Exhibits
Deck 1
Navigation of the Gulf
This deck features 15 hands-on exhibits that demonstrate the fundamentals of maritime navigation, propulsion and ship design.
Exhibits on this deck:
Take Bearings
Chart a Course
Cross Staff and Quadrant
The Sextant
Night Skies
Longitude Challenge
GPS/Satellites
Navigation Game
Setting Sail
Full Steam Ahead
Propellers Take Power
Ship Shape
Plank a Boat
Sea Sense
Fact or Folklore?
Deck 2
The History of the Gulf
Exhibits on this deck:
Junior Mariners
The Bunkroom
Seaside Scenes
Nautical Nonsense
Deck 2A
The Economy of the Gulf
Modern containerization was invented right here in the Port of Mobile. This deck highlights the pivotal importance of containerization to the development of the global economy.
Exhibits on this deck:
Nautical Knots
Depth Soundings
Beneath the Bay
Cargo Conductor
Ships Ahoy
What’s Inside
Comings and Goings
Ocean Planet
Deck 3
The History of the Gulf
On this deck, guests will step into a large, simulated ship hull that occupies the entire floor and is filled with a range of interactive stories chronicling the history of the Gulf of Mexico.
Exhibits on this deck:
El Cazador
Shipwrecks of the Gulf
Portholes to the Sea
The Hunley
Pelican Girls
Riverboat Run
Also on this floor:
Tools of the Trade
MariTimeline
Discovery Hull Theater
Deck 3A
The Ecology of the Gulf
This deck is all about the importance of the vast ecosystem that exists on the Gulf. From the Stream of Time to E O Wilson, the exhibits display all kinds of critters, creepy crawly bugs and even a snake or two. (Don’t worry, they don’t bite!)
Exhibits on this deck:
Oyster Cove
The Crows Nest
E.O. Wilson
Great Gulf Challenge
Ocean Today
Deep Explorer
Marine Sanctuaries
Stream of Time
Opening Spring 2025. “They Come Big: 91 years of the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo.”
Deck 4
The History of the Gulf
Exhibits on this deck:
“Combat to Commerce” NOW OPEN: “Combat to Commerce: The History of the Ships that have Sailed the Gulf of Mexico.” This exhibit features 14 museum-quality ship models and tell of the vital roles each has played in the history of Gulf and the world.
Deck 5
Take the Helm
Step onto The Bridge and enjoy one of the most popular attractions at the Museum. “Take the Helm,” is a professional ship simulator that allows guests to pilot a Coast Guard patrol boat into Mobile harbor or navigate a tugboat with a barge into a lock and dam on the Tombigbee River. Once you’ve mastered that, step outside on the bridge wings and enjoy an amazing view of Mobile’s working harbor, and historic downtown Mobile.
