The Davenport House Museum – an iconic property owned and operated by Historic Savannah Foundation and located at 324 E. State St. on Columbia Square in Savannah, Ga. – and dmdg2 design were recently honored by the Georgia Association of Museums (GAM) for the immersive, educational Urban Enslaved Exhibit, which provides visitors with a more complete understanding of what life was like at the iconic Davenport House during the era of slavery.
The Davenport House’s Urban Enslaved Exhibit received the 2025 Special Project Award on Feb. 7 at the Georgia Association of Museums’ annual meeting in Milledgeville, Ga. The award was presented by Georgia Association of Museums President Rebecca Bush and Award Committee Co-Chairs Natalie Smith and Karin Dalton. The Urban Enslaved exhibit showcases the living and working areas of the 13 enslaved individuals who originally resided at this historic home, which was built by master carpenter Isaiah Davenport in 1820, and enriches Savannah's historical narrative by introducing critical perspectives from those who lived and labored in this iconic setting.
“We are very pleased to present this award to a very deserving recipient,” said Georgia Association of Museums President Rebecca Bush. “We are happy to honor institutions, staff members, volunteers, patrons, exhibits and special projects that have excelled in providing inspiring programs and leadership.”
Designed by Doug Mund and Hillary Schmidt of dmdg2, the Urban Enslaved Exhibit opened in November 2023, transforming the garden-level of the iconic Federal-style home into a space for educational exploration of urban slavery in the antebellum period. Offering a fully immersive experience, the Urban Enslaved Exhibit provides visitors with the opportunity to walk through the original rooms with low ceilings, hear the sounds of meals being prepared in the kitchen and explore the histories of each enslaved resident. Visitors learn what daily life would have been like for Bella, Jack, Ned, Dave and the other enslaved residents in the home.
“The legacy of the enslaved individuals who lived and worked in the Davenport House and many of Savannah’s iconic homes is critically important to understanding the city’s complex history,” said Sue Adler, CEO and President of Historic Savannah Foundation. “It’s truly an honor to be recognized by the Georgia Association of Museums for our commitment to preserving the places, people and stories that define Savannah.”
The Davenport House Museum was previously honored by the Georgia Association of Museums with the 2023 Multimedia Award for the museum’s virtual youth guide, which provides younger online guests and the virtual community with a more accurate depiction of the Davenport family household as well as the lives of enslaved individuals in a 19th-century Southern port city.
Notably, the Davenport House Museum also won a Preserve America Presidential Award, which is the highest national award honoring historic preservation achievement.
Built in 1820, the Davenport House was designed by carpenter Isaiah Davenport and officially launched Savannah’s historic preservation movement when a group of seven local women joined forces to purchase the historic home, which was slated for demolition, in 1955. The Davenport House officially opened as a house museum in 1963 and has been open to the public ever since.
The Davenport House Museum is located at 323 E. Broughton Street Savannah, GA. For more information, visit https://davenporthousemuseum.org/.
