Galveston Historic Seaport & 1877 Tall Ship Elissa

Learn about Galveston's past and immerse yourself in Texan culture when you visit the Galveston Historic Seaport. Galveston Historical Foundation brought ELISSA, an 1877 square-rigged iron barque, from a scrapyard in Piraeus Harbor, Greece to Galveston to begin restoration work in 1978. By 1982, GHF staff and volunteers completed restoration and transformed this rare, historic vessel into a floating museum that would actively sail. Today, the 1877 Tall Ship ELISSA is one of only three ships of her kind in the world to still actively sail and welcomes over 40,000 visitors annually.

Ship to Shore: The 'Ship To Shore' experience allows visitors to follow in the footsteps of the early immigrants, from the long sea voyage with its mix of hardships and wonders to the hustle and bustle arriving in the 1880s at Galveston, one of the busiest ports and booming cities in the United States. Learn more here.