Maritime Activity Center
Check out our latest wooden boat acquisitions!
The boats will be on display when our exhibits open soon!
Buddy O’Brien, son of local favorite wooden shipbuilder Francis O’Brien, donated this 15 foot wooden boat original! This is the last wooden boat his father built. 1993 launching. Buddy is so passionate about our mission to preserve and promote Mississippi’s Shipbuilding heritage, he drove this boat all the way in from Texas!
Our maritime team is transforming our Activity Center and 3,000 Sq Ft of open warehouse space into a maritime design & Interpretive Approach. At their best, exhibits provide transformative experiences for visitors—they evoke emotions, spark curiosity, and prompt behavioral changes after visits. To create these kinds of experiences, the
Mississippi Shipbuilding and Maritime Center of Pascagoula will create interactive exhibit components, immersive spaces, and multisensory moments.
When we consider content, MSMC prioritizes Mississippian stories that help visitors develop connections between different ideas and content that is relevant to their lives. The goal is to inspire visitors to continue learning and engaging with the maritime world after their visit. Our Maritime Archives and Research Center will be the Gulf of Mexico’s only maritime research facility. Our Archive collections will house our maritime data and will offer safe and easy access to maritime researchers and scholars.
Our activity center provides year-round classes, workshops, lectures, and educational opportunities for all age groups. Designed to appeal to interests ranging from the history of boatbuilding to watermen and current environmental impacts, our maritime programs offer something for everyone.