Rockport, Texas, is located in Aransas County, Texas, near the Gulf Coast. Rockport is a coastal city north-northeast of Corpus Christi, Texas. The Texas Maritime Museum is located at 1202 Navigation Circle, which is near the junction of Veteran's Memorial Drive and Navigation Circle. The largest highway nearby is Route 70. Rockport's main industry and economy revolve around the nearby water. To celebrate and enrich the community, Rockport has hosted the Seafair, a fun festival held annually, for thirty-six years. During Seafair, there were presentations and exhibits of antique boats, mounted fish displays, and fishing gear. At one Seafair festival, the idea of the Museum was created. In 1980, the Texas Maritime Museum Association, Inc was founded.
The Association helped develop the Museum and construction began in 1988. In 1989, the James H. Sorenson Building opened, and in 2001, The Lighthouse was completed. In 2005, the Museum was granted certification by the American Museum Association. In 2007, the Texas legislature named the Museum the official Texas maritime museum.
The Museum has hosted many special rotating exhibits since its inception, including: "A Pictorial History of Texas Coast Naval Installations,'' "Warm Waters and War: Texas Subchasers in the Gulf of Mexico,'' and "Local Shrimping - An Artist's Perspective.'' Currently, the Museum is presenting "Uncovering the Legacy: Twenty Years of the Texas Maritime Museum'' to celebrate the Museum's twentieth anniversary. These rotating special exhibits occupy the second floor of the gallery and have a duration of six months. Permanent exhibits include Oil and Gas Exploration, which details the history along the Texas Coast, and The Age of Steam. The most recent permanent exhibit is the La Salle Odyssey, which opened in 2003. The first phase of The La Salle Odyssey, tells the story of Robert La Salle's expedition to Texas in 1684.
During the winter, from December to April, the Museum offers the Brown Bag Lectures. These are free admission lunch lectures held twice a month at noon. The lectures cover a variety of topics from nautical archaeology to coastal birds. Another of the Museum's programs is the Seafaring Saga Movie Nights. These movie nights present maritime films made prior to the 1950s. Movie Night is monthly on the 2nd Friday at 7pm. There is no charge for admission. The Museum also hosts summertime youth camps for children. Also, a springtime "Sailor's Holiday'' camp is held as well.
The Museum is open year-round. Their hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10am -4pm and Sunday 1pm - 4pm. The museum is closed on Mondays and major holidays. Visitors are welcome to tour the Museum. Admission is $4 for adults and $1.50 for children. Admission for coordinators of Adult bus tours and teachers on School tours is free. The Museum also has a gift store.
The Museum hosts several annual events such as the Mah Jong Tournament, the Belle Ball, and Halloween on the Harbor. Volunteer opportunities are available for those wishing to be Camp Counselors or Museum volunteers. Curator Phil Barnes was hired as Curator of the Museum in 2004. He has a Master of Arts degree in History. For more information call 1-800-729-2469.
