National Museum of the Great Lakes

The mission of the Great Lakes Historical Society (GLHS) is to preserve and make known the history of the Great Lakes. We achieve our mission by: Operating the National Museum of the Great Lakes, the SS Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, the Museum Tug Ohio and a maritime park in Toledo, Ohio Publishing our award winning quarterly journal Inland Seas® Conducting nautical archaeology research through our Peachman Great Lakes Shipwreck Research Program Offering educational programs to children and adults alike.

The Great Lakes are not only the most important natural resource in the world, but they also represent thousands of years of history. The lakes have dramatically impacted the social, economic and political history of the North American continent. The National Museum of the Great Lakes tells the awe-inspiring stories of our Great Lakes through breathtaking photography, over 300 incredible artifacts, a number of powerful audiovisual displays and 40 hands-on interactive exhibits including the 617-foot iron ore freighter Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and the historic Museum Tug Ohio. The tales told here span hundreds of years, from the fur traders in the 1600s to the Underground Railroad operators in the 1800s, the rum runners in the 1900s, to the sailors on the thousand-footers sailing today. The theme of the Great Lakes as a Powerful Force runs through all of these stories and will create a lifelong interest in all who visit.