USS Lexington
2914 N. Shoreline Blvd., Corpus Christi, Texas
The overwhelming size of the USS Lexington—a World War II–era US aircraft carrier—dominates the Corpus Cristi Bay. Once the oldest working carrier in the United States Navy, the ship is now a floating museum that has welcomed more than 8 million visitors since opening in 1992. “LEX,” as the ship is sometimes known, offers tours, artifacts, exhibits, and more inside her 16-story hull.
The USS Lexington offers guided tours and five self-guided tour routes, the most popular of which is the “Flight Deck,” which showcases naval history through the ship’s 20 historic National Museum of Naval Aviation aircraft.
Guided tours include ghost tours, a nighttime paranormal tour, and a hard hat tour that takes you to areas not ordinarily available to the public. A wide range of interactive experiences include an escape room, a flight simulator, a 3D theater, virtual battle stations, and even overnight stays.
Some experiences require separate tickets that may include museum admission, and some tours must be booked 2–3 days in advance to ensure the guides are available.
Members and children under 3 receive free admission.
The Mess Deck Café offers snacks, drinks, and a full lunch menu.
For any type of help on the ship, look for the volunteers in yellow shirts, some of whom may have served on the USS Lexington.
The USS Lexington’s size makes it hard to miss; it’s located across the ship channel from downtown Corpus Christi, Texas, and just steps from the Texas State Aquarium. Drivers should head to North Beach in Corpus Christi Bay towards 2914 N. Shoreline Drive. Paid parking is available all day, and parking is free for members of the museum. Buses 76 and 78 also service the USS Lexington from Corpus Christi.
The USS Lexington is open daily year-round, except for Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day. Open hours are typically from 9am to 5pm but may be extended seasonally during the summer and spring break. The Mess Deck Café and 3D Mega Theater usually open later and close earlier than the rest of the museum.
The size of the USS Lexington can be intimidating, but the ship does tiny, too! Head down to the Lower Deck to visit the Scale Model Gallery of Warbirds and Warships. The small but exact copies of ships on display here are miniature works of art that represent thousands of volunteer hours. It is the largest publicly exhibited model collection in Texas, showcasing more than 440 models, and took five years to pull together.
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