Opened on September 26, 2015, on Mobile’s downtown riverfront, the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico was created through decades of local and state planning as part of a broader effort to restore public access to the waterfront. Dedicated to the Gulf’s maritime heritage, culture, science, and traditions, it is known for its highly interactive exhibits and its ship-shaped 120,000-square-foot building. A centerpiece is the full-sized replica container ship SS McLean, linking Mobile to Malcom McLean’s containerization revolution. After a temporary closure and management reorganization in late 2016, it reopened in 2017 and resumed its congressionally designated name in 2024.