GALVESTON, Texas – The Galveston Children’s Museum is preparing for a major transition: the nonprofit announced it will move into the Discovery Museum at Moody Gardens as part of a two-year residency slated to begin in November 2026.
Museum leaders said the partnership — which runs through Jan. 7, 2029 — is designed to expand hands-on learning opportunities for families across the Gulf Coast while the organization continues working toward its long-term goal of a permanent home.
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“This is much more than a new location,” Zahrah M. Ektefaei, executive director of the Galveston Children’s Museum, said in the announcement. “We’re entering our next chapter.”
A shift after more than a decade at the Moody Mansion
The museum has operated since 2014, growing into what it calls a regional destination for play-based learning, with programs ranging from interactive exhibits and camps to field trips, homeschool offerings, special events and partnerships.
The organization also acknowledged its current home at the Moody Mansion, crediting the Mary Moody Northen Endowment and the historic site with providing space for the museum’s first decade of growth.
What families can expect at Moody Gardens
The reimagined museum experience is being designed specifically for the Discovery Museum space and will keep some familiar elements while adding new offerings, according to museum.
Plans include:
- Expanded STEM activities
- New interactive exhibits and imaginative play areas
- Maker-focused experiences and hands-on building opportunities
- Exhibits inspired by Galveston’s coastal heritage, maritime history, arts community and innovation
Ektefaei said the residency creates room to build something rooted in the island’s identity while widening the museum’s reach.
“We want every child to leave inspired by what they discover and by the community that made it possible,” she said.
Moody Gardens President and CEO John Zendt said the collaboration aligns with the attraction’s educational focus.
“Education has always been at the heart of Moody Gardens’ mission, and we’re pleased to welcome the Galveston Children’s Museum to the Discovery Museum,” Zendt said.
Community invited to help shape the next chapter
As work gets underway, the museum is asking artists, educators, makers, engineers, businesses, volunteers and philanthropic partners to get involved through exhibit design, sponsorships, in-kind support and other collaborations.
“The Galveston Children’s Museum has always been built by the community,” Ektefaei said. “As we begin this next chapter, we’re inviting our community to help us create a children’s museum that could only exist in Galveston.”
Additional details — including memberships, sponsorship opportunities, volunteer information and opening celebrations — will be announced in the months ahead.
For more information, the museum directs the public to galvestoncm.org and its social media channels.