The City of Savannah contains the nation's largest historic preservation district. Its Telfair Museum of Art is the oldest in the Southeast, and the museum's two original buildings – the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Owens-Thomas House – are Savannah landmarks dating from the early 19th century.

A decade ago, the Telfair Museum committed to a new building to house its growing collection of contemporary art. But no one could have predicted that the building's modern design would generate years of controversy and delay the opening several times. Our show takes you to Opening Day of the Jepson Center for the Arts on March 10, 2006, where we meet its architect, Moshe Safdie, its namesake, Robert S. Jepson, and its director, Diane Lesko. We also take you inside to see the atrium's massive glass walls and commanding staircase, as well as the dramatic curving lines found throughout the building. And finally, we show you the cutting edge art currently on display in the Telfair, a ground-breaking contribution to Savannah cultural history.

Visit the Museum's website.

Photo: Richard Leo Johnson, Atlantic Archives