MUSEUM

What Will You See?

The Houston Maritime Center Museum covers maritime history from the ancient Greeks, trading in the Mediterranean to modern shipping across the globe! With exhibits from around the world and specialty exhibits covering Houston’s port, and its history along Buffalo Bayou, you’ll leave with a complete understanding of how Houston fits into the larger global maritime world.

Age of Exploration

Discover the world of maritime history with our Age of Exploration exhibit. Take a tour with one of our docents to learn the stories of famous explorers such as Christopher Columbus, Francis Drake, and James Cook.

Museum gallery looking at the HMC Victory exhibit

Age of Sail

Sails dominated the seas for centuries after the age of exploration. From warfare to immigration, sailing ships made a huge impact on history, modern political boarders, and even modern ship design.

WWII and the Merchant Marines

WWII was a huge time for maritime history. The Merchant Marine lost more people by percentage than any other branch of the military. Large armadas of ships would travel across the Atlantic in hopes of fending off the waiting German U-boats, hiding just below the surface.

The Houston Ship Channel

Explore the Houston Ship Channel and its impact on the city of Houston, the State of Texas, and the United States. Responsible for over 20% of the total GDP of Texas, the Houston Ship Channel is an economic powerhouse with an incredible number of captains, pilots, long-liners, deckhands, and more responsible for moving, loading, and unloading over 100,000 vessels each year!

The History of Buffalo Bayou

It runs through our city but why did Houston form along the banks of the Buffalo Bayou? Take a tour with one of our docents to learn about the cotton trade, emergence of oil and gas, history of M.D. Anderson, Thomas Ball, Project 1, and the founding of the Port of Houston and the Houston Ship Channel.

Kids Cove

Explore the maritime world HANDS-ON! With books, games, coloring, dress up, and more, our interactive Kids Cove is perfect for little mariners to learn about maritime history and explore maritime careers.