Flannery O'Connor Childhood Home Museum

This tour was a highlight of my week in Savannah! I love to visit literary locations when I’m in a new city, and this tour did not disappoint! The tour guide, Jo, was lively and informative. My husband went in without and prior O’Connor knowledge and really enjoyed the tour as well. Great merch! 😉 📚

If you like Flannery O'Connor even a little bit, it's worth adding this to your itinerary. You can schedule a full guided tour or pop in during open hours to take a selfie guided tour of the first floor. A sweet and knowledgeable bosun was fun to discuss Flannery's life and writings as well as discuss the period pieces in the home. For bibliophiles, be sure to grab a copy of your favorite title from the gift shop to get it embossed.

Had a lovely tour at the Flannery O’Conner Childhood Home. The docent was knowledgeable and passionate about the early years of this wonderful Southern writer. If you are a fan of hers, or just a fan of history and cool stuff, you will learn a ton on this tour.

My partner and I were fortunate to be the only ones in our tour group, so we had the opportunity to pick out your guide's brain as much as we wanted. We had previously dropped in without booking in advance, and they were sold out which is why I still recommend booking in advance to guarantee your spot. I've never read Flannery, but partner loves her work. Even without being familiar with her work, I do enjoyed learning about this remarkable lady! At the end of the your, our guide told us this was her first tour which was her surprising because she was so natural and knowledgeable! Both ladies working there were.

A truly enchanting experience. A must-do activity if you’re visiting Savannah. Even if you’re unfamiliar with Flannery it gives you the unique opportunity to step back in time. I would have paid extra just to sit in the sunroom for an hour and watch the rain fall. Janie was exceptionally knowledgeable about Flannery, the O’Connors, and the time period.

Flannery O’Connor, an important author of fiction set in the American South, lived in this house (built in 1856) until she was 13 years old. The tour of the house shows her life during those early years and how that experience helped shape her writing. O’Connor had a unique personality even as a child—she loved to read (the bathtub was her favorite spot!), invited her friends over and read out loud to them, and wrote critical notes on the stories she had read. The tour guide was quite knowledgeable about O’Connor, her family, and Savannah in the early 20th century. Highly recommended!

We bought tickets in advance for the 3:00 p.m. tour of the house. We were so excited to be there. The docent was very knowledgeable and gave us new insights into Flannery's life. Her information on Flannery's cousin Katie was all new to me. I really appreciated the enthusiasm and expertise. The stairs are steep, so be aware if you have limited mobility. It is air conditioned, but it does get a little warm with so many people visiting in the building. The gift shop has some delightful souvenirs.

The guided tour is perfect for fans of Flannery O’Connor’s work, but also for new readers. The docent was very knowledgeable and friendly; I have been to quite a few historic homes and museums, and I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a volunteer so passionate about their job. Great experience! Recommend booking online in advance.

On a trip for work, visiting the Flannery O'Connor Childhood Home Museum made me fall in love with Savannah. This small nonprofit shows their care, attention to detail, and respect for Flannery's life-- evident in just the one hour I got to spend with Janie and Jo. Regardless of your previous awareness of her life and work, these women will inspire you to dig deeper and learn more. I had the special opportunity of being the only one to show for a tour, and the docent, Jo, treated our hour together just as any other large group. She was incredibly knowledgeable, witty, and engaging. Able to answer any question, you can feel her enthusiasm when another shows an interest in learning more. She's one of those people whose curiosity and joy for the world around her is contagious from the moment you meet her. So much of Savannah seems to have been commercialized for tourism, but this little spot is still so special and genuine. You make immediate connections with the people who work there, and they sincerely care about engaging and communing with whomever walks through their doors. I hope this place remains open; it was an experience I will not easily forget. Please consider stopping in, buying something from their gift shop, or donating to this small nonprofit.

Truly felt it was such a joy to get to tour this home while visiting Savannah. What's even better was getting led on the tour by guide, Janie. She was so wonderful, knowledgeable, personable, and genuinely one of the best guides I've had in any tour ever. Will be recommending this to everyone I know in Savannah!

So you don't really know who Flannery O'Connor is? EVEN BETTER! We had the distinct pleasure of visiting this home and getting to know Flannery O'Connor. None of our group was that familiar with her, but wow! I am so delighted to have met her. I fell in love. The home has numerous personal items and pertinent artifacts. It has been painstakingly restored to the actual, correct condition as when the family occupied it so it a very personal experience. We had the honor of touring with this museum's director. She is delightful, sharp, entertaining and her labor of love in this project is obvious, successful and profound. Her faithful rendering of the F.O'C story was fabulous and copiously rich in detail. Just a remarkable achievement. This is a very Savannah experience and brings home the numerous and diverse flavor of this magical city. Very high recommendation as a fun, interesting Savannah, Georgia thing to do and worth the time. Pssst it is a great price for an entertaining, time period specific, experience as well.

This is one of my favorite house museums in Savannah. It's absolutely adorable and, in juxtaposition to most of the other houses, it's a 2 bedroom 1 bath middle class home as it would have looked in the 1920s as opposed to an upper class, antebellum mansion. The docents were informed and friendly and it was well worth the small tour fee.

Go take a tour of the Flannery O'Connor childhood home! You will not be disappointed! The home is lovely, and you will learn a lot about this interesting, southern Gothic writer. Jo was our docent, and she was fabulous!

This is a MUST SEE if you're visiting Savannah, even (especially!) if you're not familiar with Flannery O'Connor's work. The house is miraculously restored and being there was transporting. Our tour guide Jo was delightful and passionate. Seriously, if you have any interest in Southern culture, visit this home! If you are a reader, you'll be bowled over! They really know what they're doing here. Magical place.

Such a cool place however we came on a random Thursday at noon. They only do tours 11 and 1 and had 1 person on their tour and we offered even to pay to see the house admission. But the one person was more important. Very strange.

This was one of the best tours we had while in Savannah and I have to credit our tour guide for sure - I wish I could recall her name - a spunky short-haired little lady with sass, style and cool black-rimmed glasses. This guide was so incredibly knowledgable about both the area, the time period, the author's life and works, etc. It was incredible. I also love how our guide was so candid and not at all stuffy, admitting that one of the images of the wealthy cousin-who gifted Flannery's family the home-looked creepy in one of the baby pictures featured on the main floor. So true, yet not at all insulting as that's how paintings of small children looked at the time. Perfectly preserving the vintage vibe, I also love how they (the museum folks) included kitchen items of the era to give visitors a feel for the history. This may sound odd, but it's cool that they even include the kitchen and bath on the tour. Some tours in the area did not include those rooms. Our tour was so fact-packed and I think I'm honestly gushing because I typically have trouble listening or paying attention. I often find myself fidgeting, playing with my phone, that sort of thing, yet hung on to every word our guide had to say about the history of the house, commentary about the timeframe, Flannery's life story, etc. What a wonderful storyteller. To boot, I'm 100 percent unfamiliar with this author, yet now can't wait to read something she's written. Please try to visit this house. Note: we struggled a bit to find it so be sure to view a photo of the exterior to get a better idea if walking to the home. This is not a fancy mansion, but it's so cozy, you'll want to move on in - though maybe with a Ghost Buster - ya know, just in case. P.S. This tour was worth every cent. I hope they see my review and pass this on to the tour guide. xoxo

The recent restoration of this historic Savannah home is like nothing you've ever seen. The O'Connor home has so many beautiful, unusual details unearthed in the process of the restoration. Even better, the family and their friends have shown amazing support for the work, bringing furniture, art, books, and other belongings back to the house to make it feel even more lived in. But best of all they shared stories about Mary Flannery O'Connor, so the tour itself brings the house and the period to life.

Wonderful look at the childhood and early influences of a great writer. House is full of actual furniture and possessions of the family from Flannery O'Connor's youth. Has some of her childhood books, the only doll she didn't throw out at age six when she declared herself an adult, family photos, and more. We had a great docent who gave a tour of an hour. Tons of info about the insular life of Irish Catholics in a mostly Baptist city, O'Connor's intense religious devotion and questioning, and the devastation of losing her dad to lupus and then getting diagnosed with it in her mid 20s. Remarkable work to save this home and build the collection of stuff, as well as give it context in her life. A definite highlight of our Savannah visit.

The house was supposed to be open from 10 am to 1 pm on Sunday. We arrived at the house at 10 am and waited with a large group of people. When it didn't open by 10:30 we all left.

Incredible experience. I've been on many home and site tours around the country and around the world... and this one wins. No matter what you know, or not, about this phenomenal American author, you will adore what you see and what you learn. The other reviews are right...it's not a canned lecture interspersed with warnings not to touch, it feels like stories right from the source. Funny, unforgettable, educational, amazing.

This is not your typical historic home tour! The docent (or director? I didn't get her name or title but she rocked) was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. I felt like I was being told an exciting story, not talked "at" like happens with some tours. The house is cute, but the story of Flannery and her family makes it come to life. 100% do the tour if you're in town and are at all interested in Flannery or just like small museums. So glad I stoped by. Also, I was the only one there so we just started the tour when I showed up, which worked great for the time frame I was on!

Visiting Flannery O'Connor's childhood home is not to be missed when visiting Savannah! It was one of the best home tours I have ever been on when traveling! Our docent was so knowledgeable and thorough with her tour! I have never read Flannery O'Connor, but I definitely will now! The house is setup in such a pleasing way and they have lots of neat original items. You only view a few rooms, but they all have unique items in them or stories related to how Flannery's family used the house when she lived there. They sell several books and gifts in the parlor area as well. I would highly recommend visiting if you enjoy reading, writing, southern gothic themes, history and/or period house tours.

IN SHORT - Amazing guide; topic is super interesting lady. Much more interesting and more personal than other house tours! (I didn't know anything about Flannery O'C before I did the tour.) Sometimes in a historical house tour, you might think a guide could be stodgy or in a hurry... not here! **Our tour guide was amazing!** You could tell she just loved the topic and did a great job sharing it. Infectious enthusiasm! What a colorful and layered image I have about (Mary) Flannery O'Connor now! And goodness, the mobile crib thing is horrifying. Tip - if you arrive as they are wrapping up the bottom floor tour, do join the upstairs tour (and then you do the bottom next). We were invited to do so and it was a great (best) use of our time. Thank you for the great time we had here!

The house is small, but the people working here are what makes this place a cool place to visit . Cody is so knowledgeable that it really makes visit . If you buy a book Be sure to get it embossed!!!

We had the sweetest lady as a guide, I didn't catch her name but she said she'd been giving Saturday tours for about 30 years. My husband and I really enjoyed seeing Flannery O'Conner's childhood home and learning some about her life in Savannah as s child.

I highly recommend this house tour for fans of Flannery O'Connor or for those interested in seeing a 1930/40s era house. It's not a grand house like the others in Savannah, but it still is quite nice inside and it feels more homey and "alive" than the other houses you'll see in town. I went on a Tuesday afternoon and was the only person there, so I got a private tour. I had a male tour guide wearing pink shoes (can't remember his name) and he was awesome: congenial and knowledgeable. He was able to answer almost all my questions about Flannery's life and work.

This tour was fabulous. The house is small compared to some of the grander homes you can tour downtown, but our guide was so thorough (and thoroughly entertaining!) that the tour lasted for an entire hour. I had never even heard of Flannery O'Connor prior to moving to Chatham County and read some of her works after deciding I should brush up on local authors. Her writing did not disappoint! I highly recommend reading her books, but it's not necessary to enjoy the tour. Flannery O'Connor was a character in her own right, and our guide told us humorous tales about her growing up in the house that would entertain anyone. Our tour guide was excited and passionate about Flannery, and it showed in the tour. It made it much more enjoyable to learn from someone who truly appreciates O'Connor and her work. Many of the artifacts are from the early to mid 20th century, which sets it apart from the other homes downtown boasting of items from the 18th and 19th centuries. It depicts what life was like in an era that people alive today can still remember. As much as I enjoy learning about the fabulously wealthy cotton merchants and their big, beautiful homes, I find the O'Connor home more relatable to contemporary life, and subsequently more charming. They also seem to still be adding new items all the time--the guide told us just last month someone donated Flannery's mother's nightgown from the 1920's to the home, and now it's displayed proudly in her parent's former bedroom.

This is more than a tour. This felt like visiting a friend. Our docent was knowledgeable and heartfelt at the same time. This tour is unpretentious and charming. I would have loved to spend an afternoon hearing the stories of the staff. Delightful

Wonderful tour. The guide was so enthusiastic & knowledgeable. The nonprofit managing this effort is doing a tremendous job! Thank you!

Such a fantastic tour! Jo and Cody were fully of great stories about Flannery and her family. You could tell how much they love their work. It felt like sitting with old friends!

Savannah is dominated by squares that divide and set out the city's layout. The Flannery O'Connor childhood home sits right on one of these squares, across from a beautiful cathedral where young "Mary Flannery" would go to Mass. Make sure you call ahead to get tour times, but you'll find the tour informative and engaging, and for those of you who love Flannery O'Connor, you'll see and marvel at the very ordinary home of this woman who challenged us with views of the grotesque in her masterful novels. Find below a link to my fb album of the home: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.1545366951085.71984.1142340120&l=e1bd5e5e62

This was by far our favorite tour of Savannah. We actually managed to catch the tail end of a tour that was just finishing up, and then we got anymore private tour once that tour ended. I wish I had caught our tour guides name because she was phenomenal. Absolutely amazing. I loved that you could sit on the furniture here, and that our guide was really knowledgeable about Flannery O'Connor. I confess that I have never actually read Flannery O'Connor, but after going through this house and going on this tour I was inspired to to get her complete works and read them. I definitely recommend that you stop in and take a visit of this home if you are in the area. They have some great antiques and artifacys to show, and it is probably the most fun you can have touring a home.

Wonderful background on the woman who'd give us "A Good Man is Hard to find" and other great fiction!

This is a wonderful tour, with the sweetest staff and volunteers who are truly passionate about their work. Very interesting story and beautiful house. Absolutely worth the $6.

Great tour, our guide Jo was an awesome lady and very informational. I went with a friend who had to do a review for one of his courses, but I really enjoyed it too. Definite must for anyone visiting the city, regardless if you are a big fan of Flannery O'Connor or don't know much about her.

My husband is not a history buff and could care less about historic homes but of our entire week in Savannah, this was his favorite experience and we owe it entirely to Chris and Cody. We showed up at 4:02, not realizing they close at 4. We felt terrible and started to leave but Cody was SO incredibly friendly and practically insisted we allow her to show us around, even though she had somewhere to be at 4:30. She didn't rush through, she told us a ton of really cool details, and we could tell that she was so fascinated by her job. All in all I think we were only there for 10-15 minutes but it was the highlight of our whole trip. Chris was running the gift shop/nook when we went downstairs and he was also very patient and friendly with us even though we kind of dawdled and kept asking questions. I can't wait to go back to Savannah so we can retake the tour. If they gave us this great an experience when they were on a time limit, I can't imagine what it'll be like when they get to take their time.

What a delightful tour ~ prob the best tour I've had in Savannah! I didn't get the name of our guide but she was extremely well versed on Flannery O'Connor's life... actually quite erudite! Her knowledge and sense of humor brought O'Connor to life for our book club. Made us want read more of Georgia's dark, yet brilliant author. I'd definitely recommend visiting!

Whether you are familiar with her work or not, a visit to Flannery's childhood home is a real treat. I had one of the best docents ever who gave me a private tour of the house, complete with adorable stories of young Flannery and her little friends. Because the tour centers on the 1920's and 1930's, it gives visitors a much different view of Savannah, apart from the older history emphasized in other house museums. Do not miss this one!

Loved the tour of Flannery 0'conners' childhood home! Cody was insightful and amazing! They really tried to recreate how the house would have been. Some cool products are available like coffee

GO HERE! GO HERE! GO HERE! So cool. So informational. Really simple. Read her works. And support her foundation. She is such an incredible author

Incredibly friendly docents and volunteers. The tour is affordable and lasts just the right amount of time. I walked away feeling like I had more insight into O'Connor's writing after learning about her life.

The tour was great! Very thorough. Our tour guide was hilarious without always meaning to be and offered up occasional theories of her own about Flannery. Delightful look into her early years as well as the life of a middle class Irish Catholic family in Savannah. A good price too!

Loved it. Beautiful, walkable location and right across from the gorgeous cathedral. The tour was great, the guide was very knowledgable. There wasn't a whole lot to look at but its always breathtaking to be in a place that once belonged to someone so important. Great little gift section too I've gotten so many compliments on my new shirt!

Great tour. The stories are wonderful and our guide Dennis was warm, engaging and had layers of knowledge about the home, the history and about O'Connors life. I really enjoyed that there were actual pieces of furniture and clothing items used by the family -- and they allowed photos. Definitely worth the price.

It was nice to look at from the outside but it was closed during operating hours when I showed up.

One of the highlights of my trip to Savannah! As a Flannery O'Connor fan, I was thrilled to go on a tour here, but even my boyfriend who had never heard of the author enjoyed the tour as well. Jo was extremely knowledgeable and took her time explaining all of the wonderful aspects of the home, and for about $5 you can't beat the price. I even bought a book of O'Connor's short stories which they embossed with a really cool stamp from the house, and Cody even threw in a free sticker for my friend when I told her that she was a huge fan of the author.

Not free... Short tour and small house but very friendly and informative staff. Great view of church from second floor. Worth the visit if you are a fan only.