February 3, 2022 (Toledo, Ohio) – On Wednesday, February 23, at 7 p.m. the National Museum of the Great Lakes will begin its annual spring lecture series by featuring the people, places, and moments of the Underground Railroad in Northwest Ohio. “Freedom on the Horizon,” presented by Dr. Janet Rozick in partnership with Heritage Sylvania, will provide insight on the inspiring history of the Underground Railroad in Northwest Ohio as one of the last stops before crossing the Great Lakes to Canada and freedom.

“Our 2022 Spring Lecture Series is all about introducing the diverse roles the Great Lakes have played in history along with furthering partnerships that expand the stories of our current permanent exhibits,” says Kate Fineske, Senior Director of Institutional Advancement at the National Museum of the Great Lakes. “For example, beyond their “Freedom on the Horizon” lecture, Heritage Sylvania will also be producing an Underground Railroad micro exhibit opening at the museum later this winter. Likewise, our second lecture topic features Jerry Dennis, an author we partnered with in our new Great Lakes Book Club.”  

Dr. Janet Rozick, the presenter of “Freedom on the Horizon,” currently works as an Associate Professor at American Public University while also volunteering her time at the Lathrop House through Heritage Sylvania—a non-profit education and history center whose mission is to preserve and celebrate Sylvania’s past by placing local history in a national context. This lecture, as with the entire series, will be offered as a hybrid event and participants can choose when registering to take part in-person at the museum or online via Zoom. 

The second lecture in the Spring 2022 series, titled “The Living Great Lakes: Searching for the Heart of the Inland Seas,” will be March 23. The final presentation, highlighting the history of the Army Corps of Engineers on the Great Lakes, is scheduled for April 6. Event registration is free, but required for all lectures. Donations are encouraged and can be given upon registration.

For more information, call 419-214-5000, visit our event page here.

November 18, 2021 (Toledo, Ohio) – On Wednesday, December 1, at 7 p.m. the National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) will welcome Bruce Lynn, Executive Director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, to deliver the final presentation in their annual fall lecture series titled Braving the Waves: Life-Saving Service on the Shipwreck Coast.

“The desolate shoreline between Whitefish Point and Pictured Rocks has come to be known as Lake Superior’s Shipwreck Coast,” explains Carrie Sowden, the museum’s Archaeological and Research Director who moderates the hybrid lecture series. “This presentation will explore the stories of the ‘Storm Warriors’ along the desolate shoreline between Whitefish Point and Pictured Rocks to shed light on a little-known chapter of Great Lakes history.”

As in the previous lectures, the National Museum of the Great Lakes will offer this presentation as a hybrid event using Zoom with one noted difference—the presenter will be delivering the lecture virtually. Individuals wishing to participate in person may come to the museum for a watch party and be a part of the live-streamed question and answer session following the presentation.

The lecture is free to all, but registration is required. Participants can choose when registering to take part in person at the museum or online via Zoom. Donations are encouraged and can be given upon registration.

For more information, call 419-214-5000, visit our event page here.

November 1, 2021 (Toledo, Ohio) – On Thursday, November 18 from 5 – 7:30 p.m. the National Museum of the Great Lakes will host History Happy Hour: Rogues, Rebels, and Radicals. The after-hours event allows guests to enjoy happy hour drinks while learning more about Great Lakes historical characters who forged their own path or lived on the wrong side of the law.

“For our second History Happy Hour we decided to focus on some of the seedier individuals on the Great Lakes—lawbreakers, religious dissenters, and pirates are just a few of the characters we will be highlighting,” says Ellen Kennedy, the museum’s Education and Visitor Experience Director at the National Museum of the Great Lakes. “This time we also are partnering with Toledo Spirits to design specialty themed cocktails for the evening.”

The museum’s History Happy Hour series mixes maritime history with everyday fun by giving guests an opportunity to grab a drink and check out the museum exhibits after hours, while also providing an exclusive experience to interact with history. The event costs $30 for members or $35 for non-members and includes light snacks, specialty cocktails, beer, wine, and soft drinks, plus interactive story-telling while roaming the museum.

For more information, call 419-214-5000 or visit our event page here.

October 21, 2021 (Toledo, Ohio) – In recognition of the 46th Anniversary of the loss of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, the National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) is offering a weekend of special tours on November 6 and 7. The Fitzgerald Experience is a guided tour of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, using the lake freighter and its similarities to the Edmund Fitzgerald to discuss the events of November 10, 1975, theories surrounding the vessel’s sinking, and stories about the 29 crew members who were lost.

“This tour was developed to provide a more experiential and hands-on way to learn about the tragedy of the ‘Mighty Fitz’,” recalls Ellen Kennedy, the museum’s Education and Visitor Experience Director. “Many from the crew were from our museum’s hometown of Toledo or the surrounding area and the vessel’s sinking deeply impacted the lives of individuals both near and far.”

Although closed for the season beginning November 1, The Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship will reopen one last time this season exclusively to tour guests for the unique experience. Each tour will be limited to a small group of no more than 8 people and lasts approximately 75 minutes. Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Due to tour popularity and size limitations, it is strongly recommended that tickets be purchased in advance. Guests can also take advantage of an additional 10-15% discount on museum store purchases.

For additional information and to purchase tickets, visit our Fitzgerald Experience event page or call 419-214-5000.

October 12, 2021 (Toledo, Ohio) –The National Museum of the Great Lakes has opened up a temporary new “micro-exhibit” highlighting the story of Col. John Bradstreet’s disastrous campaign during “Pontiac’s Rebellion” after the French and Indian War. 

“It was October 18, 1764, when Col. John Bradstreet took upwards of 60 bateaus and 9 canoes and landed near what is now Rocky River, Ohio,” shares Carrie Sowden, the National Museum of the Great Lakes’ Archaeological and Research Director. “Overnight a vicious storm wiped out almost half the fleet. When all was said and done, Col. Bradstreet’s entire campaign was not just unsuccessful, but disastrous.” 

In the years since, remnants from Bradstreet’s disaster have appeared on and been discovered around Rocky River’s beaches. The findings continue to tell the story of this Great Lakes history era. “Among the artifacts in the collection are a swivel gun and accessories,” explains Mrs. Sowden. “There is even a highly decorated piece yet to be identified. Who knows, maybe we can learn more about this mystery item through exhibit display?” 

The “Bradstreet’s Disaster” micro-exhibit is included with the price of general admission and is scheduled to stay up through the Winter of 2022. The museum is also hosting a presentation at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 10 to further explore the historical context around Bradstreet’s Disaster, the making of the micro-exhibit, and the archaeological finds from Rocky River. For more information, call 419-214-5000, visit our event page here.