2026 Luck of the Lakes Previous Purchasers Raffle

As a past supporter of the National Museum of the Great Lakes’ Luck of the Lakes Raffle, only YOU get the chance to win multiple, once-in-a-lifetime Great Lakes experiences in our Previous Purchasers Raffle!

Previous Purchasers Raffle Prizes

GRAND PRIZE

Legends of the Great Lakes Experience: Hotel stay, private meet-and-greet, dinner and more!

SECOND PRIZE

Currents of Change Nature Escape: Overnight stay, guided birding tour, Lake Erie research, and more!

THIRD PRIZE:

10 additional 2026 Luck of the Lakes Raffle tickets.

See below for additional prize details.

Your Ticket to Supporting Our Mission!

Every contribution propels the National Museum of the Great Lakes forward in our mission to preserve, share, and celebrate the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story.

With your generous support, we’re not just safeguarding the past, we’re shaping the future as the gathering place for Great Lakes conversations.

Previous Purchasers Raffle tickets can be bought until 12 pm on June 29, 2026. Winners will be drawn on June 30, 2026 and contacted individually and announced on this page. Click here for additional raffle rules and regulations.

Previous Purchasers Raffle Complete Prize Details:

Grand Prize

Legends of the Great Lakes Experience

Kick back with a two-night stay for two at the charming Hotel Royal in Toledo, OH, then dive into maritime history through a private meet-and-greet with bestselling author John U. Bacon. You’ll receive a signed copy of his book detailing the tragic sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald: “The Gales of November” along with tickets to his lecture at the museum. Before the lecture, enjoy dinner with the National Museum of the Great Lakes’ Executive Director, Kate Fineske. Plus, you’ll receive a $100 gift card to Tony Packo’s and a $200 swag bundle from VanEnkevort Tug & Barge. This prize package is the  perfect blend of history, hospitality, and unforgettable access.

• Two nights for two from Hotel Royal*, a former 1900s railroad hotel transformed into a boutique hotel. Located in the Middlegrounds neighborhood of Toledo, less than a five minute drive or ten minute walk from downtown.  
• Meet and greet with “Gales of November” author, John U. Bacon ahead of lecture on November 18, 2026.
• Signed copy of “Gales of November”
• Tickets to Bacon’s lecture at the National Museum of the Great Lakes on Wednesday, November 18, 2026.
• Dinner with the museum’s Executive Director, Kate Fineske ahead of lecture on November 18, 2026.
• $100 Tony Packo’s gift card
• $200 value swag back from VanEnkevort Tug & Barge

Prizes made possible through generous donations from Hotel Royal, VanEnkevort Tug & Barge, and Tony Packo’s.

*Gift voucher good for one two-night stay for up to two guests (one room). No restrictions. All terms and conditions apply. Email or call to book stay.

Second Prize

Currents of Change Nature Escape

Unwind with an overnight stay at Maumee Bay Lodge right on the shores of Lake Erie, then spend a full day exploring the region’s remarkable habitats on a guided birding/nature tour with Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO)—hosts of the Biggest Week in American Birding. Discover birds, wildlife, and the natural beauty of Northwest Ohio, and take home a $150 BSBO gift package including a membership and a signed Kaufman Field Guide. Go behind-the-scenes at the University of Toledo Lake Erie Center to see cutting-edge environmental research in action, and enjoy a Toledo favorite with a $100 gift card to Tony Packo’s.

• One overnight stay at Maumee Bay Lodge
• Full day (7am – 5pm) Nature Exploration Tour with Black Swamp Bird Observatory discovering birds and additional wildlife of the region along Lake Erie and in the award-winning Toledo Metroparks.
  • To be redeemed in 2027 (not during the Biggest Week in American Birding). Available dates: April 15 – April 30, and May 25 – August 30, 2027. 
  • Availability will be based on staff scheduling and weather. 
• BSBO gift basket valued at $150 including a BSBO membership, signed Kaufman Field Guide, and more 
• Behind-the-scenes tour of the University of Toledo Lake Erie Center discovering its cutting edge research laboratories studying invasive species, harmful algal blooms, and more
  • Can be booked almost any weekday during normal business hours.
• $100 Tony Packo’s gift card

Prize made possible through generous donations from Maumee Bay Lodge, Black Swamp Bird Observatory, and Tony Packo’s.

Third Prize

10 Additional 2026 Luck of the Lakes Raffle Tickets

• 10 additional tickets (beyond your already purchased tickets through the Previous Purchasers Raffle) will be entered into the 2026 Luck of the Lakes Raffle being drawn on September 30, 2026.