Mercer Williams House Museum

Keith Carbaugh

5 out of 5 stars★★★★★

Great experience touring the house. Learning the history of family

Beth Windle

4 out of 5 stars★★★★☆

I came to Savannah for this, and it was an overwhelming experience to finally see it. I have been rereading Berendt’s book every decade or so since it came out and I’ve been teaching it to students as part of a “nonfiction novel” class I’ve been teaching for about ten years. I was disappointed that so many of the people on my tour didn’t know or care about Jim Williams. One group was whispering the whole time about where they were going for their next cocktail. (This was the noon tour—but no shade; Jim would approve!) Our tour guide was a fellow named L (just the letter), who was sort of rude and very persnickety. There were only certain times we could ask questions and he was pretty sarcastic and kind of mean. I actually sort of liked this as it matched with the vibes of the place, but I’m not sure everyone did. My main issue, as a scholar and professor, was that the tour completely straight-washed the story of Jim Williams. It was not mentioned one single time that Williams killed his hustler boyfriend Danny, and it was mentioned only once that a murder had occurred there at all. In short: This tour is light on queer social history and heavy on obscure architectural history. I think this was strategic on the tour guide’s part, as my tour was filled with straight couples, including dudes who really wanted to know about wood refinishing. My recommendation would be to host one or two tours per week that are designed specifically for queer people. It’s insane to me that the word “gay” wasn’t uttered even once and it would have been nice to hear some background on how Williams’ gay identity impacted him in late-80s Savannah.

Russ ,o

5 out of 5 stars★★★★★

Great fun. Loves hearing about the man and the home. I highly recommend the tour.

Mitch !

5 out of 5 stars★★★★★

We got lucky and walked in right as a tour was starting. A young lady was our guide who did a great job. 9/30/26. She was passionate about the house and a good storyteller. You can only view the downstairs which makes sense considering the home is being actively lived in.

Amanda Gray-Steinacher

5 out of 5 stars★★★★★

Truly, our first home tour in Savannah and we loved it. Juliana (rhymes with savannah) was personable and fun. We could have not had a better tour. The interior, story, and garden made the tour so fun!

AndUDon'tStopYo

5 out of 5 stars★★★★★

I had a wonderful experience touring the Mercer Williams House Museum during my visit to Savannah. I took the tour on Thursday, September 24th, and it was definitely one of the highlights of my trip. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and did an excellent job of bringing the history of the house and Jim Williams to life. As we walked through the different rooms, she described the people, events, and activity that once took place there so vividly that I could actually picture what life must have been like during that time. She really made you feel immersed in the story rather than simply listening to a history lesson. I also learned so much about Jim Williams, his life as a prominent Savannah antiques dealer, and his place in Savannah society. I especially enjoyed hearing about the connection between the house and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, including both the book and the movie. As someone familiar with the story, it was exciting to actually walk through the house and see some of the places connected to it. I would absolutely recommend the Mercer Williams House Museum tour. You certainly don't have to have read the book or seen the movie to enjoy it. Anyone interested in Savannah's history, historic homes, and the fascinating lives of some of the people who moved within Savannah's prominent social circles would find this tour well worth taking.

Sabrina Delprat

4 out of 5 stars★★★★☆

Beautiful museum

Victoria Hurd

5 out of 5 stars★★★★★

A musttttt visit!!!! Beautiful home still owned by the family!!!