At 121 Barnard Street, Telfair Academy pairs a historic Savannah mansion with American and European art. Designed by William Jay for the Telfair family and opened as a museum in 1886, it is the oldest public art museum in the South. Inside, look for period rooms, paintings, sculpture and decorative arts, including the Bird Girl statue made famous by the cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The collection ranges from classical works to modern pieces, and narrated tours add context to the rooms and art.
From family mansion to art museum
William Jay designed the Telfair mansion for Alexander Telfair, whose family included Georgia governor Edward Telfair. Built in 1819, the Neoclassical Regency-style house became a museum through the bequest of Alexander’s sister, Mary Telfair. She left the property and its furnishings to the Georgia Historical Society in 1875. The museum opened to the public in 1886.
Telfair Academy was the first public art museum in the South and the first art museum in the United States founded by a woman. Today it is one of three sites in the Telfair Museums. The house’s original purpose remains visible in its historic rooms and furnishings, alongside galleries devoted to art.
Art and interiors to look for
The collection brings together American and European works, with an emphasis on the 19th and 20th centuries. Paintings, works on paper, sculpture and decorative arts appear throughout the museum. The range includes classical and modern works, as well as exhibitions in other media such as basket weaving. One gallery is dedicated to Black artists, and displays address the history of race and slavery in relation to the art and Savannah.
The period rooms give a sense of the mansion’s domestic history. Look for pieces associated with the Telfair family, including a Duncan Phyfe sideboard and silver made in Savannah. The building’s rotunda and sculpture gallery provide a different setting for the collection, with old-master paintings and classical sculpture casts among the works on view.
The Bird Girl and guided visits
The original Bird Girl statue is kept at Telfair Academy. It became widely recognized through Jack Leigh’s photograph on the cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Its presence connects a familiar image of Savannah with the museum’s collection and the mansion itself.
You can explore independently or join a docent-led tour. A guide can explain the art and rooms as you move through the house, and narrated tours are a useful option if you want more context than the labels provide. Exhibitions may span different styles and subjects, so allow time to look through each gallery at your own pace.
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Where is Telfair Academy?
It is at 121 Barnard Street in Savannah, Georgia.
What is Telfair Academy known for?
It is the oldest public art museum in the South and houses the original Bird Girl statue, along with American and European art in a historic mansion.
Can you take a guided tour?
Yes. The museum has docent-led narrated tours, as well as the option to explore on your own.
Is Telfair Academy wheelchair accessible?
The entrance, restroom and parking are listed as wheelchair accessible, but the old elevator may limit access within the building. Check accessibility arrangements before your visit.
