Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum Est. 1996

41 Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Savannah, GA, United States

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Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum
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(912) 232-1511
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The beautiful walled gardens at the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum are the largest in Savannah's historic district.
The Scarbrough House is the elegant setting for the Museum's collection of ship models, paintings and maritime antiques. It was built in 1819 for one of the principal owners of the Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
The Lowdown
Type
Garden
Historic Building
Museum
Views
Courtyard
Garden
Historical Monument
Landscaped Grounds
Water Feature
Style
Classic
Elegant
Garden Party
Nautical
Romantic
BEST type of CELEBRATIONS
Anniversary / Engagement Party
Baby Shower
Birthday Party
Bridal Shower
Charity Event
Corporate Event
Product Launch
Dinner Party
Elopement / Vow Renewal
Holiday Party
Rehearsal Dinner / Welcome Reception
Social Event
Wedding Ceremony
Wedding Reception
Workshops: Creative, Photo, Etc.

Venue Setting

The beautiful walled gardens at the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum are the largest in Savannah's historic district. As one looks through the gate to the North Garden, one can see an axis from the WIlliam Scarbrough House's orginal garden. Multiple "Garden Rooms" unfold, each with its own personality. These gardens include a Maple Grove consisting of 24 Trident Maple trees, a 100 foot long Pergola with climbing vines, a Citrus Grove, and a Natural Garden with predominantly native plants.

The North Garden is 1.2 acres including an open-air event space with a constructed roofed pavilion, called the Assembly Room. The Assembly Room is 90 ft. long and 60 ft. wide, or 5,400 sq. ft. The capacity is about 1000 persons (about 360 seated at round tables). Caterers may use the 22'x18' air-conditioned multi-purpose space adjacent to the garden's outdoor Assembly Room. There is also a private suite with a shower, restroom facilities, and a comfortable sitting area. The North garden also hosts a reflecting pool and a belvedere with a stunning view of the Talmadge Memorial Bridge.

The Scarbrough House Garden is the smaller of the two spaces, and is rich with historic charm. The capacity is 200 persons. The dimensions of the brick terrace are 40'x60'. The small pavillion is 40'x14'. Restrooms are on the ground floor of the Museum and adjacent to the Assembly Room.

We also have a private parking lot with 72 available spaces. During your ceremony/reception we will hire a Savannah Chatham police officer to provide security.

Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum is 501(c)3 nonprofit museum and a professional venue that specializing in wedding ceremonies, wedding receptions, garden weddings, rehearsal dinners, bridal brunches, birthday parties, baby showers, corporate parties, holiday parties, fundraisers, nonprofit events, music festivals, concerts, and much more.

Fees
(Prices listed here are estimates only & are subject to change)
Price Range

Does this include catering fees?

No

Additional Charges

Beverage services

Insurance

Additional Insurance Is Required To Host An Event At This Venue

Capacity

Seated
360
Buffet
N/A
Standing
1000
Celebrations Hosted Here Since
1996
Curfew
11 PM
Venue Spaces
Outdoor Venue Space Only
Catering
Client Can Select The Caterer Of Their Choice
Alcohol
Provided By Venue For Fee – You Must Use The Venue For All Alcohol Services
Music
Outdoors Only
Smoking
Designated Smoking Areas Only
Accommodations
There is a private dressing suite with a shower, restroom facilities, and a comfortable sitting area, located directly adjacent to the Assembly Room.
Eco/Green Events
Yes
Kid Friendly Events
Yes
Handicap Accessible
Yes
Other
Yes
Amenities
  • Bridal Suite/Changing Rooms Onsite
  • Wifi
  • Ample Parking Onsite
  • Onsite Restrooms
  • Other
Venue Features
The Scene:
Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum housed in the William Scarbrough House is home to the largest private gardens within the historic district of Savannah. Whether you visit the Museum by walking along the fig-covered wall to the garden gate or arrive by car, the visitor's first impression is a riot of color, seen in the flower beds at the entrance.

When you enter the Scarbourough Garden you will see a huge sycamore tree, crepe myrtle trees, azaleas, cumquat trees, boxwoods, and many flowering plants. The design for the Scarbrough Garden is derived from a typical 19th century parlor garden that has been expanded and enhanced to serve the needs of the Museum. Careful attention has been paid to the plant material and surface materials.  With few exceptions, all plant material is native or has been available since the early to mid 1800s. The center of the Scarbrough Garden contains a large brick terrace surrounded on three sides by carefully clipped shrubbery. Large terra cotta pots placed around the terrace are planted seasonally.  Along the end of the terrace opposite the Museum is a copper-roofed pavilion surrounded by lattice.  

The next thing you will see is the Scarbourough House. The Scarbrough House is the elegant setting for the Museum's collection of ship models, paintings and maritime antiques. It was built in 1819 for one of the principal owners of the Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Scarbrough's architect, William Jay from England, created one of the earliest examples of the Greek Revival in the South. Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum restored the house, building a new roof based on a documented William Jay design, also adding a new rear portico and enlarging the garden.

Completed in 2012, the Museum's North garden features complimentary wi-fi, as does the Scarbrough House and Garden. During a walk around the grounds one can experience the historic plantings offered by the original Georgia Trustees, a citrus grove, a naturalistic garden, a maple grove, a vine-covered pergola, and a belevedere with a stunning view. Also located in the North Garden is the roofed, open-air Assembly Room. The Assembly Room can hold 360 seated at tables and more than 600 in concert seating.  With state-of-the-art lighting and sound equipment, the Assembly Room is the ideal space for dinners, dances, parties, weddings, and other private rentals. This garden is never a static experiment in plant material and ornamentation; the Museum's gardens are no exception. Seasonal changes keep the gardens alive with surprises, and are reasons to visit the gardens over and over again.

The plantings in the garden include Heirloom climbing roses, native wisteria and red honeysuckle, muscadine grapes, and thunbergia, fig vine, confederate jasmine, and podocarpus, key lime, blood orange, mineola tangelo, ponkan tangerine, Meyer lemon, Meiwa kumquat, red grapefruit, dwarf orinoko banana, red Siam banana trees, sweetgrass plants, variegated bamboo, and numerous trees, such as an orange-flowering Tea Olive, Sweet Bay Magnolias, Dogwoods, Live Oaks, Japanese Yew, Needle Palms, Camellias and Coral Bark Japanese Maples.

Design:
The Scarbrough House is the elegant setting for the Museum's collection of ship models, paintings and maritime antiques. It was built in 1819 for one of the principal owners of the Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Scarbrough's architect, William Jay from England, created one of the earliest examples of the Greek Revival in the South. Used as a public school from the 1870's, the mansion was abandoned for twenty years and then restored by Historic Savannah Foundation in the 1970's. After another period of vacancy, Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum restored the house again in 1996-97, building a new roof based on a documented William Jay design, adding a new rear portico and enlarging the garden. The design for the Scarbrough Garden is derived from a typical 19th century parlor garden that has been expanded and enhanced to serve the needs of the Museum.  Careful attention has been paid to the plant material and surface materials. With few exceptions, all plant material is native or has been available since the early to mid 1800s.
Standout Venue Features:
Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum housed in the William Scarbrough House and is home to the largest private gardens within the historic district of Savannah. The Museum features rotating exhibits throughout the year including garden art installations as well as local art exhibits in the Museum's atrium. The maritime collection includes detailed breath-taking ship models as well as scrimshaw, navigation tools, and maritime art. The house itself is beautifully restored featuring period carpeting, some of the original horse-hair plaster molding, the original doors (some of which are curved), and an atrium with a skylight.
Extra Perks:
Standing Fans, free Museum Access during the event for 45 minutes, parking lot with 72 available spaces, during your event we will hire a Savannah Chatham police officer to provide security, complimentary wi-fi throughout gardens, Assembly Room, and Scarbrough House, wooden bar, trash cans, house lighting, stage lights, and smoker's poles.
Awards & Notables Magazines we have been featured in include: Savannah Weddings Fall/Winter 2013-2014, Savannah Weddings Spring/Summer 2014, Savannah Weddings Fall/Winter 2014-2015, Savannah Weddings Spring/Summer 2015, Savannah Weddings Fall/Winter 2015-2016, The Knot Georgia Spring/Summer 2015, Savannah Weddings Spring/Summer 2016, Savannah Weddings Fall/Winter2016, Savannah Soiree Volume 1 2017

The Ships of the Sea Museum Assembly Room also was a 2013 Merit Award Winner from the American Institute of Architects/Georgia.
Celebration Locations
Scarbrough Garden:
An historic charming garden in the shadow of the 1819 mansion with a large brick terrace surrounded by overgrown holly.
- View: Gardens, regal mansion, giant sycamore tree
- Max Capacity: 200
North Garden:
The North Garden includes the Assembly Room which is the primary event space as it is a covered, open-air space including house lighting and several power outlets.
- View: The Assembly Room is surrounded by a citrus grove as well as a natural garden. The rest of the North Garden includes a maple grove, reflecting pool, and a sisters' garden showcasing the plantings the Scarbrough sister's maintained at the house in the 1820
- Max Capacity: 1000
Eats & Drinks
Food, Restaurants, Cafes, Bars & Lounges
Bars & Lounges:
The event bar(s) can be located per request making every event unique. There are three notable areas for a bar including the Assembly Room (primary event space), the pergola (best for cocktail hour), and the Scarbrough Garden (where ceremonies generally take place). 

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