1894 Grand Opera House

One of the few buildings in Galveston to survive the Great Storm of 1900, this historic theater has hosted performances for over 125 years. The ornate Victorian venue saw vaudeville acts, plays, and concerts throughout its history, and continues to operate as a performing arts center today.

The Grand 1894 Opera House, designated the official Opera House of the State of Texas by the 73rd legislature, has entertained audiences for over 130 years—and some performers apparently refuse to take their final bow.

The Grand survived Galveston's devastating 1900 hurricane—still the deadliest natural disaster in American history. Despite suffering significant damage, the community prioritized the opera house's repair and had it running again within months. The building's resilience through that catastrophe may have bound the spirits of that era to its walls forever.

In the mid-20th century, the rise of cinema caused the Grand to close from 1974 to 1990. An $8 million community fundraising effort led to its restoration and reopening—awakening more than just the building.

When cast and crew members of "The Phantom of the Opera" arrived in 1990, they began reporting unexplained footsteps and mysterious shadows moving backstage. The theater's reputation for hauntings has only grown since.

The former opera house apartments, now converted to Artist's Lofts, became a hotbed of paranormal activity almost immediately after residents moved in. Artists living in the building share experiences of hearing phantom music drifting through empty halls, seeing apparitions in period costume, and feeling presences watching them in their apartments.

Some witnesses believe phantom performers still rehearse on the stage, that ghostly audiences applaud empty seats during quiet hours, and that shows continue for spirits who refuse their final curtain call. The energy of over a century of performances—and the souls of those lost in the 1900 storm—seems to permeate every corner of this historic venue.

The Storm on the Strand Ghost Tour considers the Grand one of Galveston's most essential haunted stops, alongside the Tremont House and the Railroad Museum. Those who work late nights in the theater learn quickly that they are never truly alone.