Georgia State Railroad Museum in Savannah will now be open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm, beginning Thurs. July 9 2020. Guided tours, blacksmithing and limited turntable demo/switching demos will resume.

For the safety of all staff and guests, the museum will be observing:
*Social distancing protocols
*Implementing enhanced sanitizing procedures.
*Changes to the exhibit flow and daily programming for guest safety.
*All persons entering the museum must wear a face covering or mask, per the emergency order issued June 30, 2020 by the Mayor of the City of Savannah. Any person who is unable to safely wear a face covering due to age, an underlying health condition or is unable to remove the face covering without assistance of others is exempt from this order. For more information about Savannah’s Face Covering order, please visit www.savannahga.gov.

Capacity will be limited to 30 guests at a time every half an hour, first come, first served, so please call ahead to check availability. Visitors can purchase tickets in advance online here or on-site at Georgia State Railroad Museum.

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On Fourth of July 2020, Old Fort Jackson in Savannah will host many Revolutionary War themed activities for a “A Family Fourth” event.

There will be a range of family-friendly activities throughout the entire weekend, July 3 through July 5.

Old Fort Jackson’s 4th of July programming will focus on Savannah’s Revolutionary War history, featuring cannon firing programs, musket firing demonstrations, and readings of historic documents. Come and celebrate America’s birthday at Georgia’s oldest brick fort.

All “A Family Fourth” activities are included in the price of Old Fort Jackson museum admission and are free for Coastal Heritage Society members.

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Telfair Museums in Savannah has a brand new schedule of in-person and virtual camps for Summer 2020, completely redesigned to ensure social distancing and health and safety protocols while providing engaging, fun, and educational experiences for young people.

Space is limited. Register online here as soon as possible.

In-Person Camps @ Jepson Center 

Digital Photography Camp
June 29 – July 3 (Ages 10-12 years)
July 6 – 10 (Ages 13-16 years)

Summer Art Club! Painting and Drawing Camps
July 13 – 17 (Ages 9-12 years)
July 20 – 24 (Ages 12-14 years)
July 27 – 31 (Ages 9-12 years)
August 3 – 7 (Ages 12-14 years)

Parent-Child Art Club: Afternoon Adventures in Art
(Ages pre-K – 8 years, and parents or caregivers)
June 29-August 3

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NEW! Virtual Camps & Youth Classes

Virtual Art with the Pros Class
(Ages 6-10 years)
June 29 – August 3

Virtual Video Game Camp
July 6-10 (Ages 12-14 years)

Virtual Crafters’ Class/Crafting with S.T.E.A.M.
June 29- August 3 (Ages 8-12 years)

Register online here

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Savannah History Museum will now be open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm, beginning this Wed. June 24 2020.

For the safety of all staff and guests, we will be observing:

*Social distancing protocols

*Implementing enhanced sanitizing procedures.

*Changes to the exhibit flow and daily programming for guest safety.

Guests are strongly encouraged to wear masks and adhere to public health safety notices.

Museum staff will be also limiting capacity to 30 guests at a time every half an hour, first come, first served, so please call ahead to check availability. Visitors can purchase tickets online here or on-site at Savannah History Museum.

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FIND MORE SAVANNAH-AREA PLACES THAT HAVE REOPENED IN OUR EVENTS CALENDAR HERE. 

The trails @ Fort Pulaski National Monument near Savannah are open, but Historic Fort Pulaski and the visitor center remain closed due to COVID-19.

Following national, state and local guidance, Fort Pulaski National Monument is increasing recreational access to Cockspur Island.

Fort Pulaski National Monument has reopened access to:
• Fort Pulaski parking lots, trails, and restrooms, 9AM-5PM
In addition, the following spaces continue to be available:
• Lazaretto Creek Area
• McQueen’s Island areas of the park

With public health in mind, the following facilities remain closed to the public at this time:
• Visitor Center
• Historic Fort Pulaski
• Savannah River North Shoreline

Park entrance fees at Fort Pulaski National Monument will be charged. Credit and debit cards are the preferred method of payment. You can also pay your entrance online and in advance here.

Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted at www.nps.gov/FortPulaski and social media

Telfair Museums in downtown Savannah will reopen its three sites—the Telfair Academy, the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters, and the Jepson Center for the Arts—beginning Fri. June 26 2020. The three museums closed to the public in mid March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The museums, which share a single $20 admission fee, will be open 10AM-5PM Thursdays-Mondays. During the initial reopening phase, they will be closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

The museums have implemented a number of new health initiatives for visitors and staff, including social distancing, regular deep cleanings, hand sanitizer, plexiglass, face masks, and reduced-contact admissions procedures. In particular, the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters, a National Historic Landmark, will have family-sized tour groups and a new audio component to help ensure the safety of guests on the 200-year-old property.

To celebrate the museums’ reopening and give back to the public, Telfair is offering a new Free Family Weekend from Friday, July 17-Sunday, July 19, with free admission to all Savannah and Chatham County residents in partnership with the City of Savannah.

Telfair Museums reopening highlights
Reopening date: Fri. June 26 2020
New hours: 10AM-5PM Thursday-Sunday; closed Tuesday-Wednesday
Admission: $20 to visit all three sites; see telfair.org/hours-admission for special pricing and safety information.

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Savannah fabric artist Jessica Pope started making facial masks for the Savannah community during the COVID-19 pandemic because she had to do something to help and keep herself calm.

With her partner Trae Gurley, Pope currently runs Savannah-based company Buck and Doe, which specializes in unique personal and home accessories. Their most popular products are handcrafted, brightly patterned bowties featuring quirky scenes. So when coronavirus began, shifting her focus to sewing whimsical fabric face masks was a natural transition. Pope started making the masks for the Savannah community, but it quickly became a national effort.

“We have made a little over 1,000 masks and have requests for 1,000 more and growing every day,” Pope said in a Telfair Museums media release.

Pope has had a lot of help meeting that demand her 86-year-old grandmother, Mariella of Eagle Idaho, who has now cut over 2,000 masks.

In 2019, Pope’s work was featured as part of Telfair Museums’ Boxed In/Break Out project showcasing local artists. Her installation Folklore, consisting of six large-scale paper quilts centered around repurposed Kodachrome slides, was shown in the Jepson Center’s exterior windows. Now the artist and the museum are partnering again.

In addition to commissioning 30 of Pope’s masks to protect frontline employees when Telfair reopens, the museum will sell Pope’s wares in the Jepson Center gift shop. In its support of local initiatives during the pandemic, the museum also has ordered hand sanitizer locally from Ghost Coast Distillery on Indian Street and is exploring more ways to collaborate with other businesses and artists.

Learn more about Buck and Doe masks here.

Learn more about Telfair Museums and its virtual offerings during the pandemic closure here.

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Coastal Heritage Society in Savannah is now offering new single-family birthday parties, as a safe birthday party alternative at Savannah Children’s Museum.

Each birthday party booked will have exclusive use of Savannah Children’s Museum and will be hosted outdoors only to observe social distancing protocols and extra cleaning procedures.

Parties will be limited to a capacity of 25 people maximum. Any of Savannah Children’s Museum’s usual themes can be accommodated, with pricing starting at $225.

Contact: For additional details and to book a birthday party, contact: lbooth@chsgeorgia.org.

Themes include:

Basic Birthday Party Package: Basic birthday parties include unlimited time at the museum, and a private party host to help with set-up, clean-up, and activities. Themed activities not included.

Mad Scientist Theme: Come for some EXPLOSIVE fun while you conduct an exciting experiment with your Mad Scientist Party Host. Parties include a cake from Baker’s Pride, table settings, and a goody bag for each child.

Little Artist Theme: Let your petite Picasso shine with a guided art activity on your special day. Parties include a cake from Baker’s Pride, table settings, and a goody bag for each child.

Junior Engineer Theme: All aboard, Choo Choo! Happy Birthday to YOU. Junior engineers will have the best birthday ever with a unique handcar activity. Parties include a cake from Baker’s Pride, table settings, and a goody bag for each child.

Pixies and Pirates: Theme Explore our enchanted Frogtown Garden in search of magical creatures and create a whimsical craft to take home with you. Parties include a cake from Baker’s Pride, table settings, and a goody bag for each child.

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Pin Point Heritage Museum in Savannah will now be open Thursday through Saturday from 9AM-5PM, beginning this Thursday, May 28 2020.

The museum is an open-air historic site with plenty of space for safe social distancing. For the safety of all staff and guests, the museum will be observing:
*Social distancing protocols
*Implementing enhanced sanitizing procedures.
*Changes to the exhibit flow and daily programming for guest safety.

Guests are encouraged to wear masks and adhere to public health safety notices.

Capacity will be limited to 10 guests at a time every half an hour, first come, first served, so please call ahead to check availability. Abbreviated guided tours will be offered every half hour. Guests can then explore and examine exhibits more closely. Visitors can purchase tickets on-site at Pin Point Heritage Museum.

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Georgia State Railroad Museum and Old Fort Jackson – both in Savannah – will be open to the general public for tours and guided experiences on Wednesdays through Sundays 9AM-5PM.

Georgia State Railroad Museum

All tours will begin every half hour beginning at 10AM, so please plan accordingly. While the experience will be different from the museum’s usual offerings, tickets will include a rich guided experience and there will be a family activity led by a Savannah Children’s Museum educator for one family at a time every 30 minutes, first come, first served.

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Old Fort Jackson

While the experience will be different from the fort’s usual offerings, tickets will include a rich guided experience that will also incorporate a cannon firing and musket demonstration.

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Both locations are large, open-air historic site with plenty of space for safe social distancing. For the safety of all staff and guests, we will be observing social distancing protocols and implementing enhanced sanitizing procedures. Guests are strongly urged to wear masks and adhere to public health safety protocols. Staff will be also limiting capacity to 20 guests at a time, so please call ahead to check availability. No tours at either site from 12:30-1PM and last tour begins at 3:30PM at Georgia State Railroad Museum and 4:30PM at Old Fort Jackson. Visitors can purchase tickets in gift shops or online here.

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Pin Point Heritage Museum in Savannah will now be open Thursday through Saturday from 9AM-5PM, beginning Thursday, May 28 2020.

The museum is an open-air historic site with plenty of space for safe social distancing. For the safety of all staff and guests, the museum will be observing:
*Social distancing protocols
*Implementing enhanced sanitizing procedures.
*Changes to the exhibit flow and daily programming for guest safety.

Guests are encouraged to wear masks and adhere to public health safety notices.

Capacity will be limited to 10 guests at a time every half an hour, first come, first served, so please call ahead to check availability. Abbreviated guided tours will be offered every half hour. Guests can then explore and examine exhibits more closely. Visitors can purchase tickets on-site at Pin Point Heritage Museum.

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Telfair Museums in Savannah will now offer #MuseumFromHome activities to bring the Jepson Center’s drop-in studio into your home.

First activity: Kids can create their very own Impressionist Pop-up Book with Telfair Museums’ step by step guide.

Click here to access the free printable activity sheet. Don’t forget to share your books on Telfair Museums social media.

Telfair Museums’ Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters, Telfair Academy and the Jepson Center, along with all public programs, will remain closed until further notice.

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Find more things for Savannah-area kids to do at home here. 

Telfair Museums’ Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters, Telfair Academy and the Jepson Center are closed through March 31 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But kids can take a virtual tour of the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters in Savannah

Take the tour here. 

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Find the Travel & Leisure list world-famous museums that offer virtual museum tours you can take from your couch here.

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Find more of our new free online things to do at home here. 

Registration is now open for Coastal Heritage Society’s Summer Camps 2020, the popular Savannah summer programs inspired by learning through play.

Each week-long camp: “STEAM Studio Camp,” “Planes, Trains and Automobiles Camp,” “Jr. Chef Camp” and “Jr. Engineer Train Camp” will take place in June and July. Campers will have the opportunity to engage in a variety of hands-on sessions focused on the educational themes we explore in-depth at our museums.

The camps will be held at Savannah History Museum, 303 Martin Luther King Blvd. Savannah, GA 31401.

The registration for these camps is $180 per child, aside from “Jr. Chef Camp,” which is $200 per child. A discounted rate of $10 off of each camp registration is offered for Coastal Heritage Society members. Find info on becoming a member here. 

Pre-registration is required and tickets sell out fast!

Register online here for all of the available dates and details.

For additional information, please contact: echappell@chsgeorgia.org

“Jr. Engineer Train Camp”
Provides a unique experience that can only be found at Georgia State Railroad Museum. Campers will work alongside engineers, learn about steam and diesel-powered locomotives and engage in many interactive learning experiences. This camp is available for ages 4 to 6 and will be June 1-5 2020. Register online here 

“STEAM Studio Camp”
Offers campers a chance to participate in exciting activities that combine Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math. Campers will experiment with various materials and tools to find creative solutions for the challenges that are presented to them each day. This camp is available for ages 4 to 6 and 7 to 10 and will be June 8-12 and June 15-19 2020. Register online here 

“Planes, Trains and Automobiles Camp”
Offers campers a chance to participate in interactive experiences that explore a variety of transportation modes. Campers will learn about steam and diesel-powered locomotives, rocketry, planes, and our 1920’s Depot Hacks. This camp is available for ages 7 to 10 and will be June 22-26 2020. Register online here 

“Jr. Chef Camp”
Offers campers an opportunity to cook with Savannah Children’s Museum’s very own Charlie Cart Mobile Kitchen! Campers will engage in hands-on cooking lessons, preparing healthy snacks while learning about nutrition and health, history, science, math, and art! This camp is available for ages 7 to 10 years old and will be July 6-10 2020. Register online here 

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COLLECTING IMPRESSIONISM: TELFAIR’S MODERN VISION is now open.
March 6 –Aug 16, 2020

Jepson Center
207 W York St.
Savannah, GA 31401

Learn more here. 

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COLLECTING IMPRESSIONISM’ FREE FAMILY DAY
April 18 2020 @ 1–4PM
Jepson Center

From more than 7,000 works in the museum’s permanent collection, Telfair presents ‘Collecting Impressionism,’ including some of the finest paintings in the United States. Children and families will be invited to create their own miniature Impressionist works and go on a scavenger hunt throughout the exhibition. Local artists will be on hand to lead plein air painting demonstrations in front of the museum, and local musicians will provide a program of Impressionist music in the auditorium at 2pm.

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ART START: COLLECTING IMPRESSIONISM: TELFAIR’S MODERN VISION
April 16 2020 @ 10:30–11:30AM
Jepson Center

$5 per child
Adult members free / Adult non-members $12

Start your day with art. Once a month, Telfair Museums’ youngest patrons are invited to the Jepson Center for story time, a special tour, and an art activity. Strollers, crying babies, toddlers, and older siblings are all welcome here.

April 2020’s featured exhibition is Collecting Impressionism: Telfair’s Modern Vision. Come play and learn.

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UPDATE: THIS EVENT IS NOW CANCELLED

STEAM Fest 2020
Sun. March 29, 2020
11AM-3 PM
Georgia State Railroad Museum
655 Louisville Rd, Savannah, Georgia 31401

Coastal Heritage Society invites the public to attend the 4rd annual STEAM Fest, an interactive family-friendly event designed to showcase STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) education programming.

The event will be Sun. March 29, 11AM to 3PM at Georgia State Railroad Museum, 655 Louisville Rd. Savannah, GA 31401.

Admission to STEAM Fest is included in the cost of regular admission to Georgia State Railroad Museum, $11 for adults and $7 for children younger 12. This event is FREE for Coastal Heritage Society members. Find membership info here.

Community partners at the event will include: Georgia Reptile Society will teach about animal biology, Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Foundation will demonstrate underwater research tools, the Paleontology Association of Georgia will showcase a natural fossil display for guests, the Tybee Island Marine Science Center will share about local aquatic wildlife using a microscopic camera, NASA Solar System Ambassadors Program will be educating on astronomy and space science, and Snapology of Savannah will provide STEAM-based LEGO® activities for event attendees. There will also be an indigo dyeing program focused on the science and history behind the dyeing process.

A Modern Pop Art Experience and Collage Workshop will be led by New York author and artist Michael Albert Pop Artist.

In addition to workshops and activities, food will be available for purchase from The Magic Food Truck.

Georgia State Railroad Museum will offer enhanced activities throughout the day, including executive railcar tours, hand car activities, operating locomotive train rides, plus other science and engineering demonstrations.

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Toddler Time @ Savannah Children’s Museum

Toddler Time  – held on some Thursday mornings March-May – is the perfect morning out.

Geared towards toddlers and their caregivers, the morning will begin with story time or musical education. Next, art exploration will follow then sensory exploration and open play with a focus on socialization. Complimentary coffee will be provided.

This event is included with regular admission to Savannah Children’s Museum and is FREE for members. Find membership info here. 

Toddler Time Thursdays

Thurs March 19 2020
10AM-Noon

Thurs. April 2 2020
10AM-Noon

Thurs. April 16 2020
10AM-Noon

Thurs. May 7 2020
10AM-Noon

Thurs. May 21 2020
10AM-Noon

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During the school year, Savannah Children’s Museum offers daily programming Wednesdays through Sundays – weather permitting

Please note that the museum may close due to weather conditions. Call ahead for accurate closing information at 912-651-4292.

Hours: Sept-May: Wed-Sat: 10AM to 4PM, Sun: 11AM to 4PM, Mon-Tue: Closed (But on certain school holidays during the school year, the museum will often open on days when it is normally closed)

Admission:

$8 per person (aged 18 mo. and older)
Ask about the discount combination ticket

Savannah Children’s Museum is a magical outdoor space located at Georgia State Railroad Museum in the old Central of Georgia Carpentry Shop. Expert educators create fun daily programming so children and families learn while they play.

You can purchase tickets at each of the museum’s gift shops or take advantage of the Discount Combination Ticket.

Email info@savannahchildrensmuseum.org with questions.

Savannah Children’s Museum, 655 Louisville Rd., Savannah, GA 31401, chsgeorgia.org/SCM, 912.651.6823 Coastal Heritage Society is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser 

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