Galveston Historical Foundation

Austin Gaston Live: Summer at the Seaport
2027-01-01 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-12-25 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-12-18 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-12-11 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-12-04 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-11-27 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-11-20 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-11-13 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) and 3 more dates | Galveston Historic Seaport, 2200 Harborside Drive, Galveston, TX, 77550, United States
Galveston Historical Foundation’s Summer at the Seaport series opens the pier each Friday night this summer with free admission. live music, beer and wine, and more as we toast the sunset from the best view on the harbor!

Bring your friends and start your weekend with us as we welcome Galveston’s own Austin Gaston in June and July!

Learn more about a summer full of historic seaport family-friendly fun at galvestonhistory.org/seaportsummer!

Smarty Pints Trivia Night
2026-12-10 18:00 - 20:30, 2026-11-12 18:00 - 20:30 | Galveston Historic Seaport, 2200 Harborside Drive, Galveston, TX, 77550, United States
Think you’re the know-it-all of Galveston? Come flex those brain muscles and join us for a series of trivia nights supporting Galveston Historical Foundation and the 1877 Tall Ship ELISSA! Held on the second Thursday of each month, our Smarty Pints Trivia Nights are all-ages evenings held at the Galveston Historic Seaport’s ELISSA Room. Craft beer and snacks will be available for purchase, and we’ll open the gates at 6 for dockside access before heading up to test your smarts at 6:30.

Galveston Ghost Stories
2026-10-31 20:00 - 21:00, 2026-10-31 18:30 - 19:30, 2026-10-30 20:00 - 21:00, 2026-10-30 18:30 - 19:30, 2026-10-23 20:00 - 21:00, 2026-10-23 18:30 - 19:30 | 1859 Ashton Villa, 2328 Broadway Avenue J, Galveston, 77550, United States
Spirited Tours at the Legendary Broadway Beauty

Led by #GalvestonHistory staff, the Ashton Villa ghost tours explore the history and mysteries of the 1859 Broadway beauty. Tour the first and second floors while learning about the Brown family, including Bettie Brown, and judge for yourself if her spirit still resides in the family home!

Haunted Harbor Tours
2026-10-31 17:30 - 19:00, 2026-10-31 16:00 - 17:30, 2026-10-24 17:30 - 19:00, 2026-10-24 16:00 - 17:30 | Galveston Historic Seaport, 2200 Harborside Drive, Galveston, TX, 77550, United States
Explore Galveston’s Haunted History Aboard SEAGULL II

Step aboard Galveston Historical Foundation’s SEAGULL II for the original Haunted Harbor Tour through Galveston Bay. Led by #GalvestonHistory guides, guests will learn about the haunted history of the island’s historic waters. The 90-minute tour features historically accurate accounts researched by Galveston Historical Foundation staff. Cruises depart from the Galveston Historic Seaport at Pier 22.

Trick or Treat at Menard
2026-10-31 17:00 - 18:30 | 1838 Menard House, 1605 33rd Street, Galveston, TX, 77550, United States
Galveston’s oldest residence, the 1838 Menard House, opens its gates to trick-or-treaters for history-making fun! Individual bags of candy will be given to young guests with free admission on the property. Please note: the house will not be open for tours.

Headstone Cleaning Workshop
2026-10-30 11:00 - 13:00 | Calvary Cemetery, 2506 65th Street, Galveston, TX, 77550, United States
Cemetery Preservation Workshop at. Calvary Catholic Cemetery

Learn the fundamentals of proper cemetery preservation during this hands-on workshop at Calvary Catholic Cemetery. Set against a historic Nicholas Clayton-designed family vault, the class will offer a practical introduction to caring for and maintaining headstones, monuments, and other historic masonry.
Led by #GalvestonHistory staff, participants will learn the dos and don’ts of cleaning, when and how to use limewash, and how to identify common drainage issues that can affect historic stonework. While the techniques are especially useful for cemetery preservation, many of the same principles can also be applied to historic masonry and maintenance projects at home.
Please note: Calvary Cemetery is located on Galveston Island between 61st Street and 65th Street. The entrance is located on 65th Street.

Cemetery Soul Stroll
2026-10-29 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-10-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Broadway Cemetery, 4201 Broadway, Galveston, TX, 77550, United States
Lantern-Led Guided Tour through Galveston’s Broadway Cemetery Historic District

Step into Galveston’s past by lantern light on a guided walk through the Broadway Cemetery Historic District, exploring the Episcopal, Old Catholic, and Old City cemeteries. Along the way, guests will encounter the stories of notable Galvestonians including Bettie Brown, Michael Menard, Nicaragua Smith, Mrs. Alberti, Ira Day, and others whose lives helped shape the island’s history.
Throughout the cemetery, #GalvestonHistory-approved reenactors will bring these stories to life, sharing historically grounded accounts of the people buried there and the world they knew.

Spirits of The Strand Walking Tour
2026-10-27 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-10-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Galveston Historical Foundation, 2002 Strand, Galveston, TX, 77550, United States
A Spirited Sip and Stroll of Historic Downtown Galveston

Led by #GalvestonHistory staff, discover the darker side of Galveston’s Historic Strand District on a spirited walking tour filled with eerie stories, strange encounters, and very real history. Beginning in front of the historic 1859 Hendley Building, guests will stroll through downtown while hearing factual tales of haunted happenings, unexplained events, and the people whose stories still linger among the district’s historic buildings. Along the way, you’ll enjoy three complimentary mini cocktails as the tour winds toward its final stop at the Tremont House.

Basement to Attic Tours of the 1892 Bishop's Palace
2026-10-24 11:00 - 12:30 | 1892 Bishop’s Palace, 1402 Broadway Avenue J, Galveston, TX, 77550, United States
Offering participants a rare look into parts of the National Historic Landmark that are typically off-limits, the 1892 Bishop’s Palace Basement to Attic Tours feature Mrs. Gresham’s studio. An exclusive third-floor view to a truly one of a kind panoramic of the Gulf of Mexico. Tickets are limited to 20 total guests and are $40 per person.
Built of stone and steel for the railroad magnate Walter Gresham and his family, this famous house was designed by Nicholas Clayton, Galveston’s premier Victorian-era architect. Bishop’s Palace is recognized as one of America’s finest examples of Victorian exuberance and Gilded-Age extravagance and is listed by the U. S. Department of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark. The Bishop’s Palace Basement to Attic Tours are the best opportunity the public has to view all floors of the historic property.
