Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship & Museum Tug Ohio Open for the Season May 1st
May 1, 2025 (Toledo, Ohio) – The National Museum of the Great Lakes is thrilled to announce the reopening of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and Museum Tug Ohio for the 2025 season today, Thursday, May 1st. We are excited to share once again the rich history and maritime heritage that thrives aboard our iconic boats.
“Our team and community always look forward to the seasonal opening of our Museum Boats,” said Ellen Kennedy, Director of Museum Operations at the National Museum of the Great Lakes. “Our visitors eagerly anticipate this time of year, and we can’t wait to immerse them in the living history that our vessels embody.”
The boats, which undergo seasonal closure over the winter months, will be open for public tours between May 1st and October 31st. Visitors can explore the 617-foot cargo ship built in 1911 and the historic tug built in 1903, gaining insight into life on the lakes through the 20th century. In addition to time aboard the vessels, guests are encouraged to explore our exhibit galleries, which showcase captivating stories through stunning photography, over 300 remarkable artifacts, immersive audiovisual displays, and interactive exhibits, offering a truly unforgettable experience.
In addition to the boats’ opening, the museum will be open for summer hours Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Also, save the date for the public grand opening of our Second Wave expansion on Saturday, June 28th!
For those eager to embark on this journey through history, tickets can be pre-purchased at nmglstore.org or purchased upon arrival inside the Museum at the front desk. No tickets are sold on the vessels themselves, and anyone boarding the ships needs a wristband.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back aboard the Schoonmaker and Ohio this season!
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About the National Museum of the Great Lakes: Founded in 1944, the Great Lakes Historical Society has been preserving our shared cultural history by publishing a quarterly journal Inland Seas® since 1945; by operating a maritime museum since 1952; by offering educational programs to the general public since 1956; by conducting underwater archaeological research across the Great Lakes since 2001; and by managing the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship since 2014 and Museum Tug Ohio since 2019. The opening of the National Museum of the Great Lakes enables the Great Lakes Historical Society to continue its mission to preserve and make known the important history of the Great Lakes.
WHAT: Museums Boats Open
WHEN: May 1 – October 31, 2025
WHERE: National Museum of the Great Lakes
1701 Front St., Toledo, OH 43605
ADMISSION: $20.00 (Museum & Ship) Adults (18-64)
$18.00 (Museum & Ship) Seniors (65+)
$14.00 (Museum & Ship) Youth (6-17)
FREE – Children 5 and under, GLHS/NMGL Members, Museums for All
MEDIA CONTACT: Ashley Streichert Lovejoy, 419-460-8181
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