Sponsoring Institutional Members

Museum of Natural and Cultural History
Central Michigan University
Rowe 103
Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48859
Tel. (989) 774-3829 – Web Site: https://www.cmich.edu/colleges/chsbs/MCNH/

The Museum of Cultural and Natural History at Central Michigan University supports research and teaching in cultural and natural history and serves as a laboratory for students enrolled in the museum studies, public history, and cultural resource management programs at CMU. Our exhibits are open to the public, and we offer tours and classroom activities for teachers and students.

Door County Maritime Museum
120 N. Madison
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
Tel. (920) 743-5958
Web Site: www.dcmm.org

The Door County Maritime Museum & Lighthouse Preservation Society, Inc. preserves Great Lakes maritime history, primarily focusing on Door County, Wisconsin, and provides interpretive and educational opportunities for current and future generations. The Museum operates three locations, including the Door County Maritime Museum along the working waterfront in Sturgeon Bay; the iconic Cana Island Lighthouse in Baileys Harbor; and the Death’s Door Maritime Museum in Gills Rock. As one of northeast Wisconsin’s top tourism destinations, attracting more than 70,000 visitors annually

Dossin Great Lakes Museum
Detroit Historical Society
5401 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48202
Tel. (313) 297-8366
Web Site: www.detroithistorical.org

The Dossin Great Lakes Museum offers visitors an historical perspective on life on the Great Lakes and along the Detroit River. Located on historic Belle Isle, the Dossin Museum includes the former pilothouse of the Great Lakes freighter S.S. William Clay Ford, and the Gothic Room, which as once part of the luxury passenger steamer City of Detroit III which operated during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Outside is an anchor from the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, and the historic hydroplane Miss Pepsi.

Great Lakes Historical Society
National Museum of Great Lakes
S.S. Col. James M. Schoonmaker
1701 Front Street
Toledo, OH 43605
Tel. (419) 214-5000
Web Site: https://nmgl.org

Founded in 1944, the Great Lakes Historical Society has one of the world’s largest collections of maritime artifacts, documents, models, and artwork related to the maritime history of the Great Lakes. In addition to the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, the Society’s operations also include the Clarence S. Metcalf Great Lakes Maritime Research Library, the Peachman Lake Erie Shipwreck Research Center, and the quarterly history journal Inland Seas®.

Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society
400 West Portage Avenue
Sault Ste Marie, Michigan 49783
Tel. 906-635-1742 or 1-800-635-1742
Web Site: https://www.shipwreckmuseum.com/

The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society was founded in 1978 by a group of divers, teachers, and educators to commence exploration of historic shipwrecks in eastern Lake Superior, near Whitefish Point in Michigan’s scenic Upper Peninsula. Today, this non-profit organization operates two museum sites on historic properties: The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Whitefish Point Light Station, Whitefish Point; and the U.S. Weather Bureau Building, Soo Locks Park, Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan.

Historical Collections of the Great Lakes
Center for Archival Collections
Bowling Green State University
Jerome Library, 6th Floor- Bowling Green, OH 43403
Tel. (419) 372-9612
Web Site: www.bgsu.edu/library/cac/collections/hcgl.html

Part of Bowling Green State University, the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes collects and preserves materials related to the history of the Great Lakes region and its connecting waterways; and then make them available to scholars, students, and the public. Its collections include materials related to shipping, shipbuilding, navigation, maritime law, commercial fishing, shipwrecks, yachting, labor history, popular literature, recreation, and maritime history.

Lake Superior Marine Museum Association
P.O. Box 177- Duluth, MN 55801-0177
Tel. (218) 727-2497
Web Site: www.lsmma.com

The Lake Superior Marine Museum Association seeks to preserve the maritime heritage of Lake Superior and the Port of Duluth-Superior by supporting the activities and programs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s Lake Superior Maritime Visitors Center in Duluth, and the Lake Superior Maritime Collections at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. The LSMMA cooperates with both institutions to acquire, preserve and exhibit maritime artifacts, documents, publications, and photographs.

Port of Ludington Maritime Museum
217 South Lakeshore Drive
Ludington, MI 49431
Tel: (231) 843-4808
Website: https://ludingtonmaritimemuseum.org/
Web Site: https://ludingtonmaritimemuseum.org/

The Port of Ludington Maritime Museum brings history to life with engaging interactive exhibits that entertain, enlighten, and inspire a deeper appreciation for the region’s maritime history. Located in a former U.S. Coast Guard Station, this family-friendly, three-story museum overlooking Lake Michigan tells stories related to the port, including fishing, lighthouses, historic car ferries, and the U.S. Life Saving Service. The museum is operated by the Mason County Historical Society, which also operates Historic White Pine Village.

Mackinac State Historic Parks
P.O. Box 873
Mackinaw City, MI 49701
Tel. (231) 436-4212
Web Site: www.mackinacparks.com

Mackinac State Historic Parks is a family of living history museums and parks in Michigan’s Straits of Mackinac region including Fort Mackinac, Mackinac Island State Park, The Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum, Historic Downtown Mackinac, Michilimackinac State Park, Colonial Michilimackinac, Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park, and Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse in Mackinaw City.


Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston
55 Ontario Street
Kingston, Ontario K7M 6G4
Tel. (613) 542-2261
Web Site: www.marmuseum.ca

Founded in 1975, the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes returned to its historic, long-time home at the Kingston Dry Dock in mid-2021. The museum’s board of directors  purchased the National Historic Landmark site, and is currently undergoing a complete overhaul of the pump house and other period structures. The museum is scheduled to reopen to the public in 2022, even as public programming continues in alternate locations. Stay tuned.

Thunder Bay
National Marine Sanctuary

500 West Fletcher St.
Alpena, MI 49707
Tel. (989) 356-8805
Web Site: www.thunderbay.noaa.gov

Lake Huron’s Thunder Bay is one of the most treacherous stretches of water in the Great Lakes. The 200 recorded shipwrecks in its waters have earned the area its nickname of “Shipwreck Alley.” Today, the 448-square-mile National Marine Sanctuary protects one of the Great Lakes region’s best-preserved collections of shipwrecks ranging from an 1844 side wheel steamer to a modern 500-foot-long German freighter.

University of Wisconsin – Superior
Lake Superior Maritime Collections

P.O. Box 2000 – Superior, WI 54880
Tel. (715) 394-8359
Web Site: https://library.uwsuper.edu/specialcollections

The Lake Superior Maritime Collections Archives (LSMCA) seeks to build a high-quality research collection for both professional and avocational historians by identifying, collecting, preserving, and providing access to materials related to the maritime heritage of the communities surrounding Lake Superior and the upper Great Lakes. While the focus is Lake Superior, the collections also contain unique resources for the study of maritime history on the lower Great Lakes and beyond.

Wisconsin Marine Historical Society
Marine Room
Milwaukee Public Library
814 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53233
Tel. (414) 286-3074
Web Site: www.wmhs.org

The Wisconsin Marine Historical Society is one of the region’s most significant depositories of research materials related to the marine history of the Great Lakes. Affiliated with and housed in the Milwaukee Public Library, the Society is devoted to discovering, collecting, recording and preserving materials related to Great Lakes maritime history. In addition to publications and programs, the Historical Society also maintains a database of Great Lakes vessel information as part of a cooperative effort with the Milwaukee Public Library.

Wisconsin Maritime Museum
75 Maritime Dr.
Manitowoc, WI 54220
Tel. (920) 684-0218
Web Site: www.wisconsinmaritime.org

Founded in 1970, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum is one of the largest maritime museums in the Midwest. In addition to commemorating the marine heritage of the Manitowoc-Two Rivers area and the submarines built there during World War II, the museum is a leader in preserving the maritime history of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes region. With over 60,000 square feet of space, it houses includes a unique collection of model ships and marine engines, along with the World War II submarine U.S.S. Cobia.

Institutional Members

Algonac-Clay Historical
Society and Museum

1240 St. Clair Drive
P.O. Box 228
Algonac, MI 48001
Tel.: (810) 794-9015
Web Site: www.algonac-clay-history.com

Allen County Public Library
Genealogy Department
P.O. Box 2270
Fort Wayne, IN   46801-2270
Tel.: (260) 421-1200
Web Site: www.acpl.lib.in.us

Alpena County
George N. Fletcher Public Library

211 N. First Avenue
Alpena, MI   49707
Tel.: (989) 356-6188   Ext. 17
E-mail: tbrc@alpenalibrary.org
Web Site: www.alpenalibrary.org
Click here for Great Lakes Maritime Database

Antique Boat Museum
750 Mary St.
Clayton, NY   13624
Tel.: (315) 686-4104
E-mail: info@abm.org
Web Site: www.abm.org

Ashtabula Maritime and Surface Transportation Museum
P.O. Box 1546 – Ashtabula, OH   44005-1546
Tel.: (440) 964-6847
Web Site: www.ashtabulamarinemuseum.org

Bayfield Maritime Museum
C/O 317 S. Ninth Street
Bayfield, WI 54814
Web Site: bayfieldmaritimemuseum.org

Bland Memorial Library
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
300 Steamboat Rd. – Kings Point, NY   11024
Tel.: (516) 773-5505
Web Site: www.usmma.edu/library

Bruce County
Museum & Cultural Centre

33 Victoria St. N. – P.O. Box 180
Southampton, ON   N0H 2L0
Tel.: (519) 797-2080
Web Site: www.brucemuseum.ca

Canadian Canoe Museum
910 Monaghan Road – Peterborough, ON   K9J 5K4
Tel.: (705) 748-9153 or 1-866-342-2663
Web Site: www.canoemuseum.ca

Chicago Maritime Museum
1200 West 35th Street, Ste 0E-5010 – Chicago, IL   60609
Tel.: (773) 376-1982
Web Site: www.chicagomaritimemuseum.org

Cleveland
Underwater Explorers Inc.

1226 Lakeland Ave. – Lakewood, OH   44107
Tel.: (216) 956-2338
E-mail: clue@clueshipwrecks.org
Web Site: www.clueshipwrecks.org

Dunkirk Historic Lighthouse
& Veterans Park Museum

1 Lighthouse Point Dr. – P.O. Box 69
Dunkirk, NY   14048-0069
Tel.: (716) 366-5050
Web Site: www.dunkirklighthouse.com

Erie Quest Marine Heritage Area
38 Erie St. N. – Leamington, ON   N8H 2Z3
Tel.: (519) 326-5761, ext. 236
Web Site: www.eriequest.ca

Fairport Harbor Historical Society
129 Second St. – Fairport Harbor, OH 44077
Tel. (440) 354-4825
Web Site: www.fairportlighthouse.com

Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum
P.O. Box 43 – Northport, MI   49670-0043
Tel.: (231) 386-7195
E-mail: gtlthse@triton.net
Web Site: www.grandtraverselighthouse.com

Great Lakes Lighthouse
Keepers Association

P.O. Box 219 – Mackinaw City, MI   49701-0219
Tel.: (231) 436-5580
Fax: (231) 436-5466
E-mail: info@gllka.com
Web Site: www.gllka.com

Great Lakes Naval Museum
610 Farragut Avenue – Great Lakes, IL 60088-2915
Tel.: (847) 688-3154
E-mail: glnm@navy.mil
Web Site: www.history.navy.mil/glnm

Great Lakes Science Center
SS William G. Mather Museum
601 Erieside Ave.- Cleveland, OH   44114
Tel.: (216) 694-2000
Web Site: www.greatscience.com

Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society
7348 Symphony St. NE
Fridley, MN   55432
Web Site: www.glsps.org

H. Lee White Marine Museum
P.O. Box 101 – Oswego, NY   13126-0101
Tel.: (315) 342-0480
E-mail: info@hleewhitemarinemuseum.com
Web Site: www.hleewhitemarinemuseum.com

Harbor Springs Area
Historical Society

P.O. Box 812 – 349 E. Main Street
Harbor Springs, MI   49740
Tel.: (231) 526-9771
Web Site: www.harborspringshistory.org

Huronia Museum
P.O. Box 638 – Midland, ON   L4R 4P4
Tel.: (705) 526-2844
E-mail: info@huroniamuseum.com
Web Site: www.huroniamuseum.com

Inland Seas Education Association
P.O. Box 218 – Suttons Bay, MI   49682-0218
Tel.: (231) 271-3077
Web Site: www.schoolship.org

Le Sault De Ste. Marie
Historical Sites, Inc.

501 E. Water St. – Sault Ste. Marie, MI   49783
Tel.: (906) 632-3658 or 1-888-744-7867
E-mail: admin@thevalleycamp.com
Web Site: www.saulthistoricsites.com

Leelanau Historical Society
203 E. Cedar Street – P.O. Box 246
Leland, MI 49645; tel. (231) 256-7475
E-mail: info@leelanauhistory.org
Web Site: www.leelanauhistory.org

Lower Lakes Marine Historical Society
66 Erie Street – Buffalo, NY 14202
Tel.: (716) 849-0914
Web Site: www.llmhs.org

Manistee County Historical Society
425 River St. – Manistee, MI   49660
Tel.: (231) 723-5531
Web Site: manisteemuseum.org

Marine Historical
Society Of Detroit, Inc.

435 Strouse Lane
Sandusky, OH   44870
Web Site: www.mhsd.org
Maritime Heritage Alliance
13268 S. West Bayshore Dr.
Traverse City, MI   49684
Tel.: (231) 946-2647
Web Site: www.maritimeheritagealliance.org

Maritime Museum Of Sandusky
125 Meigs St. – Sandusky, OH   44870-2834
Tel.: (419) 624-0274
E-mail: sanduskymaritime@bex.net
Web Site: www.sanduskymaritime.org

Marquette Maritime Museum
P.O. Box 1096 – 300 Lakeshore Blvd.
Marquette, MI   49855-1096
Tel.: (906) 226-2006
E-mail: mqtmaritimemuseum@yahoo.com
Web Site: www.mqtmaritimemuseum.com

Marsh Collection Society
235A Dalhousie St. – Amherstburg, ON   N9V 1W6
Tel.: (519) 736-9191
E-mail: research@marshcollection.org
Web Site: www.marshcollection.org

Mercyhurst Archaeological Institute
Mercyhurst College
501 East 38th St. – Erie, PA   16546
Tel.: (814) 824-2581
Web Site: mai.mercyhurst.edu

Michigan City Historical Society
Old Lighthouse Museum
P.O. Box 512
Michigan City, IN     46361-0512
Tel.: (219) 872-6133
E-mail: mchistorical@att.net
Web Site: oldlighthousemuseum.org

Michigan Lighthouse Alliance
P.O. Box 346 – Acme, MI   49610
Web Site: www.michiganlighthousealliance.org

Michigan Shipwreck
Research Association

1134 Goodwood Ct.
Holland, MI   49424
Tel.: (616) 738-9233
Web Site: www.michiganshipwrecks.org

Milwaukee Public Library
814 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Milwaukee, WI   53233-2309
Tel. (920) 286-3000
Web Site: www.mpl.org
Click for Great Lakes Marine Collection Database

North Point Lighthouse Friends, Inc.
2650 North Wahl Ave.
Milwaukee, WI   53211
E-mail: milwaukeelight@yahoo.com
Web Site: www.northpointlighthouse.org

Ohio History Connection
800 E. 17th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43211-2474
Tel. (614) 297-2350
Web Site: www.ohiohistory.org

Port Colborne Historical & Marine Museum
P.O. Box 572
Port Colborne, ON   L3K 5X8
Tel.: (905) 834-7604
E-mail: museum@portcolborne.ca
Web Site: www.portcolborne.com/page/museum

Rail-Marine Information Group
12107 Mt. Albert Rd. – Ellicott City, MD   21042-1334
Tel.: (410) 531-3207
Web Site: www.trainweb.org/rmigRutherford B. Hayes
Presidential Center

Library – Spiegel Grove
Fremont, OH   43420-2796
Tel.: (419) 332-2081
E-mail: hayeslib@rbhayes.org
Web Site: www.rbhayes.org

Saginaw River Marine Historical Society
P.O. Box 2051
Bay City, MI   48707-2051
Web Site: www.saginawriver.com

Save Ontario Shipwrecks
P.O. Box 2389
Blenheim, ON   N0P 1A0
E-mail: pro@saveontarioshipwrecks.com
Web Site: www.saveontarioshipwrecks.on.ca

Smithsonian Institution
P.O. Box 37012
NMAH-5007/MRC 629
Washington, DC   20013-7012
Tel.: (202) 633-3909
Web Site: www.si.edu

Split Rock Lighthouse Historic Site
Minnesota Historical Society
3713 Split Rock Lighthouse Rd.
Two Harbors, MN   55616
Tel.: (218) 226-6372
E-mail: splitrock@mnhs.org
Web Site: www.mnhs.org/splitrock

St. Catharines Museum
and Welland Canal Centre at Lock 3

1932 Welland Canals Parkway
P.O. Box 3012 – St. Catharines, ON   L2R 7C2
Tel.: (905) 984-8880 or 1-800-305-5134
E-mail: museuminfo@stcatharines.ca
Web Site: stcatharines.ca

St. Clair Shores Public Library
22500 Eleven Mile Rd. – St. Clair Shores, MI   48081
Tel.: (586) 771-9020
Web Site: www.scslibrary.org

Superior Public Museums
SS Meteor
Museum Ship
906 East Second St. – Superior, WI   54880
Tel.: (715) 394-5712
E-mail: ska1919@msn.com
Web Site: www.superiorpublicmuseums.org

Tri-Cities Historical Museum
200 Washington Ave. – Grand Haven, MI   49417
Tel.: (616) 842-0700
Web Site: www.tri-citiesmuseum.org

Underwater Archaeological
Society Of Chicago

P.O. Box 11752 – Chicago, IL   60611
Web Site: www.uaschicago.org

Western Lake Erie Marine
Historical Society

C/O Flag Sales & Repair
4849 N. Summit St. – Toledo, OH   43611
Tel.: (419) 726-9571

Wisconsin Underwater
Archeology Association

P.O. Box 510173 – Milwaukee, WI   203
Web Site: www.wuaa.org