Davenport House Museum opens its doors again with annual Holiday Evening Tours by Candlelight
Snow-covered streets lit by oil lamps as horse-drawn carriages ride by evokes an almost portrait view of the winter holiday season. While lacking the snow and lamps (electricity is an amazing thing!), the Davenport House Museum is doing their best to whisk you away into holidays past.
The museum's annual Holiday Evening Tours by Candlelight begin on Monday, Dec. 26 and run through Friday, Dec. 30, allowing families to harken back to holidays and how they were observed 200 years ago.
“Attending one of our holiday evening tours is a terrific way to experience our historic city when it is at its most beautiful.” said Davenport House Museum Director Jamie Credle. “Many enjoy it so much they make it a tradition returning with their families.”
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This family friendly event will feature costumed docents telling the story of early nineteenth century holiday festivities. Light refreshments, music and skilled interpreters are among the highlights of the presentation. Credle said the entire experience once you enter the museum entrance will leave you in the holiday spirit.
"People will gather in the preservation center where there'll be some light refreshments so they'll get to see this exhibit that we have there," Credle said.
Guests will tour the historic home's lavish restored rooms, viewing the home by candlelight and discovering how the family would have prepared for New Year's Day celebrations, which at the time was the more popular holiday of the season.
It wasn't until the anonymous poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" was widely shared in newspapers beginning in 1823, that the magic of Christmas Eve began to take hold of the American imagination. The beloved poem soon elevated Christmas as a revered family observance. Now well known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," it has since been credited to Clement Clarke Moore, a New York City professor.
During the Davenport tour, the experience will include a short, dramatic presentation on the discovery of Clement Moore’s poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” a magical highlight for visitors to experience by candlelight.
Admission for Holiday Evening Tours by Candlelight costs $15 for adults in advance and $18 at the door. Children ages 6-17 are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. DHM asks that patrons call about scheduling a time to visit or indicate on their online ticket purchase the time when they hope to enter the house.
To purchase tickets, please visit www.davenporthousemuseum.org, call 912-236-8097, or visit the Davenport House Museum Shop. Online tickets must be purchased at least one day in advance of the date on which you wish to attend. For same-day tickets, please purchase at the door.
IF YOU GO
What: Holiday Evening Tours by Candlelight
Where: Davenport House Museum, 323 E. Broughton St.
When: Monday, Dec. 26 through Friday, Dec. 30 from 6-8 p.m.
Cost: Adults ($15 advance, $18 at door), Children ages 6-17 ($10 in advance, $12 at the door)
Info: davenporthousemuseum.corg
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah GA Christmas events: Davenport House Evening Candlelight Tour
