Fulton Mansion and State Historic Park 316 S. Fulton Beach Road Corner of Fulton Beach Road and Henderson Street. Rockport, Texas Phone 361-729-0386. George and Harriet Fulton must have amazed their neighbors when they began construction in 1874 on their spacious and extravagant home overlooking the Aransas Bay. Completed in 1877, the home featured ornate trim work and furnishings and the latest technological conveniences including modern plumbing, central heat and a gas lighting system. Tours are conducted Wednesday through Sunday with tours on the hour at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. and 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Admission $5; students with ID $2. Times and fees are subject to change. Please call ahead for more information or to make reservations for group tours of 10 or more. Rockport center for the Arts 902 Navigation Circle, Rockport, TX 78382 (361) 729-5519 Hours: Tue-Sat 10:00am-4:00pm, Sun 1:00pm-4:00pm Rockport Center for the Arts, the crown jewel of Rockport’s celebrated art community, has long been recognized as an important art destination. It attracts artists and art lovers to a stimulating atmosphere of exhibits, theater and musical performances, lectures, children’s programs, workshops, classes and idea exchanges. It houses three galleries, workshop, and classroom facilities and a gift shop, along with the new sculpture garden. With roots going back to the 19th century, this member driven organization first opened the doors of its facilities to the public in 1984. Located in an expanded blue Victorian building in the Museum District, it is lapped by the waters of the town’s main harbor, the oft harvested Aransas Bay, and the protected sanctuary of Little Bay, a birder’s paradise. Rockport Center for the Arts is known for the wealth of talent evidenced in its galleries, including that of local and international artists sought by collectors; for its summer educational program for children, ArtLink for Kids; and for its two annual major events, the Tour of Homes and Boats in April and the juried Rockport Art Festival in July. Texas Maritime Museum 1202 Navigation Circle, Rockport, TX 78382 (361) 729-6644 From lost Spanish treasure to offshore oil exploration, Texas has enjoyed a rich maritime heritage. Come visit the Texas Maritime Museum and explore some of this fascinating history for yourself. With changing exhibits, interactive displays and educational public programming, you can experience how Texas has relied on the sea to become the great state that it is today. The museum is next to the Rockport harbor and within walking distance of the Rockport Center for the Arts and Rockport Beach. Located along Hwy 35 on the Rockport harbor. Refugio County Museum 102 West West Street, Refugio, TX 78377 (361) 526-5555 The Refugio County Museum, located behind the Chamber of Commerce office in Refugio, serves as home for some of the most unique artifacts in South Texas. -- Displays include an antique car, one of the original mission bells, Indian items, early farm equipment and many other very special objects of art and history. Taft Blackland Museum 301 Green Avenue, Taft, TX 78390 (361) 528-2206 This museum is housed in the building that was once the headquarters of the giant Coleman-Fulton Pasture Co. -- Exhibits range from antique farm and ranch equipment to personal and household items of early settlers. Museum also contains valuable memorabilia from the Taft Ranch. 29.8 USS Lexington Museum on the Bay 2914 North Shoreline Boulevard, Corpus Christi, TX 78402 (361) 888-4873 or 1-800-LADY-LEX Corpus Christi Beach One of the top 10 visitor attractions in the state! Bring the whole family aboard for an awe-inspiring look at the most famous aircraft carrier in U.S. Naval history. Brand new aboard the ship is the MEGA Theater! You'll go on amazing journeys of sight and sound as you are immersed in three-stories-tall giant screen images and thundering sound. Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West and Straight Up! Helicopters in Action are showing daily. South Texas Institute for the Arts The Art Museum of South Texas 1902 N. Shoreline Blvd. (361) 825-3500 Exhibits share space with breathtaking views of the bay in this facility designed by renowned architect Phillip Johnson. Admission: $3 adults, $2 seniors and military, 12 & under free. H. R. Brunner Telephone Pioneer Museum 406 North Carancahua Street, Corpus Christi, TX 78401 (361) 884-1067 Hours: Thursdays, 10 a.m.-noon Answers all the questions a visitor could ever possibly have about the workings of the telephone. Texas State aquarium and Dolphin Bay Corpus Christi Beach, 2710 North Shoreline, 1-800-477-GULF or (361) 881-1200 Volunteer guides are stationed throughout the Aquarium to explain exhibits and answer questions. The visitor not only travels an aquatic journey from the shore to the depths of the Gulf, but also has the opportunity to observe dive shows and feeding demonstrations and have a "hands on" experience with sharks and stingrays Asian Cultures Museum 1809 N. Chaparral, (361) 882-2641 The museum houses over 8,000 objects and documents... the largest collection of artifacts to leave Japan in the 1950s. Plus, arts and crafts from the Philippines, China and Korea. Museum of Science and History 1900 North Chaparral Street, Corpus Christi, TX 78401 (361) 883-2862 In the Museum of Science and History, view the treasures of the world famous 1554 Spanish Shipwreck and the Smithsonian Institution exhibit "Seeds of Change." Discover the elegance of the "Gallery of Cultural Encounters" featuring an authentic 16th Century carved dome ceiling, originally from Castile, Spain, plus a temporary exhibit: "The Mystery of La Salle in the Gulf." To top it all off, you can take a tour of the replicas of the Spanish ships the Santa Maria and the Pinta on the Ship's Plaza. Centennial House 411 North Broadway, Corpus Christi, TX 78401 (361) 882-8691 Hours: Open 10am-4pm Thursday and first Sunday of month from 12pm-3pm. Built in 1848, the Centennial House is Corpus Christi's oldest structure.. Art Center of Corpus Christi 100 Shoreline Blvd., (361) 884-6406 Hours: Tues.-Sun. 10 am - 4 pm. Closed Mondays. Watch artists practice their craft, display their accomplishments and teach others new skills. The complex includes a gallery, gift shop and Jezebelle's restaurant. Free. Selena Museum 5410 Leopard St. Corpus Christi, TX 78408, Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am to 11:45am & 1-5:45pm. Closed Sat. & Sun.. Eager to experience the city that Selena called home, the museum is quickly becoming one of the top tourist attractions in South Texas. It continues to attract a steady flow of visitors from throughout the country and around the world. The museum displays Selena's red Porsche, awards, stage outfits, and other memorabilia. Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens 8545 South Staples (361) 852-2100 This fascinating 180-acre site along Oso Creek entwines nature tourism and eco-education with colorful, exotic floral exhibits and local landscape choices. Tour the Orchid House, Exhibit House, Plumeria collection, Sensory Garden, new Hibiscus Garden and Water Garden; plus shaded Bird & Butterfly Trail, Oso Creek Trail, Gator Lake, extensive natural wetlands and protected native habitat. Cool Cats Toy Museum 2128 Waldron Road, Corpus Christi, TX 78418 (361) 939-9957 The Cool Cats Toy Museum in Flour Bluff offers visitors ages 5 to 105 a glimpse of different toys - from an 18th century Jenny Lind doll to a talking Wicked Witch of the West. There are also themed exhibits: Scooby-Doo, Harry Potter, Star Wars, castle and dragon fantasy, NFL, NASCAR and more. There are more than 500 dolls on display.