Get On Deck For Great Lakes History at our Maritime Museums

Nov. 4, 2016

Take a road trip into a watery world of artifacts and exploration and explore the lives of working and military sailors. If you’re looking to immerse yourself in the seafaring life, these four maritime museums are a great place to start.

GREAT LAKES SHIPWRECK MUSEUM

Whitefish Point

Opened in 1986, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society has long dedicated itself to researching shipwrecks on the Great Lakes, pulling all manner of information from the remnants these ships leave behind. Many of the organization’s finds are collected in this extensive museum on the Upper Peninsula’s Whitefish Point. The museum respectfully hosts the ship’s bell from the most well-known Michigan shipwreck, the Edmund Fitzgerald, and also showcases the NEWTSUIT, the specialized underwater diving system that retrieved the bell from the wreck. The museum campus, which features nine historic structures plus new buildings, welcomes 60,000 visitors a year, earning it a nod from the Discovery Channel for its Edmund Fitzgerald information and attracting hordes of archaeologists, historians, educators, divers, sailors, and civilian visitors.

Find it: 18335 N. Whitefish Point Rd., 888- 492-3747

More information: shipwreckmuseum.com

MICHIGAN MARITIME MUSEUM

South Haven

Expect five buildings worth of permanent and visiting exhibits covering all aspects of Michigan maritime history, plus insights into boat building and a tall ship, the sloop Friends Good Will. Far more than a pretty accessory, the ship serves as the museum’s "floating classroom" and also offers short sail tours so guests can experience boating on the Great Lakes. If you’d like even more on-water experiences, you can also take a short excursion on the museum’s USCG 36460 motor lifeboat, the lifeboat that starred in the recent Disney movie The Finest Hours. Back on shore, the museum’s newest exhibit, Mysteries Beneath the Waves: Wrecks of the Sunset Coast features locals shipwrecks the Hennepin, the Ann Arbor No. 5, and the Mystery Sloop.

Find it: 260 Dyckman Ave., 269-637-8078

More information: michiganmaritimemuseum.org

DOSSIN GREAT LAKES MUSEUM

Belle Isle The anchor of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald was transferred to this museum on beautiful Belle Isle, with the facility itself sitting on The Strand on Belle Isle Park, alongside the Detroit River. A special emphasis on Detroit’s role in maritime history is one of the focuses of this museum, which also hosts one of the largest collections of model ships in the world. Another highlight is one that will take you back to the golden age of Great Lakes steamer ships: the fullyrestored smoking lounge of the SS City of Detroit III. And the newest permanent exhibit, Built by the River, lets you "steer" a longship down the Detroit River, allowing you hands-on insight into the Motor City’s river-fed commerce. A wide range of changing exhibits, plus films and lectures, round out this museum’s offerings. Bonus: If you plan your visit during a weather-accommodating time of year, you can also enjoy Belle Isle’s scenic parks and picnic grounds.

Find it: 100 Strand Dr., 313-833-1805

More information: detroithistorical.org

USS SILVERSIDES MARITIME MUSEUM

Muskegon The USS Silversides is a WWII submarine that conducted more than 30 war patrols after the Pearl Harbor attack. Today, it’s enjoying a well-earned rest in Muskegon, where the sub serves to help visitors "relive naval history" in all its powerful, rumbling glory – especially if you’re lucky enough to be on deck when the sub’s still-working engines are fired up. Also on display in the water is the USCGC McLane, a United States Coast Guard cutter. Back on land you’ll find the brick-and-mortar museum, which offers a wealth of information about the war in the Pacific, the sailors who served there, and Silversides’ role in that war. The more ambitious can book an actual overnight stay on the submarine itself, for a truly unique WWII museum experience.

Find it: 1346 Bluff St., 231-755-1230

More information: silversidesmuseum.org