Savannah Travel Guide

Telfair Museum of Art

The Telfair Museum of Art is the oldest public art museum in the South, fittingly housed in an important historic building, the Owens-Thomas House. The house, overlooking Oglethorpe Square, was designed by William Jay, a young English architect, who introduced the British Regency style to America. It was built in 1818 for Alexander Telfair, son of the Governor of Georgia. The art museum's permanent collection includes paintings, works on paper, sculpture and decorative arts by both American and European artists. The museum encompasses the art gallery, restored rooms in the historic house, and the Jepson Center for the Arts. Guided tours are offered daily, included in the admission price.