The Galveston Naval Museum is a maritime heritage attraction located inside Seawolf Park on Pelican Island, featuring two preserved World War II vessels. This 2026 visitor guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport and parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips.
To skip the entry queues, book your Galveston Naval Museum tickets online.
This guide was updated in April 2026 to reflect the current $14 adult admission and to clarify that museum tickets no longer include the mandatory vehicle entry fee for Seawolf Park.
Quick facts about Galveston Naval Museum
| Feature | Details |
| Opening hours | 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily |
| Ticket prices | $14 for adults, $10 for children |
| Address | 100 Seawolf Parkway, Galveston, Texas 77554 |
| Nearest public transport or parking | On-site car park |
| Typical time needed to visit | 1 to 2 hours |
Galveston Naval Museum opening hours
The Galveston Naval Museum operates a consistent, year-round schedule, opening seven days a week from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. These hours do not generally change across different seasons.
Final ticket sales and the last entry to board the historic vessels occur at 4:00 PM each day. The surrounding Seawolf Park, which must be passed through to reach the museum, is open 24 hours a day.
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- 🐬 Up-Close Wildlife Encounters: Enjoy a narrated 45-minute cruise through Galveston Harbor, specifically designed to bring you face-to-face with playful Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins in their natural habitat.
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Galveston Naval Museum ticket prices
Admission to board the museum vessels costs $14.00 for adults (aged 12 and older) and $10.00 for children aged five to 11. Children under five and active-duty military personnel receive free entry, while seniors over 65 and veterans can purchase discounted tickets for $10.00.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in April 2026. The museum is included in the Galveston Island Pass (sometimes marketed as the PastPort), which allows visitors to bundle entry with other local attractions such as Moody Gardens, The Bryan Museum, and the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum.
5 great experiences around Galveston to book now
- 👻 Hear spooky tales from Galveston’s past on an evening ghost tour.
- 🚴 Join an e-bike tour to discover Galveston Island’s wilder side.
- 🌴 Enjoy Moody Gardens, with skip-the-line admission to the Aquarium and Rainforest Pyramids.
- 🐬 Cruise the harbour, spotting dolphins in their natural habitat.
- 🏛️ Visit Galveston’s historic mansions on an architecture tour.
How to get to the Galveston Naval Museum
The museum is located at 100 Seawolf Parkway on Pelican Island, a small landmass connected to the north side of Galveston Island. Visitors must drive, as public transport does not serve Pelican Island.
To reach the site, motorists take 51st Street north from Galveston Island, cross the Pelican Island Causeway, and continue straight until the road ends at the Seawolf Park entrance gates.
Parking at the Galveston Naval Museum
Parking is available in a large, paved, on-site car park directly adjacent to the museum and the fishing pier. Because the museum is situated entirely within Seawolf Park, all arriving vehicles must pay a $10 per vehicle entry fee at the park gates.
This vehicle charge is administered by the Galveston Park Board, not the museum, and is required in addition to the museum admission tickets. Free parking is only available to visitors who have already purchased a paid fishing pass for the Seawolf Park pier.
How long to spend at the Galveston Naval Museum
Visitors generally spend between one and two hours touring the naval museum. This allows enough time to walk through both historic vessels, read the interpretive signage, and view the memorial plaques.
Those who wish to explore the rest of Seawolf Park, use the picnic facilities, or observe the nearby remains of the concrete ship SS Selma often stay for three hours or more.
Accessibility at the Galveston Naval Museum
The museum requires navigating preserved military vessels, meaning it is not wheelchair accessible and is unsuitable for visitors with significant mobility limitations.
Boarding and exploring the submarine and the destroyer escort involves climbing steep, narrow stairs, stepping over high bulkheads, and passing through tight hatches. The surrounding grounds and memorials within Seawolf Park offer flat, paved pathways that are fully accessible.
Inside / what to see at the Galveston Naval Museum
The primary attractions at the museum are two historic United States Navy vessels docked permanently on dry land. Visitors take self-guided tours through the interior compartments, sleeping quarters, and engine rooms of both ships.
The USS Cavalla is a World War II Gato-class submarine. It is best known for sinking the Japanese aircraft carrier Shokaku, which was involved in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Visitors can walk the length of the submarine, viewing the torpedo rooms, narrow passageways, and cramped crew quarters.
The USS Stewart is an Edsall-class destroyer escort, and the only ship of its specific class preserved in the United States. Visitors can walk across its weather decks, view the anti-aircraft gun mounts, and explore the interior spaces to understand how convoys were protected in the North Atlantic during the war.
The grounds surrounding the vessels house additional naval artifacts. These include the preserved sail of the Cold War-era submarine USS Tautog and the conning tower of the USS Carp.
Several small outdoor exhibits and memorials are located near the ships, including a Compass Rose Memorial dedicated to lost sailors and submarines, and interpretive displays covering the roles of women in World War II and the events of Pearl Harbor.
Practical visitor tips
| Topic | Tip |
| Timing | Arrive early in the morning during the summer months to explore the un-air-conditioned vessels before the steel hulls heat up. |
| Crowds | Weekday mornings are typically the quietest times to visit, avoiding the larger weekend groups and school field trips. |
| Layout | The vessels are located entirely outdoors, meaning visitors are fully exposed to the elements between boarding the ships. |
| Entry process | You must pay the Seawolf Park vehicle fee at the entry booth before driving to the museum to purchase admission tickets. |
| On-site logistics | Wear flat, closed-toe shoes to safely navigate the steep stairways, uneven decks, and narrow hatches. |
Frequently asked questions about the Galveston Naval Museum
| Question | Answer |
| Is the Galveston Naval Museum suitable for children? | Yes, children enjoy exploring the ships, though toddlers may struggle with the steep stairs and heavy hatches. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for the Galveston Naval Museum? | No, tickets can be purchased at the museum on the day of your visit. |
| Is the Galveston Naval Museum open on Sundays? | Yes, the museum operates seven days a week, including Sundays. |
| Are bags allowed at the Galveston Naval Museum? | Small bags are allowed, but large backpacks should be left in the car to prevent getting stuck in narrow submarine corridors. |
Things to do near the Galveston Naval Museum
- Seawolf Park Fishing Pier
- Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum
- The Strand Historic District
- Galveston Railroad Museum
- 1877 Tall Ship ELISSA
More Texas travel
Other Texas travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- Visit the grand Broadway homes of Galveston – Moody Mansion and Bishop’s Palace.
- Practical guides to East Beach and Stewart Beach in Galveston.
- Tick off the stars of the Dallas Arts District, including the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center and the Crow Museum of Asian Art.
- Visit the Meadows Museum and the George W Bush Presidential Museum on the Southern Methodist University campus in Dallas.
- Plan your visit to the Children’s Museum Houston and Houston Museum of Natural Science.
