We enjoyed leaning about the Owens-Thomas House history. The guides were very informative and they were able to accommodate my handicapped granddaughter and her mother by providing a seat to rest on between rooms and floors. Without this options she could not have toured the property. read more

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I highly recommend including this museum on your Savannah itinerary! Admission is a little pricey at $30, but the ticket includes admission to the Telfair museums as well. You can book your ticket online to guarantee a specific tour time. You can also buy in-person at the ticket office at the entrance, but tours may fill up, and you could end up waiting. The entrance is behind the home off of President Street. The tour guide was a wealth of information! She was able to answer all questions with ease. The tour includes an in depth history of the home and people who lived there and tons of information on the architecture of the buildings. The tour focuses on the lives of the enslaved people who lived and worked on the property. There's an interest exhibit in the basement of the home with letters that provide insight into the lives of the enslaved people. The home and garden are beautiful, and I learned so much! read more

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Excellent tour guide and very interesting house. Tour guide gave a great tour letting us know all about the families that lived here and the house itself. Gotta love history! read more

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This is part of a trio of museums/historical sites. There is the Telfair Academy, which is classical art. Jepson Center, which includes a children's section, and focuses on modern art, and then the Owen Thomas house, a historical home with "slave quarters." You can purchase entry to one for 30 dollars and it covers your entry for the other two. So three sites for 30 bucks? That's a steal. This home has a lot of interesting and beautiful architectural features. I loved the brilliant green entryway and staircase. But the focus here is tying these rich plantation owners to the enslaved, and telling the story of the enslaved. I am very well versed on Black history. But even still, our guide, Aubree, provided me with mental pictures that blew my mind. One of the stories she told: The carpets were often very dirty, as they home inhabitants used wood or coal in the fire places, and whale fat in the lamps. And men smoked their pipes. So the enslaved seamstress had to take the carpet apart STITCH by STITCH, they would clean the carpet, and then she would have to sew it back together, STITCH by STITCH. Another story was about the nurse maid and how she held the most intimate relationships with the children, but the children were taught she was property. I've seen a ton of old fancy houses. This one has some interesting history and architecture, but the real story here is the people. read more

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This museum was awesome. It was a little pricey, but if you get the Groupon it's a lot cheaper! We went to 2/3 of the museums and it was well worth the price. The guides were super knowledgeable and able to answer all questions. You do need to book a time ahead of time if you want to get in on a certain day. The negative reviews are mostly people who are uncomfortable with our country's history. There is also a cute cat that lives in the gardens. There are nice bathrooms as well. Would recommend for sure! read more

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We chose this location as our walking tour during our one day in Savannah. I feel this tour provided a lot of historical context of the area as well as provided a well balanced view of history. Can't say enough about how knowledgeable and wonderful our tour guide was. read more

My wife and I were on a long weekend vacation in Savannah and we had to tour an old historic house and I wanted to see this house with slave quarters. The tour was about an hour and the enslaved peoples quarters were not that far from the house. I have seen slave quarters at plantations, and this was a house off to the side with multiple levels and they said it was mostly for younger children. Owens was a pretty bad dude that traded slaves like commodities, he traded about 600 slaves from Savannah, but the house tour was pretty cool. They had one of the first indoor plumbing in America made from rain water. The son-in-law had a doctor office in the corner. The rooms were all very interesting and there is a cool gangway bridge on the upper level of the main house. The tour guide was very good and they have lots of good information on how they treated their slaves. This is a really good tour, a little expensive at $30 a piece, but the people there are super nice. They have a waiting room with lots of good information while you wait for your tour. read more

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We had to purchase a $30 ticket to see 3 different venues of which two we were not interested in. We went on a Tuesday to Owen Thomas house which was self guided and you used your phone out loud if you didn't have earbuds. It was very average and probably wouldn't go back. read more

The tour guide was a wealth of information and very well spoken. It was interesting learning the history of the house and of slavery. The tour was the perfect length- not too short and not too long. You also get entrance to two other places but we ran out of time to visit them. read more

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Owens-Thomas house was our first activity in Savannah, and I say it's a must on a trip if you can understand English. Unlike the Prohibition exhibit nearby, I didn't notice any side cards or audio that translated the information into alternative languages. A missed opportunity to gain more of an international audience. We got our tickets in person and didn't wait long for the next tour guide to take us through the house. The package includes admission to Telfair Academy and the Jepson Centre. The experience here is more impactful to me than the rest. We had a live narrated tour and got to see the living quarters of the wealthy and the enslaved people they kept. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and answered all our curious questions. I appreciate that they kept the information factual without adding opinions or emotions and admitted when some info was unknown. They have written documents from the wealthy; you can read and gather your thoughts on what the enslavers might've felt towards Black individuals. It's a shame that there is no documentation of how the enslaved people at this home felt. Back then, they were forbidden to learn how to read or write to document this. Or at least there is no record of any. read more

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While pretty informative, I was underwhelmed by the tour guides who lacked energy during ger presentation. The Aiken- Rhett house in Charleston, which is similar to this site, was larger, kept restoration to a minimum and was less expensive since it didn't bundle art museums into a somewhat inflated admission fee. While somewhat worthwhile as Savannah has limited attractions of this kind, $30 is a bit steep for a lackluster tour of a smallish grounds that last at most, 1 hour. read more

I absolutely recommend stopping here and taking the tour. I found it very informative and interesting. The tour didn't feel rushed and our tour guide left a nice amount of time for our group to ask questions at each stopping point. I appreciated our guide's educated insights as to what the relationship might have been like between the enslaved individuals and their enslavers in this environment, as there was no documentation of the enslaved individuals' experience in this particular home. read more

This was a very informative and interesting guided tour of the carriage house, garden, and main house. Recommend this experience. read more

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When visiting Savannah, this is your number one stop to make. In truth, this was my second tour of this house, one year apart, and each tour guide brings their own personality to the tour. The tour guide this year, Jovi, was out of this world good. Passionate and engaging and personable, Jovi told us about the house, its inhabitants (enslaved or not) and answered all questions with obvious excitement. He even shared new developments and changes coming to the house soon! I'm sure other tour guides of this house are amazing, but Jovi must be one of their best. The emphasis toward the enslaved people is crucial in preserving their humanity throughout history. The Telfair Museums' commitment to racial equity was clear when we began the tour in the former carriage house: viewing the names of enslaved individuals but also the blank pieces of wood to symbolize those whose names were lost to history. The rest of the tour focused on both enslavers and enslaved; though slavery doesn't dominate the tour, there is no escaping enslaved labor was part of daily life for the Owens and Thomas families. There are lots of museums/homes that have preserved the portion of homes for the white inhabitants; while the Owens-Thomas house has done this exceedingly well, the house and tour is unique because of their dedication and respect towards enslaved people and their inclusion. You can even read primary historical documents for yourself in the basement! read more

Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters - Ceiling of the parlor - Museums Near Me - Savannah, Georgia

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This is a beautifully preserved historic home, that gives you a peek into how those with money lived in Savannah with their slaves. I took an audio tour. I was expecting a guided tour so I did not have headphones, which does become problematic when more than one person is in the room taking the audio tour without headphones. There is staff throughout the home prepared to answer any question. I learned a lot touring the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters. read more

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Engaging and well-informed tour guide took our little group through the buildings, telling educational stories with a balance between those of the enslaved and the enslavers. The property is well kept. Street parking. Recommended! read more

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This place is $30 for an adult. It's one ticket for 3 museums. These are guided tours that last up to an hour or less. You arrive and then they give you a tour time. The Owens-Thomas House was interesting, you get to see the old architecture and how the bedrooms looked. There is a nice garden. I really love how the staircase looks, it's very picturesque. Our tour guide was very informative and we didn't feel rushed at all. I would recommend coming here if you're in the area. read more

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A little late but better than never. My first trip down to savannah and everything I searched on things to do led to the Owens-Thomas House. I knew I had to take a look. It was an interesting and very informative experience. Our guide was nothing but kind and she knew the history very well. I got there around 1045 and the next tour was at 11! So I didn't wait long and they have benches for people to wait with accessible bathrooms and drinking fountains by the beautiful garden. When you purchase a ticket, you gain access to the other two museums; Jepson center and the Telfair Academy. You don't have to go to all of them the same day. Your ticket will tell you when the admission expires! Great way to go back again to savannah. If you're heading down to Savannah and love museums like I do, check this place out! read more

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This was a very interesting and informative tour. Our guide, Artemis, did a really great job sharing the history of the home and the area. The information really focused on the humanity of the enslaved people who were there and the difficulty of their life. read more

This is a very historic property and they have a great audio tour and let you go through the majority of the property. It's very fascinating and educational. It gives a good homage to the history as well. Very honest and upfront. It's a super deal because you can buy the 3- for- one ticket and get access to this property, the Telfair Academy and the Jepson Center for $20. read more

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Not all people enjoy tours, but I sure do. I love historic homes and history. This was a great combination of both. Our docent was Rebecca and she was amazing. I learned so much. The home was built in the Regency style for shipping merchant Richard Richardson in 1819 by architect William Jay. It was a modern marvel of its time and had the first indoor bathrooms. Each room was an architectural delight. I loved the varied crown molding, the beautiful flooring, the double staircase, and the unusual bridge on the second floor. After only three years, the Richardson family fell on hard times and lost the house. After a period as a boarding house, it was purchased by George Owens in 1830. The Owen's family owned the home until it was donated to the Telfair Museums in 1951. Of course this home was ran by enslaved people, which is a sad piece of our history. In the basement I found this quote that really stirred me. "The United States is still struggling to overcome the deeply engrained race-based inequality that is the legacy of slavery. An understanding of the historical origins of this inequality can inform the development of future solutions." My Mama has always said, "When we know better, we do better." I hope so. This tour is HIGHLY recommended. If you are lucky, Rebecca will be your docent. ' read more

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This is really a "Must See"! It's very informative, interesting and I think it's something that we should all be aware of what was happening in the city and that exact house at the time. It will be a bit of an eye opener for a lot of people. read more

This was a very educational experience and I'm glad I had the pleasure to tour the museum and soak in sobering history. To be quite honest, I got pretty emotional during the majority of the tour but let's put emotions aside for now. Tickets can be purchased online or on site for a little over $20. The "pass" enables you to visit the Owens-Thomas House, the Telfair Academy, and the Jepson Center. Because of COVID-19 precautions, the tours are self guided. Visitors use their smartphones for the audio portion of the tour which uses a numbering system. There is a lot to learn, absorb, and reflect on during the tour. The stories, explanations, and deeper dive took visitors in to a piece of history that has a lot of pain, betrayal, and hardship. Everyone on the museum grounds were really acquainted with the history of the property and happily answered any questions that came up. This is an absolute 'must-visit' while in Savannah. This is what is described the museum on the Telfair Museums' website: "Built as a beautiful Regency style mansion in 1819, the Owens-Thomas House, along with its adjacent gardens, carriage house, and slave quarters, allows visitors to explore the complicated relationships between the most and least powerful people in the city of Savannah in the early 19th century. Only a seven-minute walk from Telfair Museums' other two sites, this historic home offers a completely different experience. Visitors on our guided tours explore period rooms full of exquisite decorative arts, interactive exhibits for all ages, and historic spaces filled with stories, all while learning about the people, both free and enslaved, who lived and worked on the site 200 years ago." read more

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Excellent restoration and an engaging self-guided tour. Friendly and knowledgeable docents. They do a great treatment of the intertwined but distinct lives of the families (enslavers and enslaved people) who lived in the house. Get there early during the busy season to make sure you can get a ticket in. The group sizes because of the size of the house are limited and first-come, first-served. While you wait for your entry time, I suggest that you do the self-guided exterior architecture tour. read more

Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters - Self-guided your on Spotify. - Museums Near Me - Savannah, Georgia

Enjoyed this tour very much. The guide was very knowledgeable and was able to answer questions in addition to the regular spiel.

Fascinating way to spend 45-60 minutes in Savannah if you're an history and architecture geek like myself. Built in 1819, this lovely Regency style mansion's gardens, exterior, and interior are mostly well maintained in their 19th century motif. You'll wander through elegant rooms to relive the lifestyles of the white elites...and the less than ideal living and working conditions of the slaves. For some reason I found the basement kitchen of particular interest. Admire the lovely decor and architecture, but never forget that this wealth was an evil product of hundreds of years of kidnapping, rape, racism and enslavement. $20, but that includes two additional attractions in Savannah. read more

Very interesting tour. Our guide did a god job of giving the history of the home would recommend.

Ok, lets start with the verbiage. Just by changing the terms to more sensitive wording doesn't alter history. A slave was a slave. It's a historical fact, not a label. A slave owner was a master or owner, not an enslaver. I say this because the first thing you see when you enter is a sign that reads, in part, "Words have power...As we share this history we strive to use words that are empathetic to those whose history has been marginalized. For example, we use phrases like enslaved woman, rather than slave. The noun slave implies she was, at her core, a slave. The adjective enslaved reveals that though in bondage, bondage was not her core existence. Furthermore, she was enslaved by the actions of another. Therefore, we use terms like enslaver, rather than master, to indicate one's effort to exert power over another. You may hear other phrases, like slave labor camp or escapee, rather than plantation or runaway. These reinforce the idea of people's humanity rather than the conditions forced upon them." If the younger generation can't handle the harsh realities of history, then just don't look back; instead charge ahead to live your life in a safe place free from past evils that actually occurred. In addition, a house has rooms; bedrooms, living rooms, dressing rooms, etc. They are not spaces. With every room we entered, the docent referred to them as spaces. As a matter of fact, she referred to black people as people of color. Yet she referred to white people as white people; not people without color. The hypocrisy of her tour was referenced over and over again by her words and actions. She prohibited flash photography, but then she used her cell phone flashlight to light-up areas during the tour. At the end, she boasted of the museum, and her own, interpretation of history as it related to slaves in that particular house and in general. While history is not black and white because of possible degradation and mis-information passed from generation to generation, it is not an interpretive topic that you can put your own spin to. At that point, you're no longer a museum, you are an entity that is forcing your own thoughts and opinions on a captive audience (after all, we paid $30 per person). To the general public, if you want to delve into the history of slavery, privilege, and, dare I say it, plantation life, in the south, there are far better options to learn the reality of it. Don't take this tour. read more

We came here as the first stop on the tour of the three Telfair properties included in the ticket. You can buy your ticket at any of the three locations. We luckily found parking directly across the street from the house and it was Sunday so we didn't even have to pay. The first available tour was about an hour after we arrived, so instead of waiting around we scheduled it for later in the day so we could something in the meantime. Once we returned, we started our self-guided tour (due to COVID, they used to have a real person giving the tour). Our group was not that big (10 people maybe) so we were able to move and do the audio on our phones (all on a website) without overlapping too much. The stations are clearly marked and the order was simple to follow. There was good information at all of the stations and I liked that it wasn't too long and digestible for everyone in our family. The whole thing lasted close to an hour and we got a good feel for what went on in this house. read more

We were only in Savannah, GA for about 4 days, so we didn't get to see the other two museum/historical tours included in the price of our ticket but WOW - the tour of the Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters was one of the highlights of our trip. Jovi was our tour guide and was phenomenal!! The tour held no punches and was very informative and educational about what went into the building of the house itself along with the racist ideologies of the home owners and their children. Our tour guide did not hesitate to answer any questions we or others had, and we felt the tour was excellent in terms of staying culturally sensitive and competent. Really, really loved the end of the tour that paid tribute to the slaves themselves and what they underwent in such dark times. Would definitely recommend this tour to others! read more

One of the first attractions we visited when my wife and I made our first trek to Savannah was the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters. Like most of downtown Savannah, there's a tremendous amount of history in this Regency-style mansion, along with the adjacent gardens, carriage house, and slave quarters. From the moment you start the tour, you feel a complete impression of the complicated relationship between the most affluent and least fortunate people in Savannah during the 19th century. George Owens and his family owned the house for more than 120 years; when he lived there, he had six children and approximately 12 enslaved people. When you walk through the main house and the slave quarters, you receive a glimpse of what life was back then. Through the period rooms and interactive exhibits, you learn about the people who lived there and the enslaved that supported them more than 200 years ago. The differences between the haves and have-nots were striking. The interior of the slave quarters on both the top and bottom floors is stark and paints a clear picture of the conditions the enslaved had while on the property, against the lush and extravagant Owens-Thomas House. You can walk through the parterre garden and view the public and private spaces within the main houses, including the drawing-room, dining room, bedrooms, and library with the Regency style, furnished and styled with the furniture and finishes known for the era. You experience the workspaces such as the butler's pantry and the working cellar. The Owens-Thomas House is an experience if you enjoy history and want to learn more about life's history back in the early 1800s in Savannah. read more

This was a cool house to visit. We did the self-guided tour. It was odd though because we had a tour group in front of us from the previous half hour and then other self-guided people behind us pushing us through. I wish I could visit this house without having to purchase tickets to the art museum and other museum. Nice history through the house that depicts the times and life of different characters of their day. read more

The Thomas-Owen and Slave Quarters House, the staff, was very polite and very informative of the history of the mansion, each room we visited and every piece of furniture. The tour took about an hour, give or take. When you purchase your pass, you get admission to a total of 3 different museums that are all within a few blocks. Also, if you're military, you get a $2 discount. We will visit the other two museums tomorrow. I will review those then! read more

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So disappointed with the Owens-Thomas house. I came by just afternoon and there was a sold out sign. I asked how they recommend I get a ticket, and they said the only way is by waiting in line when they open, but a timed ticket, and then return later in the day. Really???!? In 2021, you can't purchase a ticket online? You can't offer 15 minute tickets? I even asked if I could join a tour company and they said the only way was showing up when they opened. I'm not waking up at 8am, skipping breakfast with the family, and waiting in line just to buy tickets, which in turn I have to return later. read more

Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters - Museums Near Me - Savannah, Georgia

A terrific museum about the upstairs/downstairs lives of wealthy Savannah citizens and their enslaved servants. Throughout the house museum you're presented with the contrast (and conflict) between people of privilege and people without standing. Tours are self-guided but a free downloadable app provides audio information on your phone for 16 stops along the way. Your ticket guarantees you a tour time plus access to two nearby art museums: the Jepsen and Telfair. read more

Amazing tour with Jiovanny. Beautiful space, though its hard to admire it all knowing the people who lived here were slave owners. But an incredible piece of history. A must if you're visiting Savannah! read more

Well balanced tour of both communities that lived in the house, white and Black. Renee did an excellent job.

Historical and retouched nicely. Yours every 15min. Tour last about an hour. A lot of walking and stairs. Entrance to this house also pays for two other local museums. Totally worth it! Enjoy read more

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You can't just go to this museum. They force you to pay $30 for a ticket to also go to 2 other museums. We don't want to go to the other museums. We refuse to pay $30 for this one place. Ridiculous. read more

Dook served as the tour guide for the Owen-Thomas House and Slave Quarters. During the tour, there was a lady who struggled to climb the stairs, so she opted to sit at the bottom on a bench. At the conclusion of the tour upstairs, Dook approached her and scolded her in front of everyone, expressing offense that she hadn't taken the stairs. She explained that she hadn't realized she wouldn't be able to manage the steep stairs and didn't want to hold anyone back. Nevertheless, Dook informed her that she was no longer welcome on his tour. His behavior was highly unprofessional and unwarranted. The young lady sat outside, visibly upset and in tears, while her family completed the tour. Witnessing the situation left me too distraught to focus on the tour. read more

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