OceanStar Museum & Education Center

HISTORY OF THE OCEAN STAR MUSEUM

The Ocean Star is retired jack-up drilling rig that operated in the Gulf of Mexico from 1969 to 1984 and drilled over 200 wells during that timeframe. In 1995, the OEC purchased the Ocean Star, and after lengthy refurbishment, opened it as a museum in 1997.


The museum is designed to be a self-guided facility with videos, information, interactive exhibits throughout, and takes most visitors about 1.5 hours to tour completely.

A silhouette of an oil rig with the sun shining through the clouds
A large ship with the word transstar on the side

Admission Prices

Adults $12

Seniors $10

Military $10

Youth (6-18) $8

Under 6 Years Free

Family Package $35

2002 Wharf Rd, Galveston, TX 77550

Operating Hours

Monday Closed
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday 10AM–5PM
Thursday 10AM–5PM
Friday 10AM–5PM
Saturday 10AM–5PM
Sunday 10AM–5PM


Holiday Hours

Thanksgiving- Closed

Christmas Eve & Christmas Day-Closed

New Years Eve & New Years Day- Regular Hours


**Last Ticket sold at 4 PM**

409-766-7827

Call Us

Having fun on the OceanStar!

Take a Virtual Tour of the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig Museum

FAQs & Event Information

  • What is it?

    The Ocean Star is retired jack-up drilling rig that operated in the Gulf of Mexico from 1969 to 1984 and drilled over 200 wells during that timeframe. In 1995, the OEC purchased the Ocean Star, and after lengthy refurbishment, opened it as a museum in 1997.


    The museum is designed to be a self-guided facility with videos, information, interactive exhibits throughout, and takes most visitors about 1.5 hours to tour completely.

  • Group Tours/Field Trips

    Educational tours are available for groups of students (K-12) that are organized through a school, home school, scout troop, or similar program.

  • What are the things that look like oil rigs that I can see from the pier?

    They ARE rigs! Specifically, they are offshore drilling rigs. The term “oil rig” is used like the word “vehicle.” There are lots of different kinds and that’s just one of the things you can learn in the museum.

  • Do you get to go onto an actual rig? Is this a real rig?

    Yes. The Ocean Star is a real rig that worked for approximately 20 years in the Gulf of Mexico. It was retired and modified for public accessibility and now houses the museum. We cannot let any of our vistors to go down in the hull.  

  • What do we do? What all do you get to see?

    There are three floors of exhibits related to the oil and gas industry. This includes film presentations, video kiosks, interactive displays, actual examples of equipment like drill bits and ROVs, scale models of the different kinds of rigs used to explore and produce, and informational exhibits about careers, the environment, history, safety, and regulations.

  • Do you need a hardhat? Do you have to take a boat?

    Not at all. There are no wardrobe restrictions, but shirts and shoes are appreciated. Please remember this is a family friendly museum and to cover up bathing suits. While the Ocean Star is situated in the water, as a proper jack-up rig should be, there is a pedestrian bridge that connects the rig to the public pier where our gift shop building / ticketing office is located.

  • What about wheelchairs?

    All are welcome! While the entrance bridge can look intimidating, it is wheelchair compliant and the museum meets all Texas Accessibility and ADA standards.  There is an elevator inside the museum building, and even the rig floor and pipe deck can be navigated by a wheelchair.

  • When do the tours start? How long does it take?

    It’s a self-guided facility so you can tour at any pace you prefer. Allow at least an hour to walk through everything, or all day to really get an education! There is a 15-minute film we recommend as you start your tour, and staff docents on the rig get you started and can answer questions.

  • Can we go onto the pipe deck and/or rig floor? Can we see the bunks and where they lived?

    The pipe deck offers access to view multiple exhibits and pieces of equipment, though some are not in their original location, and the rig floor has been configured to show the function of the drilling machinery. And while the original living space on this particular rig was renovated into museum space, there is a large, mock-up living space depicting “life on a rig” and a video tour of a modern facility.

  • Can I bring my service animal or pet?

    Service animals that are specifically trained to mitigate a disability are allowed within the museum, but unfortunately, other pets are not.

  • Do you have a cafeteria or restaurant?

    We do not have eating facilities aboard the rig, nor do we allow food or drinks throughout the museum. There are several restaurants within walking distance, and we are happy to provide a suggestion.

This one of a kind facility can be the perfect backdrop for your institution’s own training course, teambuilding workshop, business luncheon, or evening social reception. Located in the historic Port of Galveston, the Ocean Star Museum is surrounded by shrimp boats, cruise ships, tankers and dry-docked rigs. Consider hosting your next event offshore!

Conference room:
Available during the business day and accommodating 24 people, the conference room is fully outfitted with audio visual and presentation equipment including a ceiling mounted projector with connections for personal laptop. The conference room is located on the second floor of the museum building and is a private space dedicated to this program. You will be able to leave personal items locked in the room while at lunch or visiting other areas. Light refreshments and beverages will be available throughout the day, and admission to museum exhibits is included for group participants.

Rig Museum:
The entire museum site with three levels of exhibit space and two exterior decks is available for private rental after 5 pm daily (6 pm summer hours.) The museum can accommodate up to 500 people spread throughout the site. The third-floor exhibit area offers approximately 5,000 square feet of space for seated dining and comes complete with a scenic view of Galveston’s harbor. The capacity for seated dining is approximately 100 – 150 people dependent on the type of set-up. Uniformed museum staff are on hand to act as visitor hosts and provide information while the back drop of exhibits, models, and equipment needs no decoration or embellishment to impress your guests.