The Gregg County Historical Museum in Longview is featuring a special exhibit through August 22 that dives into the mysteries of the ocean.
For centuries, legends of the deep tales of the Kraken, mermaids, and other sea monsters have captivated the human imagination. Many of these myths stem from real creatures, like the Megladon, once thought to be pure fantasy. Today, cutting edge technology is unraveling the mysteries of the ocean, revealing breathtaking coral reefs, long lost shipwrecks, and species yet to be named. But the sea is not just a place of wonder — it also drives industry and innovation. Offshore drilling platforms tap into vital resources, submarines push the limits of exploration and defense, and underwater hotels offer the rate thrill of sleeping beneath the waves, immersed in the ocean’s splendor.
Conquering the Seas: Unveiling Its Secrets features artifacts from a variety of sources including scuba gear from the Deep Dive Dubai swimming pool, and a kid’s interactive area where they can play on a fabricated submarine, enjoy salt water fish, and learn to use a sailboat lee helm. A model of the jaw of the extinct Megladon, a giant mackerel shark that lived 23 to 3.6 million years ago, is part of the exhibit as well as recovered salvage from sunken Civil War era gunships from the Mississippi River in Vicksburg. Virtual reality headsets help explore the Titanic wreckage and numerous artifacts and historical items bring focus to the fascinations of the ocean.
Conquering the Seas: Unveiling its Secrets examines human attempts to understand what is not easily seen. From the Age of Exploration with Viking expeditions and use of submarines to the Age of Discovery and using nautical archeology, the exhibit gives visitors a glimpse of the past.
The Gregg County Historical Museum is located at 214 North Fredonia Street in Longview. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Call (903) 753-5854 and visit www.GreggHistorical.org for more information.
