Jepson Center and Telfair Children's Art Museum with Kids - Savannah, GA
A child's drawing becomes an animated voyage at the Telfair Children's Art Museum inside Savannah's Jepson Center. Start with the playful world of sailor-artist William O. Golding, then explore the contemporary galleries. One ticket also covers two other Telfair museums for seven days, but the experience is more thoughtful art exploration than an all-day play center.
Seven-day admission covers Jepson Center, Telfair Academy and Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters. Children 6-12 pay $10.
Compare the three-site pass ->Plan 60-90 minutes for the Children's Art Museum and selected galleries; add time for a family art program.
Preschoolers can explore the animated art, while older children connect ships, stories, portraits and Savannah history.
An indoor setting, accessible galleries and flexible visits keep logistics manageable; downtown parking adds planning.
See the full Family Friction score →From a sailor's sketchbook to moving ships: art children can actually explore
The best place to begin a family visit to the Jepson Center is not with a demand to stand still and admire paintings. It is the Telfair Children's Art Museum, or CAM, an interactive gallery housed within the same building. Its ongoing exhibition, The World of William O. Golding, introduces children to a Savannah-born, self-taught artist who spent decades working at sea. His drawings of ships, ports and life aboard vessels become interactive animations developed with Savannah design studio FREN Inc. Kids can activate and influence what they see, turning old maritime scenes into something closer to a story they help tell. Look for Cammy, the chameleon mascot, as another playful thread through the galleries. This is a distinctive Savannah experience, not a generic indoor playground.
The exhibition gives parents an unusually good way to connect an art museum with the city outside. After exploring Golding's ships, ask children to imagine the riverfront before container ships, tour boats and modern traffic. What did a sailor notice, remember or exaggerate? Younger visitors can focus on movement, color and identifying vessels, while school-age children can compare a real working harbor with a memory drawn from years of travel. Golding's story also opens the door to age-appropriate discussion about African American maritime history and the often difficult lives behind images of adventure. The gallery makes those questions approachable through participation rather than long museum labels.
Do not leave immediately after the children's galleries. Jepson Center, designed by architect Moshe Safdie, is worth exploring as a building: broad light-filled spaces, glass, striking geometry and views that feel very different from Savannah's brick squares. Choose one or two current exhibitions rather than marching children past every object. In October 2026, the museum features Michelangelo's Women, Remember the Ladies and other changing shows alongside contemporary work. Its family calendar also includes Artful Tales story sessions, CAM Art a La Carte nautical-themed activities, weekend drop-in making and occasional toddler tours. Check event dates separately: an ordinary ticket does not guarantee every program will be running during your visit.
Keep the art adventure going beyond West York Street. Pair Jepson's playful ships and gallery discoveries with other creative stops, historic squares and child-friendly outings in our guide to Savannah with kids.
The animated ship gallery welcomes young makers; older children can dig deeper into the art
Infant
An infant can accompany caregivers comfortably in the accessible Jepson galleries, but the exhibit is not designed as an infant sensory room. A short visit around feeding and naps makes more sense than a full museum circuit.
Toddler
The moving images, colors and Cammy the chameleon may delight a toddler, especially during a dedicated Art Start program. Keep explanations short and remain close around interactive stations and conventional gallery art.
Little Kids
A particularly good match for the imaginative ship animations and Friday storytime when scheduled. Ask children to spot a boat, describe its destination and invent a sailor's story rather than explaining every historical detail.
Big Kids
Strong fit for the exhibit's story-driven activities and nautical art making. Invite children to compare drawing styles, control the projected scenes and create their own harbor picture afterward.
Tweens
Good for children who enjoy storytelling, design and historical questions. Connect William O. Golding's drawings to Savannah's port and explore one extra exhibition selected around their interests.
Teen
Older teens who care about art, history or architecture may appreciate Jepson's changing exhibitions, but the children's area is not primarily aimed at them. Treat this as an art stop rather than a teen-focused attraction.
Family Friction: easy indoor art, with downtown arrival and gallery manners to consider
KidWaypoint evaluates eight practical demands on a family visit, including arrival, queues, weather, walking, stroller access, care facilities, sensory conditions and schedule flexibility. A lower score means fewer logistical hurdles.
Jepson is relatively simple once the family arrives: it is indoors, its galleries have elevator access, and the children's exhibition rewards a visit of almost any length. The biggest inconveniences are finding downtown parking, navigating city sidewalks, keeping small hands off noninteractive works and coordinating special family programs. A seven-day pass reduces pressure to see the other Telfair sites immediately, although the Owens-Thomas House has a very different accessibility profile.
| Factor | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Parking & Arrival | 2/5 | The Jepson Center is at 207 W York Street in downtown Savannah. There is no assured free museum lot; metered streets and paid downtown garages are more realistic, with accessible spaces on York Street and at Robinson garage. |
| Queue & Wait Time | 1/5 | Regular gallery visits generally do not require an hourly entry slot. Front-desk ticket purchase and special program registration can add waiting, especially during busy weekends. |
| Heat & Weather Exposure | 0/5 | The gallery visit is indoors and makes a good option in Savannah heat or rain. Walking from parking and between the three museum buildings is still outdoors. |
| Walking Distance & Terrain | 1/5 | Within Jepson, the galleries can be explored in a compact circuit with breaks. The seven-day pass covers other locations across the Historic District, but families need not visit them together. |
| Stroller & Mobility Access | 1/5 | Strollers are welcome at Jepson and an elevator reaches upper galleries. There is a step-free entrance to the right of the main York Street entrance; the historic Owens-Thomas House has separate limitations. |
| Restroom & Baby-Care Access | 2/5 | Public visitor facilities are available within the museum, but a dedicated changing room or nursing space is not confirmed in the official guidance reviewed. Families should plan care breaks accordingly. |
| Sensory & Crowd Load | 1/5 | Animated exhibits, group activities and occasional busy school visits bring sound and movement, while traditional art galleries offer quieter alternatives for children who need a break. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 2/5 | Jepson is normally open Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm. The regular museum visit is flexible, but storytime, toddler tours and maker programs operate at specific times. |
| Scored total | 10/40 | Low Friction |
Wide Jepson galleries are stroller-friendly, but the three museum sites are not identical
At Jepson, families can use an accessible York Street entrance and elevators between galleries. A stroller is generally welcome, so the chief considerations are downtown sidewalks, quiet gallery behavior and planning the next stop under a three-site pass.
The wheelchair entrance is to the right of the main entrance. Ask staff for assistance if the entrance route is not immediately obvious.
Jepson has an elevator and stroller access throughout its galleries. Children still need close supervision around artworks and interactive equipment.
Telfair Academy also admits strollers, but the Owens-Thomas House does not allow them into its historic house. Its original stairs also prevent full step-free access.
A stroller can help young children rest, but busy group visits and family workshops create more traffic in activity areas. Arrive before a scheduled program if attending.
Jepson Center for the Arts tickets - one seven-day pass, three very different Savannah museums
Telfair admission is not a Jepson-only ticket. The same seven-day pass covers the Jepson Center and Children's Art Museum, Telfair Academy and Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters, with unlimited visits during its validity. Scheduled classes and special programs may have their own fees.
| Activity or service | Cost | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Adult admission | $30 | Ages 26-64; seven-day access to all three museum sites. |
| Senior 65+ | $27 | Age eligibility applies; bring identification. |
| Active military with ID | $27 | Discounted seven-day museum admission. |
| Student ages 13-25 with ID | $20 | Valid student identification required. |
| Child ages 6-12 | $10 | Includes Children's Art Museum and the other Telfair sites. |
| Child ages 5 and under | Free | No general admission fee. |
| SNAP EBT Museums for All | $3 per adult; under 18 free | Up to six visitors per qualifying SNAP card under the posted program. |
| Art Start toddler program | From $5 per child | Separate program pricing applies; confirm the adult rate and registration for your date. |
Family cost example: Two adults and two children ages 6 and 9 pay $80 for the seven-day pass. A family with a 4-year-old and an 8-year-old pays $70. Downtown parking, meals and any separately priced workshops are extra.
Which days are best for Jepson and family art activities?
- Jepson Center and Telfair Academy are normally open Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm; closed Mondays.
- The Children's Art Museum is included in regular Jepson admission and follows the host building schedule.
- Artful Tales, CAM Art a La Carte and drop-in art studios have their own days and hours. Check the family calendar before promising an activity.
- Owens-Thomas House tours run on assigned times and may fill. Check in there to arrange a tour, even when you already bought a pass elsewhere.
A morning or early-afternoon Jepson visit leaves enough time to explore CAM without rushing through the galleries. Holidays and installations can change access, so confirm your date on the official calendar.
Start with the moving maritime pictures, then let each child choose the next artwork
A little pacing turns this from a serious art stop into a relaxed, child-led discovery of Savannah stories.
- Visit CAM before art fatigue sets in.Give children time to interact with The World of William O. Golding while they are fresh, then choose only a manageable portion of the quieter galleries.
- Look for Cammy the chameleon.Finding the museum mascot gives younger visitors a playful task between animated scenes and builds a reason to keep looking closely.
- Turn the ships into a storytelling game.Ask where a vessel might be going, what it carries and who is aboard. You do not need an art-history lecture to make Golding's drawings meaningful.
- Check the family calendar first.Friday Artful Tales, CAM Art a La Carte, toddler visits and weekend drop-in sessions are scheduled activities, not permanent all-day stations.
- Use your seven days strategically.Make Jepson a focused indoor stop today and save Telfair Academy or Owens-Thomas House for a second outing, especially with a young child.
- Plan food and parking before the first gallery.Gallery food and drinks are prohibited. Eat beforehand, locate a suitable break nearby and check downtown parking rules rather than searching at the last minute.
Jepson Center and Telfair Children's Art Museum: questions parents actually ask
Admission, maritime art activities, practical arrival questions and the difference between the three Telfair museum sites.
How much are Jepson Center for the Arts tickets, and what does admission cover?
Admission is sold as a Telfair Museums pass rather than a separate Jepson-only ticket. As of October 2026, adults pay $30, seniors 65+ and active military with ID pay $27, students ages 13-25 with ID pay $20, children 6-12 pay $10, and children 5 and under are free. Your ticket permits unlimited visits within seven days to Jepson Center and the Children's Art Museum, Telfair Academy and Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters. The ticket includes Jepson's changing exhibitions, but a class or special activity may require another fee or registration. A family of two adults and two children aged 6-12 pays $80 before parking or meals.
What exactly is the Jepson Center & Telfair Children's Art Museum?
Jepson Center is Telfair Museums' contemporary art building at 207 W York Street in Savannah. The Telfair Children's Art Museum, known as CAM, is a dedicated interactive gallery inside Jepson, not a separate destination that needs a second museum ticket. Its ongoing World of William O. Golding exhibition transforms maritime drawings by a Savannah-born sailor into animations and experiences children can influence. Elsewhere in the building you will find changing contemporary and historical art exhibitions. The balance is useful for mixed-age families: children have a participatory starting point while adults can enjoy the larger museum.
Is the Jepson Center a good choice for toddlers and elementary-school children?
Children from around two years old can enjoy the movement and colors of the CAM installations with a nearby adult, and preschoolers often respond well to the chameleon mascot, ships and imaginative stories. Kids roughly four to nine can go further by creating narratives for the vessels or exploring a scheduled art activity. Tweens who enjoy making art may value the museum's exhibitions and storytelling, while teenagers may prefer a more specialized art or architecture visit. This is not a climbing playground, and most standard galleries have look-don't-touch rules. For toddlers, consider one hour plus a snack break outside rather than a long museum marathon.
When is the Jepson Center open, and are children's workshops available every day?
Regular Telfair museum hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10am-5pm, with Monday closed and several holiday exceptions. The interactive CAM gallery is part of the museum visit, but storytimes and making activities run on specific schedules. For example, Telfair publishes Friday Artful Tales sessions, CAM Art a La Carte activities and Art Start stroller-and-toddler tours, as well as weekend drop-in opportunities. The format, eligibility and fees can change. Check the official family-program calendar before building your day around one event, especially during school breaks or holiday weeks.
Where should families park for Jepson Center, and can they bring a stroller?
Jepson Center is on West York Street in downtown Savannah, where parking usually means metered street spaces or paid garages. The museum identifies accessible spaces by the York Street entrance and at Robinson garage behind Telfair Academy on Jefferson Street. There is an accessible entry to the right of Jepson's main door and elevators to upper galleries. Strollers are allowed inside Jepson and Telfair Academy. If your seven-day pass also takes you to Owens-Thomas House, remember that strollers cannot enter the historic house itself and original stairs limit access. Parking fees and availability change, so consult posted signs on arrival.
Can we visit Telfair Academy and Owens-Thomas House on the same ticket?
Yes. One ticket covers all three Telfair locations for seven days, so you can spread visits across several family outings instead of rushing. Jepson offers interactive children's art and modern galleries. Telfair Academy is a historic art museum nearby, while Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters is a historic house visit with guided tours. At Owens-Thomas House you need to check in for a tour time; places can fill, and parts of the property have stairs without an elevator. With young children, a separate day for the house is often more enjoyable than adding it directly after a full Jepson visit.
Can we eat inside, photograph exhibitions or find a quiet break?
Food and drinks are not allowed in Telfair gallery spaces, so feed children before entering and use a break outside the exhibitions if anyone gets hungry. Personal, non-flash photography is generally permitted, but individual exhibitions may post stricter rules. Jepson's bright galleries are often easy to explore at a family pace, though animated CAM exhibits and group art events can become lively. Children who need quieter surroundings may do better in a traditional gallery between interactive activities. Ask visitor staff about restrooms and the best place for feeding or changing a baby, since the published accessibility information does not identify every family-care facility.
