HOUSTON – Let’s be honest: the words ‘maritime museum’ don’t exactly scream ‘must-attend weekend fun’.
But the Houston Maritime Center & Museum (HMCM) is out to sink that stereotype with its Free Family Day on Saturday, May 10, from 1 p.m to 4 p.m. and it’s coming in hot - with oil spill solving mysteries, games, and yes, a bounce ship (it’s exactly what it sounds like).
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Held at 2850 Clinton Drive, the future home of HMCM in the new East River development, the event is an interactive crash course in how Houston protects its maritime environment and why it matters more than you might think.
Your event lineup:
- Suit up in real HAZMAT gear used by Port Houston’s fire crews.
- Compete in a wind powered sailboat race showing off Chevron’s clean energy tech.
- Use Coast Guard forensic tools to solve a “whodunit?” oil spill mystery.
- Help T&T Salvage recover a sunken vessel.
- Deploy real spill response equipment with professionals from the Texas General Land Office and more.
- And yes — there will be snacks.
You‘ll also meet local groups like Bayou Preservation Association and Keep Houston Beautiful, who‘ll show how everyday actions make a big difference to Houston’s waterways.
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The event is completely free, but registration is recommended on HMCM website.
At its core, this event is about getting your hands dirty (safely), learning something new, and maybe just maybe rethinking what a maritime museum can be.
So whether you‘re an environmentalist, a parent desperate to tire out your kids, or just someone chasing free snacks and weird fun, the HMCM Family Day might actually surprise you.
Worst case? You leave knowing what a “Green Port” is.
Best case? You get to clean up a fake oil spill... in a HAZMAT suit.
