Savannah isn’t just about the past

Telfair Museums' Jepson Center for the Arts, 207 W. York St., Telfair Square, Savannah. 912-790-8800, www.telfair.org/visit/jepson-center/overview. "Marilyn: Celebrating an American Icon" is on view April 4-July 27. In addition to the Jepson Center, Telfair Museums encompasses the Telfair Academy and the Owens-Thomas House.

ShopSCAD, 340 Bull St., Savannah. 912-525-5180, www.shopscad.com.

In Savannah, sightseers get around by car, by trolley, on foot — even by horse and carriage. But on a bicycle? Not so much, until now. In January, Savannah’s Chatham Area Transit launched the first public bicycle-sharing program in Georgia, joining much larger metropolitan areas such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago that have similar programs.

Savannah generally is regarded as a venerable Southern grande dame, not a trailblazing pioneer. The port city’s allure has long been tied to its history, but the small but successful bike-sharing program, which allows for short-term bike rentals, is the latest indicator that the city doesn’t feel it must reject the future to preserve the past.

For now, there are two solar-powered stations with eight bicycles each — one on Oglethorpe Avenue and the other at Ellis Square — but an expansion is planned. Residents regularly hop on the new bicycles for quick trips around town, but visitors are also discovering the program’s appeal.

Traversing the downtown Historic District by car can be slow and frustrating, but cyclists can easily navigate the narrow cobblestone streets and explore the city’s unique grid of 21 park squares. These verdant squares, punctuated by elegant fountains and towering historic monuments, are some of the most enviable public green spaces in the country.

With its profusion of moss-draped oak trees and regal antebellum architecture, downtown Savannah is lovely in any season, but in the spring it shimmers with an ethereal beauty. Flowers in a variety of bold and pastel hues mingle in the squares like ladies at a garden party showing off their colorful spring dresses.

The downtown area is home to many of the city’s most popular attractions, so while you are cycling around the squares (not through them; that’s prohibited) check out what’s new in this old city. …

Some like it hot

Marilyn Monroe is coming to Savannah, and Telfair Museums’ Jepson Center for the Arts is busy preparing for her arrival. “Marilyn: Celebrating an American Icon” is a traveling exhibition on view from April 4 to July 27. The eclectic collection of paintings and photographs celebrates the blond bombshell who starred in 30 Hollywood films, but it also humanizes the 1950s sex symbol, revealing the woman behind the image.

“We are excited to host this exhibition in Savannah,” Telfair Museums CEO Lisa Grove said, “because it enables us to present a wide range of artwork from around the world featuring vintage photographs of Marilyn taken during her lifetime as well as a half century of paintings and drawings created since her death.

“The exhibition provides a glimpse into Marilyn as an artistic inspiration,” she added.

The venue that houses the exhibit is as intriguing as the show itself. The Jepson Center, with more than 7,500 square feet of gallery space, is an alabaster-toned contemporary structure with walls of polished glass. It sits almost defiantly in historic Telfair Square, like a rebellious teen that refuses to conform to the school dress code. The museum was built to exhibit contemporary art and the modern architecture reflects that. It dares anyone to suggest Savannah is stuck in the past.

SCADs of fun

ShopSCAD is where the cool kids go. Even celebs such as Blake Lively have been spotted there. Smack in the middle of antiques stores piled high with treasures of yesteryear stands this one-of-a-kind store teeming with innovative work by students at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

If you are looking for lace doilies or collecting buttons from Civil War uniforms, you won’t find them here, but if you have a passion for avant-garde artwork and cutting-edge design, park your bike in the rack and come on in. Today’s students may be tomorrow’s Picassos, so that reasonably priced painting you bought might be worth a fortune some day. And, even if it’s not, it will be a perennial conversation piece.

It’s not just art lovers who find their way to ShopSCAD. Fashionistas load up on beautifully designed jewelry and fun, trendy handbags. The merchandise is always changing, so, no matter how often you stop by, there’s always something new.

It’s a good thing those new bikes are equipped with a big basket so you can carry it all back to your hotel.