Telfair Academy
Telfair Academy
4
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Designed by British architectural prodigy William Jay in the neoclassical Regency style, the Telfair Academy is a former mansion built in 1819 for Alexander Telfair, son of Revolutionary War patriot and Georgia governor Edward Telfair. In 1875, Alexander’s sister Mary – heir to the family fortune and last to bear the Telfair name – bequeathed the house and its furnishings to the Georgia Historical Society to be opened as a museum. After significant renovation by German-born architect Detlef Lienau, whose adaptations included the addition of the Sculpture Gallery and the Rotunda, the building opened to the public in 1886 as the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences. Bird Girl, made famous by the Jack Leigh photo on the cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, can be found here along with the museum's permanent collection of American Impressionism.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Downtown
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See what travellers are saying
  • Virginian20171
    Herndon, Virginia32 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very surprised by the breadth and depth of the collection
    This is a very charming museum with a collection that is quite lovely. I was not expecting a lot as it seems small. But it was stunning. They had some special pieces re impressionism as well...not the usual names but others Do not miss this if you like classical art.
    Visited April 2023
    Written 4 April 2023
  • A_Davis14
    Fort Worth, Texas132 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Impressive American Art
    This museum is also included in the Telfair Museum one ticket price. There isn’t a ton of artwork but what they do have is impressive. Most were deportations of American and impressionist artwork. Took us about 30-1 hour to walk through depending on how much you want to sit and enjoy the art.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 13 April 2023
  • Katie M
    Trenton, New Jersey230 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Quiet, self-paced
    We really enjoyed seeing Mary's private collection. We took our time and there was something that piqued everyone's interest. We appreciated the air conditioning and the bathrooms in the basement. The gift shop was adorable, where we bought our tickets. Elevator was helpful for me. Bird girl seemed much happier here :)
    Visited May 2023
    Written 12 May 2023
  • JBH
    409 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful, building and interesting history
    The Telfair Academy is a beautiful building with several floors (the pamphlet says 5 floors-but there is very little art work on some of those floors). There was a docent that filled us in on the history of the house, which was wonderful. On every floor, there are docents that are willing to talk with you about all of the art work. If you are interested in the statue that was removed from the Bonaventure Cemetary (bird girl), it is located on the top floor. The Jepson Center and the Owens-Thomas House are included in your ticket, which makes for a very good deal. You also have several days to use them. There doesn't seem to be an option to pay for only one place, so if you only have time for one, you may wish to choose another of the historic places to tour. When we were there, we were given a discounted ticket because the Jepson Center was struck by lightning and the air conditioning was out. Even so, tickets for our family were still almost $100. Way to pricey when the only thing we were able to see was the museum.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 26 July 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles824 reviews
Excellent
404
Very good
260
Average
123
Poor
26
Terrible
11

Jeromye S
3 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
The art was interesting and varied, but not a whole lot to see for the price of admission. The adjacent children's museum is a large building with very little to actually see, some of which is not that kid-friendly.
Written 14 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Carol Ann J
Germantown, NY1,783 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
At the lovely Telfair Academy on Barnard Street across from Telfair Square one will see examples of fine art, statues, and decorated rooms in the home. The Telfair which opened to the public in 1886 is actually the oldest art museum in the south and first founded by a woman in the United States.
Written 3 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JBH
409 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Family
The Telfair Academy is a beautiful building with several floors (the pamphlet says 5 floors-but there is very little art work on some of those floors). There was a docent that filled us in on the history of the house, which was wonderful. On every floor, there are docents that are willing to talk with you about all of the art work. If you are interested in the statue that was removed from the Bonaventure Cemetary (bird girl), it is located on the top floor.

The Jepson Center and the Owens-Thomas House are included in your ticket, which makes for a very good deal. You also have several days to use them. There doesn't seem to be an option to pay for only one place, so if you only have time for one, you may wish to choose another of the historic places to tour. When we were there, we were given a discounted ticket because the Jepson Center was struck by lightning and the air conditioning was out. Even so, tickets for our family were still almost $100. Way to pricey when the only thing we were able to see was the museum.
Written 26 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TravelorDe
Indian Shores, FL41 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Solo
Thoroughly enjoyed my visit one of the best art collections I have ever seen. when visiting Savannah do not leave this out!
Written 8 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Janelly R
9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023
This museum was a home once. It's such a beautiful building. It contains some very interesting oil paintings worth admiring. Recommend going if you like art.
Written 30 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Katie M
Trenton, NJ230 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023
We really enjoyed seeing Mary's private collection. We took our time and there was something that piqued everyone's interest. We appreciated the air conditioning and the bathrooms in the basement. The gift shop was adorable, where we bought our tickets. Elevator was helpful for me. Bird girl seemed much happier here :)
Written 12 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

A_Davis14
Fort Worth, TX132 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Couples
This museum is also included in the Telfair Museum one ticket price. There isn’t a ton of artwork but what they do have is impressive. Most were deportations of American and impressionist artwork. Took us about 30-1 hour to walk through depending on how much you want to sit and enjoy the art.
Written 13 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Virginian20171
Herndon, VA32 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023
This is a very charming museum with a collection that is quite lovely. I was not expecting a lot as it seems small. But it was stunning. They had some special pieces re impressionism as well...not the usual names but others Do not miss this if you like classical art.
Written 4 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anne N
Basking Ridge, NJ6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023
This museum is in a beautiful building, which was previously a home - so it showcases both its art collection and some rooms still set-up as they would have been when it was a home. Joint ticket with another art museum and historic home.
Written 16 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Elena
26 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Solo
The academy houses beautiful landscapes, portraits, and sculptures. Truly fine art. The collection is small and manageable, but exceptional. Some exquisite oil paintings from many different artistic movements and eras. I had never seen anything painted by Khalil Gibran prior to this, so that was cool. Yes, Wendy The Bird Girl sculpture is there. A lot of people came to see it. I don’t get it- a glorified bird bath that happened to appear on a book jacket. I hadn’t heard about the great artworks at Telfair, and there are some great pieces in the collection.
Written 4 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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TELFAIR ACADEMY: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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