Setting Sail

Now, Houston Maritime Center & Museum eagerly anticipates reopening in Houston’s East River Development next fall. On the banks of Buffalo Bayou, this new space enjoys the proximity of downtown Houston, and also increased visibility and traffic of its prime location in this master-planned mixed-use development. Featuring everything from residences, shops, and restaurants to offices, all along Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s new Hike and Bike Trail extension from downtown. East River Development is set in the heart of Greater East End, an underserved community, juxtaposed with downtown Houston and easy access, sure to make a tremendous positive impact on Houston Maritime Center & Museum’s visitor stream and outreach.

Presenting history, arts, culture, and sciences through a maritime lens, our collection navigates a voyage through the nautical world with extensive exhibits, models, and artifacts, emphasizing interactive experiences bringing the collection to life with an emphasis on Texas. Houston Maritime Center & Museum’s education platform promotes awareness beginning from early childhood: connecting the community with maritime past, present and future through STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) education principles targeting K-12. In addition, Houston Maritime Center & Museum connects the community to technology and modern industry, making history and education accessible to neighboring underserved communities. Through a full monthly calendar of programming, events, lecture series, Family Days, and relevant programs and videos utilized for homeschooling and other educational resources, programs are produced in alliance with schools, colleges, universities, corporations, and maritime organizations.

The new space at East River facilitates Houston Maritime Center & Museum’s projected outreach to over 50,000 visitors virtually and in-person, and 75% growth in guided tours for students and organizations. Maritime materials are thoughtfully disseminated through the following zones:

• History of Buffalo Bayou: Transformation of sleepy Buffalo Bayou into the Houston Ship Channel over 150 years
• Lighthouse Influences: The major modalities of waterway travel and commerce anchored by a representation of the Bolivar Lighthouse at the entrance of the Houston Ship Channel
• Taking to the Seas: Introducing visitors to the voyages taken by early civilizations across the water
• Setting Sail: The seafaring journey from the Age of Discovery through early projection of sea power and mercantilism of the oceans
• Wars on the Water: 20th century sea power specifically related to both World Wars
• Modern Maritime: An overview of 90% of the world’s goods transported by the sea and the global supply chain
• Navigation Station: Interactive exhibit station offering the experience of piloting a vessel
• Theater: Showing recurring films on a variety of topics including Texas Navy, Texas history and more
• All Hands on Deck: A multi-sensory STEAM approach to maritime navigation, communication, ecology, and logistics for visitors of all ages
• Learning Center: A dedicated space for gatherings including classroom, presentations, and meetings
• Bridge Deck: Expansive, interactive LED video wall depicting waterways such as the Texas Gulf Coast and Ports and the Houston Ship Channel

Houston Maritime Center & Museum’s three anchors of Collection, Education, and Connection uniquely position us to flourish as a valuable community asset in support of history, arts, culture, and science, designed for visitors of all ages.

Our Founder

Jim Manzolillo first became interested in boats due to growing up near the Schuylkill River in Pennsylvania. He carved his first boat at age six, and after building a raft at age twelve, he decided to pursue shipbuilding as a career. He studied naval architecture and marine engineering at the Stevens Institute of Technology, before serving with the Merchant Marines during World War II. After, Manzolillo earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the Colorado State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. From 1950 to 1959, he traveled the world for Caterpillar Tractor Company. Explaining the connection to shipbuilding, he noted, “Caterpillar felt there was a market for their tractor engine to be used as a marine engine, so I was hired to help to develop a marine department.”

In 1959, Manzolillo founded his own company in Mexico, Astilleros Imesa, to build shrimp trawlers. Unable to find suitable areas on the coast, he relocated to Mexico City, 7,400 feet above sea level and 200 miles from the ocean. Nevertheless, Astilleros Imesa successfully shipped its forty-six-foot fishing vessels to ports. Manzolillo recalled,

“After we got some of them ready to move, I had to design a trailer to put them on and find somebody who was local enough to drive his tractor-trailer to pull this flatbed with the boat on it. . . . And boy, I’ll tell you, to get to Acapulco you have to go to a place called Cuernavaca, which is 10,000 feet up, and then come down, and then the highway [is] narrow. . . . While you’re making these curves, you’re looking down 5,000 feet and you’re thinking ‘mama mia!'”

Manzolillo also created the first commercial vessel with a quarter-inch copper-nickel plate on its hull to inhibit the growth of barnacles, which reduced friction and fuel consumption.

Manzolillo in Houston

In 1979, Manzolillo moved to Houston where he worked for Cunard Line giving on-board cruise lectures. Calling at most of the world’s ports, he frequently visited museums and bought ship models, which he sent home. He realized Houston did not have its own maritime museum and had amassed quite a collection of maritime items himself. He contacted the Museum of Natural Science about donating his collection and failed to receive a response. Manzolillo then thought, “The hell with this, I’ll open up my own museum.”

When Manzolillo saw a sign on a vacant building on Dorrington Street, the HM’s previous location, he called and made a deal for the property that afternoon. He worked tirelessly to restore and enlarge the building at his own expense, and filled it with his personal collection and other artifacts he acquired. His daughter, Dr. Deborah Nightingale reminisced, “Some of the things in there were things I played with as a little girl.” Although Manzolillo passed away in 2007, HMC remains a tribute to his vision.