Located in the historic port of Galveston, the Texas Seaport Museum also tells the story of a rich legacy of seaborne commerce and immigration. Look for ancestors with a one-of-a-kind computer database containing the names of more than 133,000 immigrants who entered the United States through Galveston, “The Ellis Island of the West”. Join the Museum’s staff and volunteers as they bring the past to life through special exhibits and educational programs. TEXAS SEAPORT MUSEUM has compiled the nation’s only computerized listing of immigrants to Galveston, Texas. The museum’s immigration exhibit features text and historic photographs illustrating Galveston’s role in immigration history and the major organized immigration movements of the 19th and 20th Centuries. Computer terminals in the exhibit area allow visitors to search for information taken from ships’ passenger manifests pertaining to their ancestors’ arrival in Texas. For your convenience, the database is also available online. Please Note: Microsoft Internet Explorer v4.0 or above is required to utilize the database. Standing on the deck of ELISSA, you have a clear view back to the days when salt spray and tall ships were second nature to “square-riggers”. In a special overnight adventure, those days come to life again for young people who live “A Sailor’s Life.” Students not only learn the basic skills needed to sail as junior crew members aboard ELISSA, but also receive instruction in folklore and customs of the sea, maritime history, and seamanship skills. Each student is paired with an experienced ELISSA volunteer crew member, who also acst as their mentor on the daysail. The Texas Seaport Museum is legally responsible for the objects in its care. This often requires the assistance of volunteers in researching objects currently on exhibit, or are under consideration for acquisition, as well as documenting and cataloging the collection, and working to preserve and/or repair objects according to professional museum guidelines. Collections volunteers receive specialized training and at times assist with the planning and installation of exhibits. With moonlight silhouetting the masts of the 1877 tall ship ELISSA, Texas Seaport Museum provides a romantic, outdoor setting for weddings and receptions. The location on Galveston’s historic waterfront also offers a picturesque site for a variety of business and social functions.

Located in the historic port of Galveston, the Texas Seaport Museum also tells the story of a rich legacy of seaborne commerce and immigration. Look for ancestors with a one-of-a-kind computer database containing the names of more than 133,000 immigrants who entered the United States through Galveston, “The Ellis Island of the West”. Join the Museum’s staff and volunteers as they bring the past t... more

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