National Museum of the Great Lakes

09/03/2026

❔🔬Did you know there’s an important research vessel that works the Great Lakes year round? The R/V 𝘕𝘦𝘦𝘴𝘬𝘢𝘺 has been conducting vital freshwater research on the lakes for over 50 years.

🪖Built as a military T-Boat in the 1950s, the 𝘕𝘦𝘦𝘴𝘬𝘢𝘺 and other T-Boats of its era that were used in the Korean war—were designed to operate in rivers and near coastal waters as ship to shore cargo and supply boats. This design made them ideal for conversion to research vessels. The 𝘕𝘦𝘦𝘴𝘬𝘢𝘺 was converted to a research vessel in 1970 by the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. In addition to research led by UW faculty and students, the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences uses the 𝘕𝘦𝘦𝘴𝘬𝘢𝘺 to conduct workshops for scientists and educators from around the Great Lakes. 🔍

🌊The 𝘕𝘦𝘦𝘴𝘬𝘢𝘺 currently holds the distinction of being the only four season scientific research vessel on the Great Lakes!

📷The R/V 𝘕𝘦𝘦𝘴𝘬𝘢𝘺 on the Milwaukee River. Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0

09/03/2026

Time is running out to experience 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘓𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴! 🦫

Visit now to explore the ecological history of the Great Lakes, discover how people and nature have shaped these waters over time, and learn what scientists, organizations, and communities are doing to protect them today.

𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 is included with museum admission and closes October 18. Don’t miss your chance to experience it!

Learn more and plan your visit: nmgl.org/currents.

09/02/2026

It’s the final month of Wellness by the Boat. 🚢 Don’t miss your chance to enjoy a free waterfront workout!

Join us Saturday, September 5, at 10 a.m. for a gentle, 45-minute Tai Chi class beside the 𝘊𝘰𝘭. 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘔. 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳 Museum Ship. You'll be guided through slow, controlled movements designed to build strength, improve balance, and reduce stress.

The class is free, open to all fitness levels, and held in Cliffs Great Lakes Maritime Park. Bring a water bottle and a friend!

Wellness by the Boat is co-presented by UToledo Health and Dr. Mary R. Smith. Registration is required: https://taichisept.eventbrite.com/

09/01/2026

🚣‍♀️Have you been up north this summer? How about “out to the lakes?” In the late 1800s, Great Lakes resorts and vacation destinations were popular with people within and nearby the region. Railroad and passenger boat companies marketed destinations as a way to book tickets. Some of the transportation company owners and investors also owned interest in popular hotels and resorts. 🛤️

🏖️The companies paid for beautiful guides to entice people to spend time in the places they could take them. The 1883 guide shown here is: Detroit and the Pleasure Resorts of Northern Michigan. Compliments of Passenger Department of the Detroit, Lansing & Northern Railroad. The guides were also popular with scrapbookers. Scrapbooking was a big trend at the same time, and for the same reasons: innovations in paper production and printing processes that made paper, photo prints, and color illustration printing more accessible to everyone.👣🗺️

📷Michigan Travel Guide printed by J. F. Eby & Co., Printers, 1883. There are illustrations of campsites, a train engine, a bear, a bird, a deer, fish, and Arch Rock on the cover.

09/01/2026

Labor Day Weekend Special!

To thank the hardworking men and women who keep our communities moving, the National Museum of the Great Lakes is offering FREE admission to all active and retired union members during Labor Day Weekend!

📅 September 5–7
⚓ Admission includes the museum and museum vessels.

You can pre-order your tickets online and bring proof of union membership at check-in. Get tickets: https://nmgl.org/event/2026laborday/

09/01/2026

Did you know... the 𝘚𝘵. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 was once the 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘢 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳? And we have the stack emblem in our collection!

09/01/2026

Twenty-five years ago, nearly half a million people escaped Lower Manhattan by water in the largest maritime evacuation in history.

Opening September 1, our newest temporary micro-exhibit, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘌𝘷𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 11, 2001, shares this remarkable story through the experiences of four vessels: a U.S. Coast Guard cutter, a harbor tugboat, a passenger vessel, and a privately owned boat.

Through powerful photographs and firsthand accounts, discover how professional mariners and everyday citizens answered the call, working together to bring hundreds of thousands of people to safety in less than nine hours.

Experience the exhibit September 1–October 31, 2026 at the National Museum of the Great Lakes.

📸 Photo courtesy of New York Police Department.

09/01/2026

09/01/2026

September at the Museum is here ⚓

Our lineup is packed with meaningful ways to get out of the house, learn something new, and connect by the waterfront.

Event details: https://nmgl.org/events/

08/30/2026

Celebrate National Grandparents Day with an afternoon of fun, family, and Great Lakes stories! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 On Sunday, September 13, from 1–4 p.m., Grandparent Members and their grandchildren can team up for a family scavenger hunt with prizes, create personalized maritime signal flags to take home, and enjoy more hands-on activities together.

Not a Grandparent Member yet? Join for just $50—a savings of $8! Current members with more than one month remaining can also renew at the discounted rate.

Grandparent Members Appreciation Day is presented by Sean and Sarah Harold.