1701 Front Street · Toledo, Ohio
Step into the Stories of the Great Lakes
Discover the people, ships, events, and forces that shaped the Great Lakes—and continue to shape them today. Explore centuries of history, step aboard two historic vessels, and experience the stories of the world’s most important freshwater resource.
Now Showing
Currents of Change: The Living History of the Great Lakes
Discover the Great Lakes as a living, changing ecosystem. Currents of Change explores how people and nature have shaped one another—from the fur trade and changing fisheries to invasive species, wetland loss, and harmful algal blooms. Through stories of struggle, resilience, and renewal, explore the choices that shaped the lakes we know today—and the work underway to protect them for generations to come.
Plan Your Visit
Adventure Awaits
Your Great Lakes experience starts the moment you arrive. Located along the Maumee River at 1701 Front Street in Toledo, Ohio, the National Museum of the Great Lakes offers free on-site parking and easy access to the museum, exhibits, and historic vessels. We are committed to creating a welcoming and accessible experience for all visitors and are proud to be a Certified Autism Center™.
Saturday, Oct 10 · 11am – Noon
Sensory Friendly Weekends
Explore our museum in a calm, accommodating setting during our Sensory Friendly Weekends. It’s tailored for your family’s comfort and enjoyment. 🗓️ Saturday, October 10 from 9 –…
Sunday, Oct 11 · 11am – Noon
Sensory Friendly Weekends
Explore our museum in a calm, accommodating setting during our Sensory Friendly Weekends. It’s tailored for your family’s comfort and enjoyment. 🗓️ Saturday, October 10 from 9 –…
Thursday, Oct 15 · 10:30am – 11:30am
Lil Scuppers Kid’s Club: Birds in Your Backyard with Black Swamp Bird Observatory
Get ready to spread your wings and discover the amazing birds living right outside your window! Join Jamie Cunningham, Education Director at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory, for…
Before You Arrive
What to Expect
Get all the details you need to know for your trip.
Hours and Parking
Open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sunday from 12pm to 5pm. Free parking is available on-site.
Admission
Adults from $20. Discounts for youth, seniors, military, and Museums for All SNAP cardholders.
Museum Floor Plan
Nine galleries, two ships, a pilothouse, and riverfront park.
Group Visits
Groups of 10 or more receive discounts. Book at least two weeks in advance.
Accessibility
Accessible routes throughout the museum, with courteous staff available to assist. Please note: our Museum Ships are not ADA accessible.
Field Trips
School groups, scouts, and homeschool families welcome.
About the Museum
The Great Lakes Story Lives Here
Founded in 1944, the National Museum of the Great Lakes preserves, shares, and celebrates the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story. For centuries, these waters have shaped our history, our communities, our economy, our environment, and our way of life—and their story continues to unfold every day.
Across nine galleries, more than 50 interactive exhibits, hundreds of artifacts, and two historic vessels, discover the people, places, events, and ideas that have shaped the Great Lakes. From shipwrecks and shipping to industry, innovation, ecology, and culture, the museum brings these stories together and invites you to explore why the Great Lakes have mattered for generations—and why they matter now more than ever. You can also dive deeper into history with our award-winning Inland Seas journal.
More than a place to preserve history, the National Museum of the Great Lakes is a place to connect with it. We are building a gathering place for Great Lakes stories and conversations, where the lessons of the past help us better understand the present and imagine the future.
Col. James M. Schoonmaker
Launched in 1911 and once the Queen of the Lakes, the 617-foot freighter is ready to explore. Climb to the pilothouse, walk the decks, and step inside the engine room.
Tour the Schoonmaker
Tug Ohio
Built in 1903 as a Milwaukee fire tug, the Ohio fought waterfront blazes, towed freighters, and even pulled a U.S. Navy submarine. More than a century of working-lake service, restored and open from stem to stern.
Visit the Tug Ohio
Every Boat Tells Our Story
The new permanent exhibit in the World Group Foundation Gallery puts mariners, millworkers, newcomers, and neighbors at the center. The St. Marys Challenger pilothouse anchors the room with the vantage point only a wheelhouse can give.
Explore the gallery
See the Map
Find Your Way Around the Museum
Experience the full campus at a glance: nine galleries, two historic ships, and the spaces in between. Use the floor plan to plan your route and find the closest accessibility resources before you arrive.
Award-Winning Journal
Uncover More Stories with Inland Seas®
Since 1944, Inland Seas has been the cornerstone of Great Lakes stories: shipwrecks, lighthouses, sailing adventures, and primary research. The award-winning quarterly is a members-only resource. Read every issue and search the full archive back to volume one.