National Museum of the Great Lakes

10/15/2026

🏠⚓Did you know the SS Edmund Fitzgerald only visited its home port once in its entire career on the Great Lakes? The official homeport of the Fitz was Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Fitz visited Milwaukee during the 1959 steelworkers strike. Most of the Great Lakes ore boats spent the better part of 4 months in ports around the lakes during the tense strike negotiations. While in Milwaukee, over 11,000 visitors were allowed to board for tours of the boat. 🎫

🚢With a strike resolution in site, the Edmund Fitzgerald sailed from the Port of Milwaukee in late October 1959. The boat never returned to its homeport again. 🌊

📷Visitors viewing the engine room on the Edmund Fitzgerald. Courtesy of Milwaukee Public Library.

10/14/2026

🔎✨ Looking for a fun, family-friendly event?

Join us for our next Lil’ Scupper’s Kids Club as we uncover the colorful world of Great Lakes beach glass with Maroks GlassRoots! 🌊

Through storytime, hands-on activities, and a sensory-friendly treasure hunt, little adventurers will discover how beach glass is formed and even earn a special gift.

📅 Thursday, November 19 | 10:30–11:30 AM
📍 National Museum of the Great Lakes

Register for free here: https://lilscuppersglass.eventbrite.com/

10/13/2026

⛏️ One of Lexi's favorite artifacts in the museum is this carpenter's tool chest from the 1880s. 🔨 You can see the wear and tear on each tool and the intricate hand carved details from the past! Be sure to check it out next time you're here.

10/13/2026

E is for ENGINE! 🚢⚙️

We had an extremely exciting time welcoming our friends from WGTE Public Media to the museum for an episode of Apples to Zebras! 🎥

This fun early learning series helps little learners explore the alphabet while discovering some of Lucas County’s most iconic landmarks. In our episode, Kelsey explores how engines work while aboard the 𝘊𝘰𝘭. 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘔 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳 Museum Ship!

A big THANK YOU to our partners at WGTE for featuring the museum and inspiring the next generation of curious explorers! 💙

Check out the episode and explore the letter E with us! 🔤

In this edition of Apples to Zebras, Kelsey takes us to the Nationa...

10/12/2026

It's your last chance to experience 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘓𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴.

Our exhibit explores how centuries of human activity shaped one of the world’s most important freshwater ecosystems.

Discover the stories behind the decline of lake trout, the loss of Great Lakes wetlands, the arrival of invasive species, harmful algal blooms, and more while also exploring the people and organizations working to shape what comes next.

𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 closes on October 18.

10/10/2026

Membership means unlimited time to explore, again and again! 🌊⚓🚢

Visit nmgl.org/membership to join today.

10/09/2026

Kicking off the weekend with some exciting news! 🎉

We updated nmgl.org. Simplified. Streamlined. Sophisticated. Our new site is easier than ever to navigate.

Check it out! 🌐

10/09/2026

Great Lakes history can be found in unexpected places, including on the walls of The Toledo Museum of Art!

On view in TMA Forever is this portrait of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the U.S. Navy officer who rose to fame following the Battle of Lake Erie near Put-in-Bay during the War of 1812.

The portrait has a fascinating story of its own. Famed American artist Gilbert Stuart completed Perry’s head before his death, leaving his teenage daughter, Jane Stuart, to finish the work.

It’s another reminder that the stories of the Great Lakes extend far beyond the water and throughout our community’s incredible cultural collections.

See 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘖𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘏𝘢𝘻𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘺 in TMA Forever, on view in the Glass Pavilion at the Toledo Museum of Art through January 3, 2027.

🖼️ Jane Stuart (American, about 1812–1888) and Gilbert Stuart (American, 1755–1828), 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘖𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘏𝘢𝘻𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘺. Oil on wood panel, 1818–28. 26 5/8 × 21 3/4 in. (67.6 × 55.2 cm). Purchased with funds from the Florence Scott Libbey Bequest in Memory of her Father, Maurice A. Scott, 1967.140. On view in TMA Forever in the Glass Pavilion.

10/08/2026

🐦 Who’s visiting your backyard?

Your littlest explorers are invited to spread their wings at our next Lil’ Scupper’s Kids Club! Join Jamie Cunningham from Black Swamp Bird Observatory on Thursday, October 15, for a fun, hands-on look at the birds we see—and hear—every day.

Kids will discover how to identify common backyard birds, learn what they like to eat, listen for their unique songs, and find out why our feathered friends are so important. 🪶

📅 Thursday, October 15
⏰ 10:30–11:30 a.m.
👧 Recommended for ages 6 and under; older siblings welcome!

Sign up here: https://lilscuppersbirding.eventbrite.com/

10/08/2026

Did you know the 𝘊𝘰𝘭. 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘔. 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳 shares many similarities with the 𝘌𝘥𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘪𝘵𝘻𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘥?

This November, step aboard for a special guided tour commemorating the 51st anniversary of the loss of the 𝘍𝘪𝘵𝘻𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘥 and its 29-member crew.

Using our historic freighter as a backdrop, you’ll explore the similarities between the two ships while learning more about the events of November 10, 1975, the theories surrounding the 𝘍𝘪𝘵𝘻𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘥’s sinking, and the stories of the 29 men who were lost.

⚓ 75-minute guided tours
⚓ Tours every 30 minutes from 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
⚓ Museum admission included

Space is limited. Reserve your tour today 👉 https://fitztours26.eventbrite.com