This year, the state of Georgia is celebrating its 290th birthday and in honor of this momentous anniversary, the Georgia History Festival is hosting a series of events throughout the state over the course of the year. One such event is Super Museum Sunday, which will take place on Sunday, Feb. 11. During Super Museum Sunday, people across the state will be able to visit more than 100 participating museums and historic sites for free. Several museums in Savannah will open their doors to the public for free admission, presenting an exciting opportunity to engage with local cultural, historic, and artistic venues. If you’ve been wanting to visit local museums and enjoy the best of what these important sites have to offer, Super Museum Sunday is the perfect opportunity to do that. Here are some of this year’s participating museums that are offering special programs in celebration of Super Museum Sunday.
Telfair Museums
Telfair Museums invites the public to enjoy all three of their engaging sites on Super Museum Sunday. From 12 to 4 p.m., visitors can discover the wonders that await at the historic Telfair Academy, journey back in time at the opulent Owens-Thomas House and the adjoining slave quarters, and view newly opened exhibitions at the Jepson Center. In addition to visiting the onsite Telfair Children’s Art Museum, families can take part in fun activities at the Jepson Center.
Coastal Heritage Society
Coastal Heritage Society operates six local museums including the Savannah History Museum, Georgia State Railroad Museum, Savannah Children’s Museum, Old Fort Jackson, Pin Point Heritage Museum and Harper Fowlkes House. All but the latter will be participating in Super Museum Sunday this year, presenting visitors with an exciting opportunity to experience these captivating historic sites. The museums will be open to the public for free admission from 12 to 4 p.m.
Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home
Acclaimed author Flannery O’Connor was born in Savannah in 1925, and her childhood home, a Depression-era row house located at 207 E. Charlton St., has been preserved as a historic site allowing guests to gain insight into the life and legacy of one of the South’s greatest writers. From 12 to 4 p.m. on Super Museum Sunday, visitors can tour O’Connor’s historic home at their own pace. Knowledgeable docents will be present to answer questions and provide information about the author’s Savannah upbringing. The gift shop will be open for anyone who wants to patronize the site and donations are welcomed.
Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum
Explore Savannah’s rich seafaring history at Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum. Located inside one of the most beautiful 19th-century mansions in Historic Savannah and surrounded by large private gardens, Ships of the Sea invites you to sail into the great era of Atlantic travel and learn the stories of Savannah’s nautical past and present. Ships of the Sea is one block west of City Market, at the end of Congress Street. Visitors are welcome to stop the museum located at 41 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. from 12 to 4 p.m.
SCAD Museum of Art
SCAD MOA welcomes the public this Super Museum Sunday to explore their compelling works from established and emerging contemporary artists from around the world. From 1 to 4 p.m., visitors will enjoy complimentary access to the museum’s engaging exhibitions, which span a vast array of mediums and approaches.
As part of Super Museum Sunday and in celebration of Black History Month, SCAD MOA is also conducting two bus tours highlighting SCAD’s commitment to preserving local Black history. Lasting approximately two hours, the tours will depart at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., taking participants on an insightful journey through local neighborhoods and civil rights sites that are central to Savannah’s African American heritage and history. For special accommodations, email [email protected] 48 hours prior to the event.
Virtual Super Museum Sunday at City Hall
The City of Savannah is also participating in Super Museum Sunday by offering virtual programs, exhibits and other relevant resources available to the public online. Learn about the life and legacy of local figures like W.W. Law from the city’s municipal archives and through informative history bites. View virtual exhibits of Savannah’s African American churches and discover the myriad contributions of local women leaders to our community. Fun resources for families, like a historic Savannah coloring book and scavenger hunt and activity sheets, are also available. Visit savannahga.gov/3140/Super to access these free resources.
Nearly 40 other local museums and historic sites are also offering free entry this Super Museum Sunday. For more information and a full list of participating sites, visit georgiahistoryfestival.org/events/2024-super-museum-sunday/.
