Jepson Center & Telfair Children's Art Museum (CAM)

The Jepson Center for the Arts is Savannah's most architecturally striking museum — a light-filled contemporary building designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie that sits in sharp contrast to the surrounding Historic District architecture. But for families, the bigger draw is the Children's Art Museum (CAM) housed inside: a dedicated space designed for kids to make, explore, and interact with art rather than simply observe it.

CAM is the honest reason to bring kids here. The exhibits are age-calibrated for young visitors — hands-on art activities, materials for making things, interactive installations, and rotating programming that changes through the year. This is one of the few museums in Savannah where children who normally struggle with "museum behavior" actually have appropriate outlets for their energy and curiosity.

They're not just looking; they're doing.

The broader Jepson collection focuses on contemporary and modern art, which is actually more accessible for kids than classical collections — abstract shapes, bold colors, and conceptual work invite the question "what do you think this means?" in a way that traditional portraiture doesn't. Older kids and teens who roll their eyes at history museums sometimes respond differently to contemporary art.

Practical logistics: closed Mondays. Tickets are $20 adult, $10 child (5-17), free under 5. The Telfair Museums pass ($35 adult, $15 child) is better value if you're in Savannah for multiple days — it covers Jepson, the Telfair Academy on Telfair Square, and the Owens-Thomas House. That's a full day of Savannah cultural activity for one price.

The Historic District location means dining and additional sightseeing are steps away. River Street is a 5-minute walk; the squares of the Historic District are all within easy walking distance. This is a natural anchor for a morning of Savannah exploration.