Galveston Monthly - Exploring Your Island Paradise

This Month

Legacy of Model Laundry

The original identity of the large white building at the corner of Twenty-fifth and Church Streets is betrayed by a “ghost sign” (an old, faded, hand-painted advertising sign on the exterior of a building) still visible on the north side, which reads “Model Laundry and Dye Works.”

New Life of Model Laundry

When Roger Massicott first saw the former Model Laundry building, constructed in 1913, he described it as “bare bones and derelict.” He recalled that when he purchased the property, “there was a guy named Jimmy Whitlock here who was a motorcycle man. He has since passed. He had over 300 Nortons ...

Galveston's Burria Boom

Birria has taken Galveston by storm, popping up on menus in forms both familiar and unexpected - crispy tacos, cheesy quesadillas, steaming ramen bowls, loaded fries, and even birria-topped snacks. It’s the kind of dish that invites exploration, and local restaurants are embracing its versatility ...

Polo Invitational

The first sound is not the surf, but the low thunder of hooves - measured, powerful, unmistakably alive. On Porretto Beach, where sand meets sea along one of Galveston Island’s most storied stretches of shoreline, the landscape shifts from open coast to arena.

From Dredge to Discovery

The beach is why most visitors come to the Island. Whether they’re listening to the waves, breathing in the salt air, strolling the shoreline, or searching for treasures in the sand, the beach pulls us in again and again. When the shoreline erodes faster than ...

Winter Garden Promise

There’s a hush in the garden in February along the Gulf Coast - a stillness that feels both lingering and electric. Some mornings the air bites with a sharp breath of cold, while other days the sun warms the soil like a soft whisper of spring yet to come.

Three new places to give back, gather, and indulge, each adding fresh energy and vibrant new offerings to life on the island

Galveston is starting the year with a wave of new openings that highlight the island’s creativity, generosity, and growing sense of community. From a fully established community fridge helping neighbors support one another, to a restored boutique hotel inviting locals into its serene morning lounge, to a family run Crumbl store bringing its famous pink box cookies to 61st Street, here’s what’s new around town

Shykatz Community Fridge
Galveston’s first fully established, permanent, publicly supported, consistently maintained community fridge is now open behind ShyKatZ Café & Bakery, offering neighbors a place to both give and receive fresh food, pantry staples, and home-cooked meals.

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A New Look at Galveston’s Mardi Gras Legacy

Galveston County Museum debuts refreshed Mardi Gras display

Galveston County Museum has refreshed its year-round Mardi Gras Gallery in honor of the museum’s 50th anniversary. Each year, a selection of costumes is rotated back into safe storage while new pieces are brought out, allowing visitors to see different highlights from the museum’s extensive Mardi Gras and Treasure Ball collection.

For this milestone year, the museum is showcasing several capes and trains dating back 50 years, including designs inspired by the Tremont and Bishop’s Palace. They are also debuting a newly donated Chicken Run costume from Da Krewe du Roux of Galveston, now on public display for the first time.

The museum’s Mardi Gras archive includes hundreds of costumes, accessories, photographs, and artifacts documenting more than a century of island tradition. They continue to welcome donations from the community to help preserve Galveston’s Mardi Gras history for future generations.

The Galveston County Museum is located inside the old county courthouse at 722 Moody/21st Street. Admission is free on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10am to 4pm. Tours can be arranged on Tuesdays and Thursdays by calling 409.766.2340. For more information visit galvestoncountyhistory.org.

A Look Back: The Oleander Drive-In Theatre

The drive in movie theater was once a technological marvel, offering the novelty of watching the latest films from the comfort of your car. But as Texans embraced air-conditioned indoor theaters, the drive-in era faded almost as quickly as it rose.

At its peak in the mid-1950s, Texas led the nation with more than four hundred drive-ins - roughly one every six hundred square miles.

Galveston joined that boom in 1951 with the opening of the Oleander Drive-In Theatre, a state-of-the-art venue that immediately drew attention across Texas. Built by Interstate Circuit, Inc. (better known as Interstate Theaters), the Oleander was part of a rapid expansion that saw the company open thirty drive-ins across major Texas cities in just twelve years.

Located north of Broadway near 77th Street on the site where Classic Auto Group now stands, the Oleander had its entrance on Harborside Drive and occupied fifteen acres with an “all-weather paved parking area” for more than eight hundred cars.

Home & Garden
Enjoy inspirational interiors, decorating and gardens from those that help shape Galveston Island style.

Food & Drink

Where to find lunch, brunch, dinner covering casual to fine dining. These places are not afraid to try new things. Hope you're hungry.

Arts & Culture

Beaches aren't all Galveston has to offer. Local theater productions, contemporary art exhibits and other family events that always inspires.