by The Telfair Academy in Savannah, Georgia is an art museum situated inside of an English Regency mansion. The home was designed by William Jay of Bath, England, and completed in 1819.
The Telfair Academy also operates the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters, featuring another home built by Jay.
The original owners were the Telfair family, who donated the home and furnishings to the Georgia Historical Society in 1875; it became a free art museum in 1886. It was one of the first ten art museums in America, and it’s the oldest in the South.
Though the exterior of the home looks like a traditional box, the interior has unusually-shaped rooms, such as an octagonal drawing room, and round-ended drawing and dining rooms.
Additions were added in 1883-1886 to transform the original mansion into the art museum we see today, including the Rotunda Gallery and Sculpture Gallery.
From 1906 to 1916, Gari Melchers served as the museum’s fine art advisor; we had previously visited Gari Melchers’ home and studio, and were delighted to see some of his works on display (not acquired until after he stepped down).
During Melchers’ tenure the museum acquired many of the best-known works that are now in the permanent collection.
The museum now has 6,300 works in its collection, including pieces from Reynolds, Peale, and Hassam.
It is also home to the famous Bird Girl sculpture (pictured below).
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