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Corpus Christi
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USS Lexington Museum
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USS Lexington Museum

See all things to do
See all things to do
USS Lexington Museum
4.5
3,436 reviews
#1 of 87 things to do in Corpus Christi
Military Museums • History Museums
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9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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About
Visitors can tour the longest serving Essex Class aircraft carrier of World War II. The 16-deck "Blue Ghost" displays military artifacts and more than 20 aircraft. See all five tour routes, 3-D mega theater, Lockdown on the LEX Escape Rooms, mess deck eatery and flight simulator. National Historic Landmark located on North Beach. Elevator from the hangar deck to the flight deck. Welcome aboard! Labor Day - Memorial Day 9am - 5pm Memorial Day - Labor Day & Spring Break 9am - 6pm See admission at https://usslexington.com/visit/hours-admission/
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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Attractions
44 within 6 miles
Texas State Aquarium
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0.2 miAquariums
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0.8 miSports Complexes
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238
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
3,436 reviews
Excellent
2,464
Very good
815
Average
129
Poor
17
Terrible
11
TERRAvelista
London, UK17,212 contributions
What a great place
Mar 2023
We are big fans of places like this, weather located on the East or West coast or Gulf of Mexico.

This place was similarly organised to the other places we visited and deciding to visit the nearby Aquarium too, we parked the car in the Aquarium car park area and paid the 5 USD at the Aquarium ticket office - even the security guy was complaining this was expensive, I guess being from Europe where you pay double for one hour in a capital city, we found this to be very cheap bearing in mind how many hours we spent in this area, also eating at Pier 99 restaurant:

1. Just like the other tours, they allow you to go most of the decks from the engine area to the flight deck passing through all the room where the former sailors used to sleep/eat etc
2. Lots of info about the military war theatres this great ship has had an input
3. Lots of volunteers to help you and a dear old guy who until now was happy sitting in the very smelly engine room area!!! - loved this as my lungs could not.
4. English and Spanish tours by downloading the app on your phone, if you like listening to info as you tour around.

Lots of pelicans navigating yards above the top deck and circling over and over again - I found this fascinating

A very hot March day when I started burning up, hence not being able to go all the way to the top of the area we were allowed to access.
Written March 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
BernieDy
Houston, Texas63 contributions
Lots to do, and fun!
Mar 2021
There's so much to see here. I have been to other museums, but none as big as an aircraft carrier. What a treat they were able to save the Lex and use it as a center for education for multiple generations of people.

When we visited, there was a lot of parking in the North Beach area for free that is a short walk away, or you can park closer to the Lex and with your admission fee (about $17) you'll get a token for the meters. There is a gangway you walk up to get to the Lex, and during some times of the day they have a shuttle which is very nice for those that struggle with walking or on hot days.

There are multiple decks of exhibits to see. The key must-sees are the several self guided tours where preset paths take you through the various parts of the boat. There is also a movie included with admission that is supposed to be pretty good but we didn't have time to see it.

Through the tours you'll see a lot about how carrier sailors lived during WWII, it is truly a city at sea, but a cramped one. There are also lots of navy exhibits not specific to the Lex. If you have a little extra money you can visit the flight simulator or the gift shop. The Lex crew will also take pictures of you that you can buy afterward.

If you have limited time, I'd recommend Tour 4, which goes through most of the lower deck crew quarters and gives you the best feel for the life of carrier sailors, and also Tour 1 (flight deck), where you can see lots of navy aircraft (though not all were the types that flew on the Lex during WWII). From the flight deck you can also take stairs up to the control tower. Tours 4 and 1 can easily eat up two hours, but I think they are the best parts if you can only hit the highlights. You'll get a bit of Tour 5 automatically as that's where admissions opens into.

If you have more time, other Tours 2 and 3 take you through officers and captain's quarters and the pilot ready rooms and a Pearl Harbor exhibit.

It's a great museum, well maintained, and a decent value. Frankly I thought the very industrial and military city of Corpus Christi didn't have much to offer for tourists but the Lex is in my opinion one of the best things to see. My only caution is that if you're claustrophobic, stick to Tours 1 and 5. You won't enjoy the other ones.
Written March 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Terri G
Rockwall, TX38 contributions
A July 4th celebration aboard USS Lexington!
Jul 2020
You definitely want to take this tour early in the morning. There are pockets of A/C, but much of the ship just has fans. We were on the ship 4 hours (!) and still didn't look/read all the displays on each deck. Going on 4th of July just felt like the best day of the year to visit Lady Lex. Every hour on the hour, the movie theatre plays a 40 minute feature documentary on history of sea warfare and the Lexington. This movie is fabulous. I didn't realize that the aircraft carriers nuclear energy is used to thrust the aircrafts off the ship in 3 seconds. And the "tail hook" catch stops the landing planes. The movie was a terrific tribute to the talented support teams and pilots. Be prepared for a lot of walking and climbing/descending the narrow ladders used by the sailors. There is a lot of stairs! It was a hot day and I was sweating. The flight deck tour was just too hot for me. You cannot bring food or drink on the Lex. But they do have a "Mess Hall" where you can purchase beverages and snacks. However, very difficult to carry a beverage and climb the many stairs between decks. Definitely don't miss the movie!

The 4 tours are self-guided. However, there are group tours but they are only offered 2 days per week.
Written July 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
dlc398
Michigan91 contributions
Wonderful Experience!
Mar 2021
We had a wonderful time visiting the USS Lexington Museum! It was $16.95 per adult, however, there are discounts for Children 4-12, Veterans, Seniors, and groups. We spend several hours touring the different levels and watching a very well-made and informative short film on naval history. They offer self-guided or guided tours. There are a nice gift shop and place to get snacks and drinks. Beautiful views of the bay and surrounding areas. I would recommend allowing yourself at least half the day to tour. Also, keep in mind that there are very strong winds on the upper deck. You should also consider you are on a real ship, which includes climbing up and down ship ladders and through narrow doorways. There is an elevator for those who need this accommodation. We also had the pleasure of being around several veterans during our visit. They offered up some priceless insights and memories of their time servicing our country. Truly, grateful for those who served as well as those committed to preserving our past.
Written March 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
G Y
Manila, Philippines4 contributions
Great way to learn history
Aug 2022
Most reviews advise you to allot 4 hours for the tour and this is quite accurate. The place is so big that you need all the time to be able to appreciate it. You need the strength to walk around a lot and there are lots of stairs with narrow steps. There are 5 main spots to visit, and as advised, we visited the Lower Deck first then the Flight Deck. The Lower Deck shows the interior of the ship and the operations of the crew. It is a long walk winding up and down the ship, some spots are hot while other spots have air conditioning. The Flight Deck is very cool, it shows several planes used in wars before. Since this is above the ship, it gets very hot with the sun. You will learn a lot from this trip.
Written August 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
melwashere81
Cleveland, TX1,059 contributions
Amazing!
Jul 2021 • Couples
If you love history you have to stop here. I've been to several ships and this one is by far the best. Its well organized with 5 different self guided tours to take and they even have a 3D theater that is included with admission! We spent several hours going through the ship and learning about all the history. There are even videos throughout to watch and several interactive sections. We had so much fun! If you have mobility issues be aware much of the ship requires going up and down steep staircases. There is an elevator to the flight deck but it wasn't working when we went.

Parking in front of the ship is very limited and is metered unless you have handicapped plates then there are 2 free parking spots. You can walk up the ramp to the entrance or wait for the shuttle bus to take you....its free.

They do take a picture of your group that you can purchase at the photo shop. This is taken when you take the tour to the lower deck. Word of advice.....do this first! We took all the other tours first so by the time we got our picture taken we were sweaty and disheveled. One big plus is every single tour brings you back to the hanger deck so its impossible to get lost.

Be sure to stop at the gift shop before heading out. They have a lot of souvenirs to buy including newspapers from the 1940s wartime which are pretty cool. I'll definitely come back again one day but next time NOT during the summer. It was hot, humid, and super crowded. So if you don't like crowds come during the week and arrive at opening time....
Written August 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Natasha C
Waxahachie, TX20 contributions
USS Lexington Face Your Fears Escape Room
Aug 2021 • Family
Overall exploring and learning about the ship was a lot of fun. The ship is HUGE, seriously give yourself at least 4 or 5 hours to explore the ship. There’s 4 different areas to tour plus a 3D movie to take in. There’s lots of little videos, audio clips, and written history along the tours also. We also did the Face Your Fears escape room and it was awesome! It was $38 but that includes admission to the ship which is $18 so it really is a pretty good deal and after experiencing it I would say it was well worth it. This was our first escape room experience and it did not disappoint! My youngest daughter does not share the rest of our family’s love of all things spooky and she got really scared and panicked at the last minute before we went in but our guide Philip was so amazing and made sure she was ok and able to have fun. The puzzles are tricky but not impossible. My family loves going to haunted houses and this escape room was better than any haunted house we have ever been to! I highly recommend checking this attraction out!
Written August 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Josiah Guthrie
4 contributions
Love the Lex
Jul 2022
The Lex is awesome for all ages! Camped on board over a dozen times with the BSA. Highly recommend the escape rooms on board. This is a former U.S. Navy ship so there are steep stairs, and small passageways. If you are claustrophobic or have mobility issues, this may not be for you.
Written July 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dan F
Gause, TX465 contributions
USS Lexington - Very Interesting
Apr 2021
We enjoyed our visit to the Lex today. It was quite interesting and we walked and climbed stairs until we could not move anymore! The ship is packed with all sorts of displays.

It was rather difficult to follow their displays because there were so many displays about other ships and other air craft that it was disorienting. I wanted to see more and learn more about this ship. The information was there, but it was very confusing to find. Also, some of the displays just did not seem to be appropriate for the places where they were located, but on a ship you don't have a lot of choices.

Also, we wondered around for over 3 hours and only encountered one staff person/guide. It would have been very helpful to have them in all the major areas. The only place we saw one was on the bridge and he was interesting to talk with.

When we entered, we were just turned loose. No map. No instructions. No way to know where to go. Whole place seemed rather disorganized.

But, even with all the problems, we really enjoyed the visit and am glad we stopped by.
Written April 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kelly D. F.
14 contributions
A walk through history...
Jun 2021 • Family
The crew fo a great job of preserving the ship. The staff are very friendly. The attention to historical accuracy was amazing. There were videos throughout the tour that offered more background on the artifacts and the ship itself.

The gift shop offered a variety of souvenirs and keepsakes. The Mess Deck was a little pricey and offered mostly fried food.

We also experienced one of the escape rooms. This was a lot of fun.

Would not recommend this museum to parents of small children.
Written June 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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USS Lexington Museum, Corpus Christi

Frequently Asked Questions about USS Lexington Museum
USS Lexington Museum is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM