About Us

Palacios Area Historical Association (PAHA), was incorporated in 1982 as a 501(c)3 non profit organization in the City of Palacios , Matagorda County, Texas. It is governed by a Board of Trustees that is elected by the general membership at an annual meeting. PAHA operates the City by the Sea Museum to carry out its work. It relies on grants and donations to support that work, as well as on the generosity of volunteers who give of their time, energy, skills and talent as docents, event organizers, exhibit designers, and collection managers. It operates a gift shop in the Museum and employs a director, curator, and educator.

The mission of the Palacios Area Historical Association is to operate a museum as a functional resource center for visitors to experience and learn from the region’s diverse cultures and history. The Museum collects, conserves and interprets the material evidence of the prehistory, history and natural history of Palacios, Texas and the surrounding region; including along the shores of and in the adjoining waters, with emphasis on the social and cultural history of this area. This serves to preserve the past, record the present and provide perspective for the future.