Galveston Historical Foundation

See Galveston Harbor up close aboard Seagull II, Texas Seaport Museum's 50-foot twin-engine motor vessel. Fast, stable and sheltered, she was built specifically for harbor sight-seeing excursions and education, and is a perfect platform for waterborne experiential learning. The boat is U.S. Coast Guard certified and her operators are fully licensed and knowledgeable about the history and lore of her home waters. Seagull II is restroom-equipped, offers soft drinks and bottled water for sale, and has a comfortable main deck, sheltered from sun and rain. An open upper deck affords a full panorama of water and sky. Seagull II offers:

Leaves Pier 22 (Harborside Drive at 22nd Street) at 10:30 a.m., 12 noon, 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m., and 4:30 p.m.

6 p.m. tours will occur on holiday weekends only.

Don't miss this chance to get a new perspective on Galveston Bay and the historic Port of Galveston. Knowledgeably narrated tours explore the wide variety of birds and marine life that teems in the Bay. (We have no contract with them, but playful dolphins almost always show up to entertain themselves by watching the red-and-white boat and its passengers.) And the human activity in this busy port can only truly be appreciated from the water. A tour aboard the Seagull II is always an hour well spent.

Seagull II makes an excellent and unusual venue for birthday parties, office get-togethers, receptions, convention features, and more. The ever-changing scenery of the busy harbor, the excitement of a dolphin sighting, a restful sunset over an island occupied only by birds, combine to make your event one to remember.

Educational Field Trips for School Groups

See the imprint of events and eras in Galveston's nearly two centuries of history on a shifting shoreline. From the restored 1877 sailing vessel ELISSA to the grounded ferroconcrete vessel Selma to the sites of the Civil War Battle of Galveston, history is visible on Galveston Bay. Social Studies take on new life as students explore the first and oldest seaport in Texas, still busy and evolving.

Introduction to Galveston Harbor tour: Enjoy 1 hour of history, wildlife adventure, folklore and more. See Galveston and Galveston Bay from a unique perspective. Experience close-up encounters with big ships, dolphins and seabirds. Time: 1 hour
Cost: $8.00 per student & chaperone

Students breathe the ocean air, study plankton through microscopic lens, pose challenging questions, use the scientific method, check their results with each other; and discuss their findings with the marine biologist aboard.

Mysteries of the deep challenge students to take a hands-on, action packed, experimental approach to learning about their environment. With compasses, students will chart their course through harbor and bay. Students will trawl for fish and creatures far below, then examining them in hand and under microscope.

Hands-on Marine Biology/Ornithology: Our marine biologist leads students in trawling for fish and other sea creatures for hands-on and microscopic observation. Students pose challenging questions and explore answers using the scientific method. The tour visits area birding islands to see indigenous shore bird species and birds of passage in all their variety. 2 hours $16.00

Historic Galveston Package Field Trips

Harbor Tours can also be packaged with other GHF Historic Sites, starting with the restored 1877 sailing vessel ELISSA and the Texas Seaport Museum, Seagull II's home base. The museum offers exhibits on the shrimping industry, immigration, longshoremen, and life at sea. The 1859 Ashton Villa, and other historic houses are available, (see historic properties) as well as the Galveston County Historical Museum.

Contact Us

For reservations or to create a tailored tour,
call (409) 765-8687 or (409) 763-1877.