Museum of the Gulf Coast

06/02/2026

🇱🇷 New Shirt Alert!!! 🇱🇷

Come get one in our Gift Shop!
9-5 Mon-Sat

06/02/2026

🎨 The Museum of the Gulf Coast is excited to present our Elements of Art Summer Camp this July! Young artists will explore creativity through hands-on projects inspired by the elements of art, including color, line, texture, shape, and more. Students will have the opportunity to experiment with different artistic techniques and materials while building confidence in their creative abilities in a fun and encouraging environment. Classes will be taught by a local art teacher with a passion for inspiring young artists and encouraging creative expression.
Two week-long sessions will be offered:

3rd–7th Grade: July 20–24
8th–12th Grade: July 27–31
Classes will meet Monday through Friday from 9:30 AM–12:00 PM at the Museum of the Gulf Coast, located at 700 Procter Street in Port Arthur, Texas.

The cost is $75 per student for the week.

Space is limited. To register or receive additional information, contact Dana Howard at (409) 982-7000 or email [email protected].

05/29/2026

Happy Birthday Matt Bryant
Born: May 29, 1975
Orange, TX

Matt Bryant attended Bridge City High School, where he played both football and baseball. After high school, Bryant attended Trinity Valley Community College, where he was a two-time NJCAA All-American and a member of the 1994 national championship team. He then signed with Oregon State University, later transferring to Baylor, where he graduated ranked seventh in all-time scoring for placekickers. His 21 field goals placed him fifth in Bears’ history, and his career 42-for-42 extra points set the school record.

After graduation, Bryant went undrafted. He worked in a pawn shop and as a personal trainer before playing briefly with both the Arena Football League and NFL Europe.

In 2002, he was signed as a free agent by the New York Giants. Bryant played one season with the Giants. After short stints with both the Indianapolis Colts and the Miami Dolphins, he was signed as a free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2005. On October 22, 2006, Bryant successfully converted a 62-yard field goal as time expired in Tampa Bay’s 23-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. At the time, the kick was the second-longest in NFL history.

Bryant was signed to the Atlanta Falcons on December 1, 2009. On September 7, 2014, he became one of only four players in NFL history to kick a 50-plus-yard field goal with less than a minute remaining in regulation to force overtime. He surpassed 1,700 career points before concluding his playing career after the 2019 season, following 17 years in professional football.

Matt Bryant and his wife, Melissa, established the Matthew Tryson Bryant Foundation in honor of their son to raise awareness for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). All proceeds from the foundation go to the March of Dimes. He was inducted into the Museum of the Gulf Coast Sports Legends Hall of Fame in 2009.

05/27/2026

We LOVE International Visitors!

Michael and Alice traveled all the way from Hamburg, Germany to visit the Museum and see our Janis Joplin exhibit!

It’s always exciting to welcome visitors from around the world and share the incredible music, history, and culture of the Gulf Coast with them. Thank you for stopping by the Museum of the Gulf Coast!

05/26/2026

05/24/2026

The Museum of the Gulf Coast will be closed on Memorial Day as we honor and remember those who gave their lives in service to our country. 🇺🇸

We will reopen Tuesday morning at 9:00 AM and look forward to welcoming visitors back to the Museum.

We hope everyone has a safe and meaningful Memorial Day.

05/22/2026

We were so glad to welcome the students from God’s Little Soldiers Academy homeschool group to the Museum this week!

The group enjoyed a guided tour through the Museum, and the students did a great job asking thoughtful questions and engaging with the exhibits along the way. We always love seeing young visitors excited to learn and explore!

05/22/2026

We are thrilled to host the Glasstire: Texas Visual Arts Lecture next Thursday, May 28. Guest speaker Brandon Zech, Publisher of Glasstire, will join us from 6-7PM! 🖼️

Glasstire is the preeminent publication for art criticism in Texas and the oldest online-only art magazine in the country. In 2001, founder Rainey Knudson named the site in honor of Port Arthur native Robert Rauschenberg’s glass tire sculptures. Inspired by Rauschenberg’s legacy and the belief that great art can come from anywhere, Glasstire’s name also reflects the metaphorical spirit of the organization's longstanding commitment to connecting communities through art across Texas.

Join us for this free lecture to learn insight from Glasstire about what is happening statewide for the arts and how those elements come together to play a role in the Texas art scene!

05/22/2026

Wow!

05/22/2026

Happy Birthday
Donnie Cole
Born: May 22, 1956
Port Arthur, TX

Donnie Cole attended Prairie View A&M University on a track scholarship. When a leg injury required physical therapy, his coach recommended that he try powerlifting. In 1981, he earned a fifth-place finish in the state competition. Cole went on to win the state championship at the University of Texas at Arlington campus in 1983. By 1985, he had advanced to the national level, competing in events sponsored by the American Drug-Free Powerlifting Association and finishing third at Nationals. A year later, he reportedly set an American record squat of 705 lbs at the University of Texas at Austin and finished second at Nationals.

Shortly afterward, Cole teamed up with Gene Rodgers in a two-person deadlift exhibition, reportedly setting a world-record lift of 1,103 lbs. Not long after, a devastating knee injury sidelined him for almost two years. Following extensive rehabilitation, he returned to powerlifting with renewed determination, joining the newly formed Natural Athletes Strength Association (N.A.S.A.) in 1990. Cole capped his comeback by winning N.A.S.A.’s national competition that year. He also competed internationally for the U.S. team, earning World Titles in the 181-lb division in both the Soviet Union and Finland.

His lifetime achievements are considerable: six national championships, two world titles, and multiple Athlete of the Year honors, according to local and federation records. As recently as 1997, Cole set both Masters American and World Records in the 198-lb division with lifts of 614 lbs (squat) and 705 lbs (deadlift), for a combined total of 1,649 lbs.

Donnie Cole was inducted into the Museum of the Gulf Coast Sports Hall of Fame in June 2001.