Mercer Williams House Museum

The Basics

The elegant Italianate mansion contains Williams’ private collection of Chinese porcelain, 18th- and 19th-century furniture, and drawings dating from the 17th century. Go on your own and explore on a guided tour of the main foyer, dining room, office, living room, and den. Or, stop by on a local sightseeing tour of historic houses or sites featured inMidnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Tours are limited to the ground floor, as the rest of the house is still occupied by the owner, Jim Williams’ sister.

• Tours last around 30 minutes, and usually don’t discuss much about the book and movie.

• There’s a gift shop in the carriage house.

• The house isn’t fully accessible to wheelchairs.

How to Get There

The Mercer Williams House Museum is situated by Forsyth Park, near the southern end of Savannah’s historic district. You can get there by car (take Interstate 16), shuttle, bus, or hop-on hop-off trolley. Street parking is located nearby.

When to Get There

The house is typically open daily, with limited hours on Sundays. Hours can vary significantly in winter—check the schedule before going.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Published in 1994, the book is a work of nonfiction by John Berendt. ANew York Times best seller, it chronicles the events surrounding the killing of Danny Hansford by Jim Williams inside the Mercer Williams House. Williams was tried four times for the crime, and eventually acquitted. The book was made into a movie in 1997 by Clint Eastwood.

Ways to explore

The elegant Greek-Italianate mansion contains Williams’ private collection of Chinese porcelain, 18th- and 19th-century furniture, and drawings dating from the 17th century. Go on your own and explore on a guided tour of the main foyer, dining room, office, living room, and den; tours typically last around 35 minutes and are first come, first served. Alternatively, stop by on a local sightseeing tour of historic houses or sites featured in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

Accessibility

The house isn’t wheelchair-accessible due to its historic nature.

Age limits

None

What to pack

An extra layer, camera, water bottle

What to wear

Comfortable clothes and shoes for walking and standing

Not allowed

Touching artifacts or furnishings, flash photography

Amenities

Guided tours, restrooms, gift shop, metered street parking

Address

The Mercer Williams House Museum is on Bull Street, in the Savannah Historic District, on the southwestern corner of Monterey Square. It’s easy to get there via car, taxi, tour, and more.

Driving

Since the museum is located in Savannah’s Historic District, it’s a short drive from anywhere downtown. Metered street parking is available on Bull Street and surrounding streets.

Public transportation

The free DOT shuttle serves the Historic District with stops near Monterey Square. The house is also easily accessible by foot from most hotels in the Historic District, and Savannah's downtown is very walkable.

Best times to visit

Tours run from 10:30am to 4:10pm Monday through Saturday. They run about every 20–40 minutes, so show up anytime during operating hours and you should be in luck.

Best days to visit

Weekdays will likely be a little less crowded than weekends.

Best months to visit

Spring (March–May) and fall (September–November) offer the most pleasant weather for exploring Savannah and visiting the house.

Special events

The house doesn’t often host festivals and events, but check the website to see if something is on during your visit.