GulfQuest is a 90,000 square foot museum in Mobile, AL that is shaped like a ship and dedicated to the Gulf of Mexico's rich maritime traditions. You've never seen anything like this!
GulfQuest National Maritime Museum of the Gulf Coast opened its doors to the public on September 26th, 2015 and it's been full steam ahead ever since. Plan for at least half a day to truly explore the five engrossing decks of this glass-walled, ship-shaped museum.
This unique maritime museum offers 90 state-of the-art interactive displays. You'll see simulators, theaters, and unique exhibits on the marine archeology, shipwrecks, hurricanes of the Gulf of Mexico. GulfQuest is one of only two such interactive maritime museums in the U.S.
One of the most popular exhibits is the ship’s bridge simulator. Visitors choose a vessel, then navigate it through the Gulf and into the Port of Mobile. You can pilot a towboat with barges, a container ship, or a U.S. Coast Guard patrol boat, complete with sirens and flashing lights! The panoramic digital views and responsive controls add an uncanny realism to the experience.
Other exhibits include offshore oil and gas platforms, sailing, hurricanes, and shipwrecks. There's even one on "tanker surfing," the practice of surfing the wakes of oil tankers!
Another spectacle is the full-sized replica of a container ship INSIDE the museum! Surrounded by water and made to look like it’s floating, this three-story structure contains many of the museum’s exhibits.
Beyond the exhibits, there is a gift shop, cafe, and an event space. The gift shop has screens tracking all the ships moving through Mobile Bay and river, with information on where they’re coming from and what they’re carrying.
The cafe and gift shop are open to the public, so you don’t have to have a ticket to enjoy some of the best seats around to watch the busy of Port of Mobile.
