A singing skeleton is first to greet you at Galveston's newest family attraction, and once inside, you'll quickly find more than just your ordinary museum in historic downtown Galveston.
"This is a very child-friendly attraction, and it's also a learning experience for children of all ages," said Joyce McLean, managing member of the museum.
This detailed and interactive exhibit is uniquely designed to totally immerse visitors into the world and legacy of pirates from the 1700s in the Caribbean to Galveston and the Gulf coast.
"Well, we have pirates on board the ship who really kind of act like as a tour guide but not a tour guide. They are there to answer questions, but they are always in character," McLean said.
You enter the museum through what appears to be the stern of a pirate ship crashing through a treasure map. Once you pass through the lower deck, you'll see artifacts and special effects.
There are reconstructed buildings from New Orleans on one side, and on the other, there's a replica of Galveston pirate Jean Lafitte's home, Maison Rouge. Leanor Pickel designed the pirate exhibit.
"We found local talent to do the scenic artwork and the construction. We wanted people to feel like they were on a pirate ship, or they were really in Galveston in the 1700s," Pickel said.
The owner and staff at Pirates Legends of the Gulf Coast say this new museum will give the public an experience that entertaining as well as educational.
This pirate museum is open every day except Tuesdays and Wednesdays until spring break. The place also has a gift shop where eye patches and hooks have become hot items for kids of all ages.
