People’s Gallery

Ghost of Travelers Past

The life size ghost white sculptures, Ghosts of Travelers Past, on display in the Train Depot, were commissioned by museum founder, philanthropist and preservationist, Mary Moody Northen, in 1981, in anticipation of the 1983 grand opening of the Galveston Railroad Museum. The prominent, photogenic, and highly popular sculptures were created by Elliot and Ivan Schwartz, StudioEIS. 

Serving as story tellers, the statues depict travelers from all walks of life, bound for their own destinations, are congregated here to board their respective trains in an ever- bustling 1932 train depot.

If some appear familiar, it may be so, as live models were used by the artists to depict the travelers.  Visitors will see in the faces of the full- sized sculptures the the artists, their family, and acquaintances who posed for up to 5 hours each to become the body of this extraordinary collection.

Elliot and Ivan Schwartz, of Studio EIS based in Brooklyn, New York, are sculptors, object makers, and designers whose creations are displayed in museums and institutions internationally. The Galveston Railroad Museum is proud to host the collection of the Ghosts of Travelers Past.