The historic seaport is one of Galveston’s most exciting attractions. From interactive experiences to touring the 1877 tall ship, Elissa, there’s a lot to see and do.
Galveston’s port has a natural deepwater channel. So, the city created the port in the early 1800s when Texas was still part of Mexico. The location was ideal for connecting with the Gulf of Mexico.
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits: Ship to Shore Experience
My favorite attraction at Galveston’s Seaport Museum in the historic seaport was the Ship to Shore experience.
I loved the graphic novel style art displays, which were enhanced by actual historic artifacts. The experience was created by Gibson International. Drama specialists from Gibson researched and created scripts for 27 documented historic characters.
This museum exhibition starts with the long, arduous sea voyage immigrants had to take to get to Galveston.
It goes on to explore their lives after arrival with immersive, interactive experiences where you can see and hear the characters. You can also use a Galveston History card to personalize your visiting experience.
Fast Fact: Indeed, in the 1880s, Galveston was known as the "Ellis Island of the South" due to the arrival of so many newcomers.
What’s at the Texas Seaport Museum
The Ship to Shore exhibit is just one of the attractions at the Texas Seaport Museum. The other key attraction is the tall ship, Elissa. Visitors can walk through the ship, imagining themselves spending months sailing to America on it.
Tall Ship Elissa
The Elissa was built in 1877 in Scotland, but sailed under various flags before being sold to Finland in 1930.
Fast Fact: The Elissa has nearly seven linear miles of lace-like rigging!
In 1977 the Galveston Historical Foundation bought the square-rigged, iron three-masted barque to restore.
The ship was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1990. She’s one of only three ships of her kind still actively sailing.
Fast Fact: The Elissa experienced at least one mutiny attempt. In 1897, Henry Fowler Watt (owner and captain of the Elissa) shot his first mate, Samuel Donald for insubordination. Donald survived and Watt was found not-guilty of his actions during the attempted mutiny.
Elissa serves as the Official Tall Ship of Texas and a symbol of the Gulf Coast’s historic beginnings as a seaport. The ship has also been designated one of America’s Treasures by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
More Exhibits
The main entrance to the museum starts at the gift shop. You’ll also find:
- Passage to Galveston: The Story of the Elissa, 17-minute film.
- Antique navigational tools and devices
- Historical photos, drawings, paintings, maps
- Seaport commerce history
- History of the 1900 Galveston hurricane – the Great Storm
- Texas Navy exhibition
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
While you’re in Galveston’s historical seaport, don’t miss an opportunity to get out on the water. Tickets for the Seagull II, which is also part of the Texas Seaport Museum, are available in the Gift Shop.
The Seagull II is a boat specially designed for harbor tours. Our trip was very comfortable, sheltered from the weather with a great view. There’s also an upper deck with wide-open views.
And if you’re drawn to stories of the sea, you’ll love seeing the SS Selma, a concrete ship. Never heard of making ships out of reinforced concrete (ferrocement)? The material was actually in experimental use from 1848, and experimented with at the end of WWI due to steel shortages.
The tour is guided, so you’ll hear all about the harbor, its history, and the sea life. And, chances are very high that you’ll see dolphins since they’re in the Galveston Harbor year-round. We saw at least a dozen!
While in Galveston we attended a conference and stayed at Moody Gardens, a very comfortable resort and conference center.
Who Should Visit the Texas Seaport Museum?
The Texas Seaport Museum is the perfect Galveston attraction to learn about the city’s history. Since the island’s port was established in 1825, there are two centuries of stories to share.
Exploring history will be exciting, even for the youngest family members, due to the variety of exhibits. There are lots of interactives, so it can take half a day or more to go through everything.
The museum galleries and restrooms are completely accessible by wheelchair and all types of baby strollers. For those who want to get on board the Elissa, there are eight steps and a ramp to the main deck. To board Seagull II, there may be a couple of steps, depending on the tide. However, you can contact the museum for help accommodating any special needs.
How Do You Visit the Texas Seaport Museum?
The Texas Seaport Museum is located at Pier 21, 2100 Harborside Drive, Galveston, Texas.
The Texas Seaport Museum is open year-round, but you can check daily hours on the Galveston website.
Check out what’s happening at the Galveston Historic Seaport Facebook page.
Take a virtual tour with KHOU 11 YouTube video.
Plan your visit to the Texas Seaport Museum with Google maps.
Book a harbor tour on the Seagull II.
Find More Museum Reviews for Texas
Check out more reviews for museum attractions in Texas on guide2museums.com.
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Reference(s)
Galveston Wharves. (n.d.). The history of the Galveston cruise port. PortofGalveston.com. https://www.portofgalveston.com/260/The-History-Of-The-Galveston-Cruise-Port
Luna, M. (n.d.). Behind the SS Selma, a historical landmark. ASCE Texas Section. https://www.texasce.org/tce-news/behind-the-ss-selma-a-historical-landmark/
guide2museums.com 