The National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico, located right by Mobile River, is a 90,000-square-foot facility designed in the shape of a ship that looks as though it is sailing into Mobile Bay in Mobile, Alabama. This museum is more commonly referred to as GulfQuest, and offers a hands-on, interactive experience for children and adults.
While Mobile itself is a popular destination, due to its proximity to beautiful beaches on the Gulf of Mexico, this museum offers a more unique experience and a glance into the past, and the future, of this area.
How the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico Got Its Start
In the early 1990s, Alabama state leaders, along with city of Mobile leaders, created a non-profit organization that was tasked with establishing a maritime museum. The goal was to have the museum serve as an educational resource for both the region, and the entire country. Organizers wanted to create something unlike anything else in the world.
When plans first emerged for the creation of the interactive museum, Mobile Mayor Michael Dow was a champion for its creation. He believed it could be a hub for public activity and that it would work well with his plans to revitalize and restore access to the waterfront area.
During Dow’s tenure as mayor, “Mobile Landing, also became the home to the Arthur C. Outlaw Convention Center, the Alabama Cruise Terminal and Cooper Riverside Park.
Construction of the actual GulfQuest building began in January 2010 with preparations for the site, and it continued throughout 2015. It was completed that summer.
Installation of exhibits for the museum started in the mid- 2014 and was also completed by the summer of 2015. The grand opening to the general public was on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015.
The Experience Features Hands-On Exhibits
The museum was designed to specialize in offering hands-on experiences for visitors that would inspire them to learn about and appreciate the region’s maritime heritage. Instead of having a permanent collection, historical memorabilia and artifacts are displayed in several areas throughout the museum through the use of temporary exhibits.
The museum’s permanent exhibits provide an interactive experience by allowing visitors to touch and interact with the displays.
At any given time, the museum provides visitors with access to more than 90 simulators, interactive exhibits, displays and, of course, theaters. Exhibits are housed on several decks of a life-sized replica of a container ship. There are countless locations for visitors to just enjoy a view that overlooks the beautiful Mobile River, as well as the busy Port of Mobile.
Getting from Here to There
The GulfQuest Museum is located at 155 South Water St. in Mobile. If you are plan to travel to locations nearby, you will find the central location convenient.
The Hadley Law Firm office is located at 4087 Cottage Hill Road in Mobile.
Another Popular Destination
There are plenty of places to stop and have a bite to eat along the way. One of the popular destinations is the History Museum of Mobile, where adults and children can enjoy a variety of entertaining educational exhibits.
