The change in the name of the Gulf of Mexico announced by Donald Trump is causing problems for the Mexico National Maritime Museum, which may now have to change all references to the region.
The only museum in the world dedicated to the history and culture of the Gulf of Mexico faces an unexpected dilemma after the decision of US President Donald Trump renamed the large water mass to “Gulf of America“. The decision, announced as part of an effort to “honor American greatness”, has generated controversy, with practical and cultural implications.
At the center of this controversy is the Gulf of Mexico National Maritime Museum, located in Mobile, Alabama. In April 2024, director Karen Poth finished a great reformulation of the museum, including a New name and visual identity. The process involved the support of local authorities, raising funds and updating graphic and digital materials. Only the change of name cost about $ 100,000, explains.
Now, with the possibility of having to modify all references to the Gulf again, POTH admits that the impact will be significant. “It would be a complete reformulation of the entire museum. Each audio, each video, each signage would have to be changed, ”he said. As the museum belongs to the city of Mobile, any change will depend on the municipal guidelines.
Trump’s decision also caused international reactions. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the US President It has no legal authority to change the name of the region. In addition, Google has announced that it will join the executive order and modify the name on Google Maps in the US, further expanding the debate.
The history of the Gulf of Mexico reveals that he has had several names over the centuries. The Spaniards, when they arrived in the region in 1513, initially called him “China Sea“Believing they had found a route to Asia. Later, he received the names of “Gulf of Cortes” and “Gulf of Nova Spain”. It was not until the mid-fifteenth century that Spanish maps began to name him as Gulf of Mexico, in reference to the Mexical people, founder of the Aztec Empire.
Over the centuries, the region has undergone Spanish rule, then the French and British, until it is finally incorporated by the United States in the early nineteenth century. That historical diversity It is reflected in the museum itself, which seeks to present to the public the complexity of the region, including its global influence.
The National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico, with its imposing eight -storey -shaped structure, highlights the fundamental role of the region in the planet’s economic and environmental history. With interactive exhibitions, visitors learn about the importance of the gulf in commercial fishing, oil production and Gulf Current Climate Influence.
Another essential aspect addressed by the museum is the indigenous presence in the region. The first inhabitants reached the margins of the Gulf between 8000 and 10,000 years ago. When the Europeans arrived, they found peoples like the Calusa, who developed along the southwest of Florida, living from the abundant marine life and raising huge structures of oyster shells. In the following centuries, the Gulf has become a meeting point for cultures from various parts of the world.
For historian Jack E. Davis, author of The Gulf: The Making of An American Sea, a book winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the name “Gulf of Mexico” reflects this historical and geographical plurality. “We are not just us“He says, arguing that the new name imposed by Trump ignores the importance of the Gulf to other countries and peoples. The author says that he had a physical reaction to hear the expression “Gulf of America” used in a speech by the governor of Florida. “I almost vomited. It’s so wrong.”
Faced with this controversy, experts such as historian John Sledge suggest an alternative: rename the region as “Gulf of the Americas“Recognizing its continental scope. After all, the Gulf faces global challenges such as marine pollution, coastal erosion and the impacts of climate change.
Meanwhile, Karen Poth and his team are still focused on keeping the museum relevant to visitors. One of the next exhibitions will be dedicated to the late singer Jimmy Buffett, icon of tropical and natural mobile music.
However, even this project is under discussion due to the change of nomenclature. “How are we going to call the exhibition? All of his songs are about the Gulf of Mexico, ”asks Poth.
