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Telfair Academy
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The Telfair Academy is the oldest public art museum in the South and the first art museum in America founded by a woman. Formerly the Telfair family mansion, the museum opened its doors to the public in 1886. The Telfair Academy presents a celebrated collection of fine art, decorative art, and period rooms, displayed within the stunning architectural setting designed by European architects William Jay and Detlef Lienau. It is also home to the Bird Girl statue made famous by the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
The Telfair Academy, located on Telfair Square in the heart of the city’s famous historic district, has been Savannah’s wedding reception location of choice for decades. Tracing its history to 1883, the Telfair is the oldest public art museum in the South. Designed by English architect William Jay and completed c. 1820, the Telfair Academy is a National Historic Landmark building. This elegant building provides every event held there with a backdrop of world-class art and historic architecture. With its romantic, three-story Rotunda, classically beautiful Sculpture Gallery, remarkable period rooms, and intimate galleries featuring works from temporary traveling shows and from the museum’s own permanent collection, the Telfair Academy will make any size event truly memorable. The two largest rooms in the Telfair Academy are the Rotunda and the Sculpture Gallery. The Rotunda can accommodate as many as 100 for a sit-down dinner and 150 for a cocktail reception. The Sculpture Gallery can accommodate up to 100 for a sit-down dinner and 150 for cocktails.The facility provides ample room for musicians and dancing.
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Old meets new and past, present and future intersect at Telfair Museums, making it the perfect venue to say I do. Whether you prefer a National Historic Landmark steeped in history or a modern, state-of-the-art building, you’re sure to find the perfect venue for your special day at one of our sites. The Telfair Academy has been Savannah’s wedding reception location of choice for decades. Designed by English architect William Jay and completed c.1820, this elegant building provides every event held there with a backdrop of world-class art and historic architecture. With its romantic, three-story Rotunda, classically beautiful Sculpture Gallery, remarkable period rooms, and intimate galleries featuring works from temporary traveling shows and from the museum’s own permanent collection, the Telfair Academy will make any size event truly memorable.
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Facilities Overview
Meeting Rooms: 2
TripAdvisor® Reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
BruinDan | Jun 21, 2025More than just the Bird Girl
Located on Barnard Street just off Telfair Square in Savannah’s Historic District, the Telfair Academy was opened in 1886 as the first public art museum in the southern United States. It is probably ...
WSU1986 | Apr 18, 2025Spend Money Elsewhere
Not really worth the $ unless you plan to do all 3 museums on the pass. The main Telfair Academy takes only about 15 minutes to cruise through. Main highlight is the Bird Girl statue featured on the ...
Shalan1234 | Apr 13, 2025Lovely afternoon visit
This museum exceeded expectations. We went to see Bird Girl but spent a long time enjoying all the galleries. They need to give more information about the house itself as it was jaw dropping. I would ...
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