Preservation Festival activities associated with the Davenport House Museum are planned for May 2013.

Details will be posted in January 2013.

Thursdays and Fridays in May 2013

[Program dates and times: May 2, 3, 9, 10, 16 and 17  at 4:30 p.m. and May 24, 30 and 31 at 5:00 p.m.]

60 to 75 minutes

Admission: $18

Reservations recommended. Limited attendance.

Learn about tea traditions and experience an early 19th century tea in Davenport House’s beautiful courtyard garden. Patrons will visit areas of the home where tea service took place and will participate in an afternoon tea given with costumed interpreters in the garden.

The performance requires that guests be able to walk up and down stairs.

Program Available Upon Request.

TIME: 4:30 p.m.

Acquaint yourself with the preservation and care of the Isaiah Davenport House, recipient of the Preserve America Presidential Award. The museum’s director will lead a tour in and around the home discussing the recent restoration, maintenance issues and techniques for preserving the site for the long term. The tour is limited to twelve people. Patrons will visit areas not normally on tour. The experience will end in the garden with light refreshments. read more…

Program Available Upon Request.

TIME: 4:30 p.m.

The museum’s Assistant Director will lead patrons on a special tour of the house explaining the basis for the house’s interpretation and recent restoration, examining highlights of the collections and viewing collection storage, which is normally off-limits to museum visitors. Following the tour there will be refreshments and a time for conversation in the garden. read more…

The Davenport House offers two programs for teenagers, a Junior Interpreter program held in the summer and a Savannah Arts Academy Junior Interpreter program held in the fall for SAA sophomores.

Dates: Thursdays in June and July

Time: 6 to 8 p.m.

read more…

The Davenport House offers its Docent Training Program three times a year – in February, July and October – for volunteers desiring to give tours of the museum. The program schedule of dates and times are determined by the participants. The program involves meeting one day a week for two and a half hours over a four week period to learn the interpretation of the house and logistics of tour giving at the site. Following classroom training, prospective docents follow four different docents on tour and give an evaluation tour to a staff member before their first tours to the public. read more…

Historic sites often feature artificial food in period rooms including dining rooms to give the setting a festive, lived-in feeling. The DH will sponsor a hands-on workshop on making artificial food presented by John M. Sherrer, Director of Cultural Resources, Historic Columbia (SC) Foundation on Friday, September 7 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. This workshop is open to up to 15 community members for $35 per person. If there is an interest a second workshop from 1:30 till 3:30 p.m. will be offered the same day.

Sherrer of Historic Columbia Foundation first learned to make faux food several years ago at a workshop sponsored by the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts in Winston-Salem, NC. He later co-led a workshop at the Issues and Operations in Historic House Museums Symposium through McFaddin-Ward House in Beaumont, Texas. Since that time he has created pieces for the four 19th-century historic houses of which HCF is steward.

The November/December 2011 American Spirit Magazine, a magazine published by the Daughters of the American Revolution, features an article entitled Faux Holiday Feasts: The Making of Artificial Food for Historic House and notes HCF’s food as a must-see on your “Historic Faux Food Tour”.

Contact info@davenporthousemuseum.org or call 912/236-8097 for additional information. There must be a minimum of 10 participants for the workshop to take place.

Friday and Saturday nights in October 2012 (October 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27)

Two performances: 7:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.

Admission: $15 in advance for adults, $10 in advance children (ages 8-17) and $17 for adults and $15 for children at the time of the performance

Reservations recommended. Limited attendance.  Call: 912/236-8097

60 minutes

Participants in the living history performance experience the story of yellow fever’s dreadful consequences which transformed the bustling seaport of Savannah into a ghost town. The action commences with a war of words between competing local newspapers on the fever’s outbreak and the municipal action that followed. Moving through the house and garden by candlelight, visitors observe the 19th century inhabitants as their thoughts turn to the contemplation of their own mortality and feature a consideration of the nature of phantoms, spirits, supernatural happenings and the ultimate nature of the soul. The fate and experiences of the uncounted half to the city’s population, both free and enslaved Africans, are revealed. As a culmination each visitor will participate in a “Lottery of Life and Death.”

Not suitable for children under 8 years of age.

The performance requires that guests be able to walk up and down stairs and maneuver in the candlelit rooms.

Read more about the Material Culture of Yellow Fever.

December 26 -30, 2012

TIME: 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Glistening by candlelight, the Federal-style home welcomes visitors to an experience emphasizing the end-of-year celebrations of early 19th century Savannahians, including the Davenport household, who lived in the fine brick home on Columbia Square. Light refreshments, music and skilled interpreters, who show visitors through the home, are among the highlights of the presentation. read more…

Thursday, February 14, 2013

TIME: 5 to 7 p.m.

Get married in the museum’s beautiful courtyard garden and make it a Valentine’s Day to remember! Ceremonies will be offered every 10 minutes. A local judge will officiate. $100 donation to the museum. Call 912/236-8097 for additional information.

Couples should reserve their time slot in advance as the event sells out.

read more…

Friday and Saturday evenings in February 2013

[Program dates: February 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22 and 23]

TIME: 5:30 p.m.

Experience the historic atmosphere of the Davenport House while learning about and tasting a unique and flavorful wine. Patrons are oriented to the long and rich tradition of Madeira (wine) as it relates to the history of Savannah and then they will participate in a Madeira party. During the experience they will sample two types of Madeira and see the historic house at dusk including spaces usually off-limits to museum guests. read more…

Thursday and Fridays in March

Program dates and times: March 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 20, 21, 28 at 5 p.m. and March 29 at 4:30 p.m.

60 to 75 minutes

Admission: $18

Reservations recommended. Limited attendance.

Learn about tea traditions and experience an early 19th century tea in the historic atmosphere of the Isaiah Davenport House Museum. Patrons will tour areas of the historic home where tea service took place and will participate in an afternoon tea with costumed interpreters.

The performance requires that guests be able to walk up and down stairs.