National Museum of the Great Lakes and Lake Erie West Regional Council Partner on New Micro Exhibit
May 4, 2026 (Toledo, Ohio) – The National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL), in partnership with the Lake Erie West Regional Council (formerly TMACOG), announces the opening of a new micro exhibit, Lake Erie Starts Here: Northwest Ohio, on view May 1 through June 28, 2026. The exhibit is included with regular museum admission.
This collaborative exhibit highlights the connection between everyday actions in Northwest Ohio and the health of Lake Erie. Focusing on stormwater runoff, Lake Erie Starts Here illustrates how rainwater travels from neighborhoods into local streams and rivers before ultimately reaching Lake Erie—often carrying pollutants along the way.
Through accessible messaging and practical examples, visitors will learn how small changes such as proper fertilizer use, picking up pet waste, maintaining septic systems, reducing road salt, planting native vegetation, and keeping trash out of waterways can collectively make a significant impact on water quality.
“We are proud to partner with the Lake Erie West Regional Council to bring this important message to our visitors,” said Carrie Sowden, Director of Archaeology and Research at the National Museum of the Great Lakes. “Lake Erie Starts Here reinforces that the health of the Great Lakes is directly tied to the choices we make every day. This exhibit gives visitors clear, actionable ways to be part of the solution.”
Lake Erie Starts Here: Northwest Ohio offers a focused, timely look at environmental stewardship and complements the museum’s efforts to explore the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story. It’s also the perfect pair to the museum’s current temporary exhibit, Currents of Change: The Living History of the Great Lakes, which explores the relationship between humans and nature in the region across centuries.
For more information, visit nmgl.org/events.
About the National Museum of the Great Lakes: The National Museum of the Great Lakes preserves, shares, and celebrates the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story. As an interactive, experiential museum, we offer visitors the chance to explore thousands of years of history and stories through nine dynamic exhibit galleries—including a rotating temporary exhibition space—and two historic museum vessels, the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and the Museum Tug Ohio, plus the pilothouse of the storied St. Marys Challenger.
Founded in 1944 as the Great Lakes Historical Society, we have a long-standing commitment to education, research, and storytelling. Our initiatives include the publication of Inland Seas®, a quarterly journal of Great Lakes history since 1945 and decades of maritime preservation and archaeological exploration. Today, we strive to be the gathering place for Great Lakes conversations—welcoming all to connect with the stories, people, and innovations that have shaped and continue to influence this vital region.
WHAT: Lake Erie Starts Here: Northwest Ohio Micro Exhibit
WHEN: May 1 through June 28, 2026
WHERE: National Museum of the Great Lakes
1701 Front St., Toledo, OH 43605
ADMISSION: $20.00 (Museum & Ship) / $14.00 (Museum Only) – Adults (18-64)
$18.00 (Museum & Ship) / $12.00 (Museum Only) – Seniors (65+)
$14.00 (Museum & Ship) / $8.00 (Museum Only) – Youth (6-17)
FREE – Children 5 and under, GLHS/NMGL Members
