Davenport House Museum - a property of Historic Savannah Foundation

05/30/2026

Join us in two weeks for our new Summer Storytime read-aloud series at the Davenport House! 📚

Bring the whole family for a unique blend of literacy, history, and hands-on fun! Designed for children of all ages and their caregivers, Summer Storytime meets once a month to bring diverse historical eras and community stories to life inside one of Savannah's oldest homes.

Each session is a multi-sensory adventure divided into three fun parts:
📖 Listen: We gather inside the museum's historic drawing room for a 30-minute read-aloud of a carefully selected children's book that connects to a piece of our shared history.
🖌️ Explore & Create: We head out to the beautiful museum garden for an engaging, hands-on craft or educational activity inspired by the day’s story.
🍪 Refresh: Kids and parents can relax and enjoy complimentary snacks and drinks together in the courtyard.

Our first book for June will be "Brick by Brick" by Charles R. Smith Jr.. This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the story of the laborers who built the White House, highlighting their cooperation and the strength of those who earned money from their trades to buy their freedom. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper, the book uses gentle, rhyming text to show the hard work and emotion behind the construction, focusing on the hands that built the iconic American landmark. 🏛️

Summer Storytime - "Brick by Brick" by Charles R. Smith Jr

Important Details:
• Who: Open to children of all ages. All participants must be accompanied by an adult caregiver.
• Cost: Completely FREE to attend, but registration is required to ensure we have enough books and supplies for everyone.
• Where: Starts inside the Davenport House Museum and concludes in the courtyard garden.
• When: Saturday, June 13th, 10:00-11:30 AM

What's included:
Thanks to our wonderful community partners, every family who attends will receive a free copy of that month's featured book to take home! We are thrilled to help you grow your personal collection and keep the joy of reading alive long after your museum visit. ✨

Space is limited, participants must register on our website to reserve your spot!

https://davenporthousemuseum.org/public-programs/9kwhg5q46dan1d4v3mtpdkysqna0rz

05/26/2026

Are you ready for an historic adventure this summer? 🗺️📚

We are officially launching the Summer Reading Quest at the Davenport House Museum! In celebration of the upcoming U.S. 250th Anniversary, we’re challenging readers of ALL ages to explore our nation’s history, discover incredible stories, and engage with our local community.

Here’s how to play:
1️⃣ Grab your official Reading Quest BINGO card, available at the Davenport House Museum or online at the link below!
2️⃣ Complete a mix of reading goals and fun local outings (like visiting our friends at Live Oak Public Library (), exploring state parks, or touring local museums!).
3️⃣ Get 5-in-a-row to earn an awesome small prize from a local Savannah favorite! 🎉

Plus, every completed card enters you into a drawing for our Age Group Champion prize packs, and one grand prize winner will take home the ultimate Savannah History Bundle 🏆

Whether you're a picture-book listener or a history buff, there's a quest waiting for you.

👉 Stop by the Davenport House Museum to pick up your BINGO card and start your quest today!

More Info: https://davenportsummerreading.my.canva.site/

05/24/2026

The Davenport House Museum and Historic Kennedy Pharmacy will be closed on Monday, May 25th in observance of Memorial Day 🇺🇸

With gratitude and respect, we remember the fallen today. Thank you to all those who have sacrificed in service of our country.

Wishing our community a safe and peaceful holiday.

05/14/2026

Tonight is the night! We are officially opening our Seven Ladies exhibition, and we can’t wait to share these incredible stories with you. 🏛️✨

Want to take a piece of the exhibition home? We are thrilled to offer beautiful prints of Anna Hunter’s iconic paintings in our gift shop. Whether you’re a long-time local or visiting for the first time, these are the perfect mementos to commemorate Savannah’s "Seven Ladies."

Visit the Exhibition: Explore the legacies that saved our city.
Take Home a Memento: Shop our curated selection of Anna Hunter prints.
Support the Museum: Every purchase helps us continue to share Savannah’s history.

Join us tonight to celebrate, and don't forget to stop by the gift shop to pick up your own little piece of the Davenport House!

05/14/2026

Stop by tonight for the opening of "The Seven Ladies"!

This exhibition is free and open to the public and will remain on view through the end of the year.

May 14, 2026 - Historic Savannah Foundation (HSF) will present “The Seven Ladies”—an exciting new exhibition focused on the brave women who joined forces in 1955 to launch Historic Savannah

05/13/2026

Tomorrow evening, we celebrate the spirit of stewardship. 🕯️

As we prepare for the opening of The Seven Ladies, we’re reflecting on the individual lived experiences that brought these women together.

From their varied social networks to their long records of community service, each woman brought a unique perspective that positioned them—collectively—at the right place and the right time. Through photographs and archival materials, this exhibition explores not just what they saved, but who they were.

Please join us for an evening of storytelling, heritage, and community as we honor the women who founded HSF and protected the Savannah we love today.

The Details:

🗓️ TOMORROW! Thursday, May 14th

⏰ 5:30-7:30 PM

📍 323 E Broughton Street

✨ Free and open to all.

The Seven Ladies Exhibition Opening — Davenport House Museum

We can’t wait to share these incredible histories with you. Swipe through to meet the women whose stewardship continues to guide our city today. ➡️

Which of these stories are you most excited to learn about? Tell us in the comments!

The Seven Ladies (in order):
Anna Colquitt Hunter, Dorothy "Dickie" Ripley Roebling (Image courtesy of the University of Georgia Skidaway Institute of Oceanography), Elinor Adler Dillard, Katharine "Kass" Judkins Clark, Lucy Barrow McIntire, Nola McEvoy Roos, Jane Adair Wright

05/12/2026

Preservation Month is in full swing! We spent Saturday morning with Austin Historical () learning the ins and outs of window Restoration in their hands-on workshop. 🪟

This was such a great opportunity to learn about the trade from the same crew that did amazing work restoring the windows of the Davenport House last year. Participants learned essential techniques and tips to bring their own windows back to life! ✨

Huge thank you to Austin Historical for sponsoring all of our Preservation Month events and to their Savannah crew for sharing their time and expertise with our guests this past weekend.

For more hands-on workshops led by other local artisans, check out our other upcoming Artisan Spotlight events on our website!

05/11/2026

After months of research and preparation, it's finally time! 🎉

We're so excited to unveil our newest special exhibition featuring the Seven Ladies of Savannah. We're honored to share their legacy of resilience and continue their legacy of historic preservation in our city. We would not be where we are today without their vision and dedication to protecting the history and character of Savannah.

Through photographs, archival materials, and interpretive storytelling, The Seven Ladies highlights not only what they preserved, but the enduring spirit of stewardship that guided their efforts.

Join us on Thursday, May 14th at 5:30 PM for our public opening of "The Seven Ladies".

The opening event is free and open to the public. Join us to celebrate their legacy and the lasting power of civic service.

📍 324 E Broughton St.
🎟️ RSVP online
https://share.google/LXumsS60rZnOAVqyu

The Seven Ladies Exhibition Opening — Davenport House Museum

05/09/2026

Welcome to our monthly Preservation, Explained series! This month, in lieu of Preservation Month, we want to celebrate the recently completed restoration of The Davenport House and use it as an opportunity to dive into the four types of treatment for historic buildings.

The Davenport House, built c. 1820, underwent a major exterior restoration last year. Restoration is a word that gets used quite often as a general term for work done on a historic building, but what technically constitutes a restoration?

A restoration is the process of depicting the form, features and character of a historic structure as it was at a particular period of time. This would include removing alterations from other periods in its history and potential reconstruction of missing features from the period of significance chosen for the restoration. The Davenport House’s period of interpretation is from 1820 to 1827 because this period was the most well documented.

In the field of historic preservation there are four standards of treatment as per the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards: preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction. Let’s break down the other three treatments.

Rehabilitation is the process of creating a compatible use for a property through repair, alterations, and additions, while preserving the characteristics which convey its historic, cultural, or architectural values. An example of this would be converting industrial warehouses into new apartments, while preserving the characteristics that make it significant.

Reconstruction is the process of depicting the form, features, and details of a non-surviving site or structure by way of new construction. Colonial Williamsburg serves as an example of reconstruction.

Preservation is the process of sustaining the existing form and materials of a historic structure. This involves protection and stabilization to prevent further damage or decay. Preservation is a great treatment measure if it is important to preserve the layers of alterations that the building has undergone in its history.

Do you prefer historic buildings to look “original” or show changes over time? Tell us in the comments!

05/05/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out for our Historic Preservation Family Day this weekend! ✨

Guests learned about preservation techniques with local experts from Austin Historical () and Savannah Tech (), enjoyed live music in the garden from Hollee Spring (), and indulged in sweet treats from Ben & Jerry's ().

If you made it out, tell us your favorite activity in the comments!

Missed this one? Don't worry, we're already planning for our next Family Day in September with an extra special theme 🐲

*This event was made possible through generous investment by the City of Savannah*