Photo by Ester Schlimper
The Texas Maritime Museum, located close to Corpus Christi in nearby Rockport, is a good place to get a glimpse of what life was like for explorers in 1684.
The museum is an account of Robert Cavalier, Sieur de La Salle's failed French expedition to the New World. The highlight of the Museum is the 1:12 scale model of 'La Belle'. It is a wooden replica of the ship and is displayed on the main floor of the Museum. Also of note is an instrument known as the ‘nocturnal’ that was used in the 16th century to tell time by using the stars positions at night for navigation.
The museum provides just a glimpse of La Salle's journey to the New World and serves as a description of what life was like for the sailors on this expedition. Among the highlights in the Museum are artifacts which were discovered in the shipwreck of the 'La Belle' that was found in 1995 off the coast of Matagorda Bay in only 12 feet of water. The artifacts paint a picture of the many things travelers would have used during that time such as clothing, weapons, game pieces, maps, tools, and food. Of interesting note is a video showing the archeologists dig and preservation of a sailor's skull as well as a representation of a map showing how the Texas coast was depicted in the 16th century.
All these things reflect the story of America, the lives along the Texas shores, and part of Texas History. The museum has other permanent as well as temporary exhibits that also contribute to the story of the shores of Texas which include everything from history, technology, petroleum, fishing, settlement to exploration.
The Texas Maritime Museum is the 'Official Maritime Museum of Texas' and is the first of the La Salle Odyssey coalition to open its doors. There are eight institutions that are scattered across six counties that tell of this story and thus the Texas Maritime Museum is only one piece of the puzzle. To get a bigger picture of the depth and value of this expedition, one would have to visit the other institutions dedicated to this story. You can find out more about them by visiting the Texas Maritime Museum's exhibit page on their website.
Educators and homeschool groups looking to supplement elementary and middle school Texas History, can contact the museum to find out about their education programs including guided tours, treasure chests, youth camps, and more. Please contact them at (361)729-1271 or visit their website at www.texasmaritimemuseum.org for more information.
Comments
We attended a field trip to this museum. I can tell you it is laid out beautifully, is very interesting, and we learned a lot about our area that we had only heard a bit about, but never really got into it. A wonderful place to visit, learn, and enjoy!
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