On Galveston’s waterfront, the Battleship Texas is getting the kind of full-body makeover most museum ships only dream about. At Gulf Copper’s shipyard, crews are welding, sanding, and repainting the century-old dreadnought, turning what had become a slowly deteriorating attraction into a noisy, industrial-scale restoration scene. Carpenters are swapping out tired deck planks, conservation teams are rebuilding weapon mounts and interior exhibits, and the freshly worked hull and superstructure are inching the ship closer to a return to public display on the island.
Crews Tackle Hull, Decks, and Guns
Since August 2022, the program has included large-scale plate work, fresh coatings, and careful carpentry, including replacing deck planks, overhauling smaller gun mounts, and repainting the ship's camouflage scheme, according to Click2Houston. The effort mixes heavy shipyard trades with museum-grade conservation, so welders and historians are literally working side by side to preserve as much original material as possible while still getting the vessel seaworthy enough for its new life as a showpiece.
Foretop Reinstalled, Tours Keep Work Visible
The Battleship Texas Foundation's repair log notes that crews reinstalled the 75,000-pound foretop after extensive structural repairs, a milestone that took crane barges and specialized fitters to pull off. Foundation updates also show Gulf Copper crews have repaired and replaced roughly 700 tons of hull plating, and limited restoration tours have been offered to keep veterans, volunteers and donors engaged while interior work continues.
Pier 15 Is The New Home
The Galveston Wharves Board approved Pier 15 as the ship's long-term berth, clearing a major hurdle for the foundation as it lines up mooring engineering, Corps permits, and dredging work, the Houston Chronicle reported. Port and foundation officials say those steps must finish before the vessel can shift to its final pier, and the foundation is targeting a 2026 reopening to the public. That timetable will depend on permit approvals and completion of topside restoration and exhibit work.
San Jacinto To Be Restored, Too
State planners are meanwhile preparing to return the ship's former berth at the San Jacinto battleground to a more historically accurate marsh; Axios reported roughly $40 million has been set aside for that work as part of a larger parks overhaul. The San Jacinto project aims to infill the artificial cove and reshape the landscape so the battlefield better reflects the 1836 terrain while freeing the ship to become a coastal museum attraction in Galveston.
Money, Timetable, And What Comes Next
Much of the restoration has been backed by public grants and foundation fundraising: the Battleship Texas Foundation says state appropriations and matching awards have covered a substantial portion of the projected $70–75 million rehabilitation. "We're proud to have finalized an agreement with the Galveston Wharves Board securing Pier 15 as the new home of the Battleship Texas," Tony Gregory wrote in a statement quoted by the Houston Chronicle, and foundation notes add that additional fundraising will support exhibits, education programming, and long-term maintenance.
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