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News and Press Releases

Exhibit openings, research announcements, and behind-the-scenes work from the museum. History is happening every day; this is where we say what's new.

  1. September 9, 2026

    National Museum of the Great Lakes Announces Free 2026 Fall Lecture Series

    The series explores the science, mysteries, and legends of the Great Lakes.

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    An audience is seated inside the gallery

  2. September 2, 2026

    National Museum of the Great Lakes Marks 25th Anniversary of September 11 with New Micro-Exhibit

    The Greatest Maritime Evacuation: September 11, 2001 will be on display from September 1 through October 31, 2026.

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  3. June 30, 2026

    National Museum of the Great Lakes and Lake Erie West Regional Council Partner on New Micro Exhibit

    See the new micro exhibit, Lake Erie Starts Here: Northwest Ohio, on view May 1 through June 28, 2026.

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    A research buoy fitted with a solar panel and instruments sits secured on a boat's deck, framed by an A-frame crane, as the sun sets over the water in the background.

  4. May 14, 2026

    National Museum of the Great Lakes Announces Return of Wellness by the Boat Free Outdoor Fitness Series

    Wellness by the Boat invites participants of all skill levels to experience yoga, strength training, and Tai Chi. Saturday mornings at the museum’s scenic Cliffs Great Lakes Maritime Park.

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    A group of people sit with arms raised, doing yoga beside a freighter.

  5. April 20, 2026

    National Museum of the Great Lakes Earns Top Honors from Ohio Museums Association

    The National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) recently earned two awards from the Ohio Museums Association, including Institution of the Year and Best Exhibition for Dark Waters.

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    Four women smile for a photo in front of a black curtain, with two of them holding glass art awards.

  6. April 15, 2026

    National Museum of the Great Lakes Opens New Exhibit Currents of Change on Earth Day

    Currents of Change: The Living History of the Great Lakes opens to the public on April 22, 2026.

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    A carved beaver figure sits atop a display of branches and grasses in the foreground of a museum exhibit on invasive species in the Great Lakes, with informational panels and screens visible in the background.

  7. March 4, 2026

    Lil’ Scupper’s Kids Club Returns with Community Partners for Hands-On Great Lakes Fun

    Designed for children 0-6: From live animal ambassadors and beach glass exploration to theatrical storytelling and hands-on crafts, each program is thoughtfully designed to spark curiosity, build early literacy skills, and create meaningful Great Lakes connections.

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    A Nature's Nursery educator shows a corn snake to a toddler seated on an adult's lap during an indoor program.

  8. March 4, 2026

    National Museum of the Great Lakes and Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities Partner for Sensory Friendly Weekend Recognizing Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

    The National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) and the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Lucas DD) are partnering to host a special Sensory Friendly Weekend on Saturday, March 14, and Sunday, March 15, in recognition of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.

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    Three staff members stand beside a Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities table with a Plinko board and prize bins at an indoor event.

  9. March 4, 2026

    National Museum of the Great Lakes Announces Free 2026 Spring Lecture Series

    Presented by Larry and Karen Bettcher, the three-part series will bring dynamic Great Lakes stories to life through expert speakers, compelling research, and engaging storytelling.

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    A speaker presents a map-based lecture at the National Museum of the Great Lakes to a seated audience, with the map displayed on screens on either side of him.

  10. February 18, 2026

    National Museum of the Great Lakes and Cleveland Underwater Explorers Confirm New Lake Erie Shipwreck, Announce Temporary Exhibit Highlighting Discovery

    We're proud to announce the confirmation of a newly discovered shipwreck in Lake Erie — the bark Clough — along with the opening of a temporary micro exhibit showcasing the find.

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    Underwater view of the ship's wheel from the Clough shipwreck, encrusted with sediment and small orange organisms.

  11. February 17, 2026

    National Museum of the Great Lakes Named Official Location on America 250-Ohio Lake Erie to Ohio River Trail

    In the lead-up to America’s 250th anniversary, National Museum of the Great Lakes announced today it has partnered with the America 250-Ohio Commission to be an official stop on its new Lake Erie to Ohio River Trail.

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    "Ohio Trails & Tales: Lake Erie to Ohio River" and "America 250-Ohio" program logos over a riverfront sunset photo with a museum ship in the foreground.

  12. February 2, 2026

    National Museum of the Great Lakes Only Ohio Maritime Museum Nominated for USA Today 10Best

    The National Museum of the Great Lakes has been nominated for Best Maritime Museum in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards—and is proud to be the only maritime museum in Ohio to receive this national recognition.

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    USA Today 10Best 2026 Readers' Choice Awards "Vote Now" banner for Best Maritime Museum, over an aerial view of the Toledo riverfront with the museum's ship.

  13. January 14, 2026

    National Museum of the Great Lakes Welcomes Community with Free Admission Weekend

    Visit for FREE museum admission during our annual Community Appreciation Days, Saturday, January 17, through Monday, January 19.

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    Two people, a man and a woman, looking at museum exhibits.

  14. January 7, 2026

    Free Virtual Book Club Explores Great Lakes History, Culture, and Environment

    Readers from across the region and beyond are invited to explore Great Lakes stories through its 2026 Great Lakes Book Club—a free, virtual lunchtime series featuring guided discussions of three compelling books.

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    A graphic for Book Club 2026 showing three book covers overlapping against a light blue map background: 'The Women of the Copper Country' by Mary Doria Russell, 'Near the Forest, By the Lake: Discovering Nature Close to Home' by Angela E. Douglas, and 'A Culinary History of the Great Black Swamp: Buckeye Candy, Bratwurst & Apple Butter' by Nathan Crook.

  15. December 3, 2025

    National Museum of the Great Lakes Unveils Frozen in Time: A Wooden and Antique Boat Showcase

    Visitors are invited to step out of the cold and into a celebration of boating history with the debut of Frozen in Time: A Wooden and Antique Boat Showcase.

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    Exhibit panel titled "The Story of Little Henry" beside the small white-and-blue wooden pram it describes, with photos of volunteers building the boat.

  16. November 18, 2025

    Museum Announces 2025 Christmas Tree Ship: Free Admission and Holiday Giveback

    The National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) will host its annual Christmas Tree Ship event on Saturday, December 6, 2025.

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  17. October 15, 2025

    Boo on the Boat 2025: Trick-or-Treat Aboard Toledo’s Historic Ships

    Costumed trick-or-treaters can explore the pilothouses and galleys, collecting treats in pre-portioned, sealed bags at haunted stations along the way. Friday, October 24 through Sunday, October 26.

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    Family of four in pink-and-white Barbie-themed costumes pose on the deck of the Schoonmaker ship at Boo on the Boat, with a green park and autumn trees behind them.

  18. October 8, 2025

    National Museum of the Great Lakes Hosts Second Annual Maritime Career Day — Now Open to the Public

    Students, media, and community members are invited to attend NMGL's second annual Maritime Career Day, presented by World Group Foundation, on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm at the museum, located at 1701 Front Street in Toledo, Ohio.

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    City of Toledo staff member demonstrates water testing to students wearing hard hats at a Great Lakes science and research booth during Maritime Career Day.

  19. October 1, 2025

    Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship Now Illuminates Downtown Toledo Skyline

    Thanks to the vision and generosity of The Admiral Society, the museum’s leadership-level membership group, the Schoonmaker now glows along both sides of its hull, becoming a permanent and iconic feature of Toledo’s nighttime skyline.

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  20. September 23, 2025

    National Museum of the Great Lakes Showcases Life on Lake Erie Traveling Photo Exhibit

    Now in its 33rd year, the Life on Lake Erie Photo Contest—organized by the Ohio Lake Erie Commission—invites photographers to capture the lake’s natural beauty, wildlife, communities, and everyday life.

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    Life on Lake Erie traveling photo exhibit displayed on grid panels decorated with fishing net and bobbers, featuring Lake Erie photos of wildlife, lighthouses, kayaking, and sunsets beside a historic lighthouse lens.

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