Info & Amenities
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.
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Meetings
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.
Weddings
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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TripAdvisor® Reviews
Texasirishblonde | Sep 15, 2019It's a beautiful piece of architecture gifted by Mary Telfair to the city upon her death. I was surprised by how little actual art it has but some of the pieces are breathtaking.
Audra B | Aug 6, 2019The city is so historic and this building was a beauty. Worth a stop by.Get there early, they stop tours at 4:30
nissap2015 | Aug 3, 2019We were surprised to enter such a large building and find so little art. The history of how the Telfair Family began collecting and sharing art was interesting, but the exhibits didn't take long to...
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