Savannah is full of beautiful historical sites, landmarks and museums. So many in fact, it can be hard to decide where to visit when time is limited. Out of all the museums visited by the Savannah Secret Society, the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters is one of our favorites.
Instead of experiencing history through a collection of artifacts in glass cases, this museum allows you to step into history. While not exactly a living history museum, it does provide visitors with an approximation of what life must have been like back in the early 1800s for one of Savannah’s wealthiest families.
To truly enjoy this museum, you really have to pay attention to the details that have been preserved throughout the house. For example, you’ll notice several areas with painted marble. When I originally visited in 2020, the tour guide explained that painted marble was was much more expensive than the real thing, thus a better display of wealth.
Currently, the museum is using pre-recorded tours in each room accessed via your mobile device. Not as fun as having a real tour guide but I still enjoyed during my most recent visit.
After listening to each recording, make sure you scan every room from the floor to the ceiling so you don’t miss any of those small details. You can tell that the historians and restoration experts put a lot of hard work into this museum and it would be a shame to ignore.
While it’s impressive to see how the owners lived back in the early 1800s, seeing the house from the perspective of the enslaved was truly eye opening. Without modern technology, it was the slave’s blood, sweat and tears that kept this monstrosity of a house running. The stark difference in the areas used by the enslaved offer a small, albeit sterile glimpse into what life might have been like for them.
All around Savannah, you’ll find ceilings like this preserved but none quite as beautiful. Referred to as haint blue, this was a Gullah tradition to deter ghosts or evil spirits, tricking them into believing the ceiling was either sky or water.
According to an article posted on the Telfair Museum website by one of their curators in 2020, there is no academic evidence to corroborate this information. All the same, it’s a believable story that many share here in Savannah.
Bottom Line
One of the best museums in Savannah, the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters gives visitors an inside look into what life might have been like for Savannah’s wealthiest and the enslaved in the early 1800s. Packed with small details and impressive restorations, this museum is a must see for anyone interested in Savannah history.