Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum
Visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum to explore Michigan’s maritime history, shipwreck legends, the Edmund Fitzgerald and much more!
When exploring Michigan, make sure to spend some time diving into its past. In our region, you have the opportunity to learn about our state’s important maritime history. Several decades spent shipping across the Great Lakes — a time when lightkeepers peered out the tower awaiting any distress signal. There is no better way to learn about this era of Michigan than to visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point!
The museum is open each year from May 1-Oct. 31 daily. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission costs are as follows:
$15 for adults 18+
$11 children ages 6-17
Free for children 5 and younger
$50 for families of 2 adults and 2 or more children
Photo Credit: Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation Association
One of Michigan’s most popular destinations, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum attracts over 100,000 visitors each year. And with so much to learn in one place, we completely understand why they come! Guests can explore the following on their visit:
Whitefish Point Lighthouse was built in 1849 to guide those ships to safety in the dangerous waters. Today, it is the oldest operating lighthouse on Lake Superior! The current tower dates back to 1861, when Abraham Lincoln was president. You can take a self-guided tour of the Lighthouse Keeper’s Quarters which were built the same year. The light station is a registered National Historic Site.
Learn more about Whitefish Point Lighthouse
As you wander through the museum gallery, learn about the treacherous waters of the Great Lakes. Watch the legends you’ve heard of over the years, in history lessons, come to life before your very eyes. The artifacts and exhibits tell one story in many perspectives — brave sailors who survived the waters and those who weren’t as lucky. The waters extending west from Whitefish Point earned the chilling name “Lake Superior’s Shipwreck Coast” for all the ships that perished. Many ships succumbed to the mighty waves of the Great Lakes, but one of the most famous is the Edmund Fitzgerald.
In November 1975, the Edmund Fitzgerald sunk during a severe storm in massive waves that took over the ship. Its original bell was recovered from the wreckage in 1995 and is on display at the museum today. Pay tribute to the crew members who perished that day by learning more about their stories.
Photo Credit: Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation Association
Your Shipwreck Museum tour includes a self-guided tour of the museum itself, the 1861 Lighthouse Keeper’s Quarters, the 1923 Surfboat House and the 1923 USCG Motor Lifeboat House with a video theater. You can learn more about each buildings role on the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum website.
There is an old legend that Lake Superior’s icy temperature stays cold even in the summer because of all the souls who perished in its waters. While several factors determine the Lake’s temperature, the legend is believed by many because of several famous Lake Superior Shipwrecks like the Edmund Fitzgerald. Learn about some of the most famous Lake Superior shipwrecks before visiting the coast yourself.
While you can tour the Shipwreck Museum’s various buildings across its campus, you can also take multiple glass bottom shipwreck tours from different cities along Lake Superior’s coast.
Plan your trip today to the museum and coastline, where you can see artifacts and historical accounts from these shipwrecks and more. Book a hotel stay in the area so you can see it all before you leave!
