three-day visit to Savannah. Which is logical, as a quite appropriate plan to enjoy nature and to learn a little about the history of the city.

Details of interest:

  • Price: adult tickets cost about €10 per person while youngsters between 17 and 6 years of age pay €5. Children under six years of age pay two euros per ticket.
  • Hours: The facilities of this historic course are open from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. every day of the week.
  • Location: 7601 Skidaway Rd, Savannah, GA 31406, United States.

9. The Savannah Museum of African Art

Savannah African Art Museum|©Peace&Gratitude
Savannah African Art Museum|©Peace&Gratitude

There are many institutions in Savannah dedicated to analyzing the city's African American history. However, this museum focuses on appreciating the history and beauty of African art. It is one of the most interesting and complex on the planet.

It is definitely an activity recommended for the whole family, especially if you are looking for alternative plans that are not part of the typical things to do in the city. And is that this museum is relatively new in the city and operates as a non-profit organization.

Details of interest:

  • Price: admission to this museum is completely free. However, in seasons with too many tourists it is necessary to book the visit in advance.
  • Hours: This museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 A.M. to 5 P.M.
  • Location: 201 E 37th St, Savannah, GA 31401, USA

10. The Owens Thomas House And Slave Quarters Museum

Owens-Thomas House Savannah|©imageseekertoo (Wendy Elliott)
Owens-Thomas House Savannah|©imageseekertoo (Wendy Elliott)

The Owens Thomas House And Slave Quarters Museum is another museum that is part of the network of cultural institutions belonging to the Telfair Academy. It is a house that once belonged to a family that was dedicated to auctioning off slaves in the city.

This site today is dedicated to raising awareness of the barbarities of the slave period in the United States. So touring the property is an excellent way to see the differences between the spaces in which the owners of the mansion lived and the style of those places occupied by the family's slaves.

This is undoubtedly one of Savannah' s top 59 attractions. It is also one of the best things to do in Savannah at Christmas. This is due to the fact that there are usually special exhibits where you can understand how the slaves lived the end of the year festivities.

Details of interest:

  • Price: with any of the tickets you have purchased for both the Telfair Academy and the Jepson Center you have admission to this historic house. Please note that tickets are valid for one week.
  • Hours: This museum is open every day of the week, except Fridays, from 10 A.M. to 4:15 P.M.
  • Location: 124 Abercorn St, Savannah, GA 31401, United States.

Reviews from other travellers

4.7
· 3485 Reviews
  • I
    I.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    Really great place.
  • A
    A.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    Great tour, to repeat.
  • T
    T.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    The tour is very well organized. I found the house quite curious, I loved the architecture and the paintings inside were impressive.
  • G
    G.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    A very interesting place to visit, I would love to repeat this tour later.
  • J
    J.
    4
    (0 Reviews)
    A very nice house both inside and out. Its history is very interesting, although it leaves several gaps.