Museum’s Latest Micro Exhibit Features Recently Donated Great Lakes Artifacts

The National Museum of the Great Lakes unveiled a new micro exhibit, Gifts from the Great Lakes: New Additions to Our Collection, on display through December 2, 2024. This special exhibit showcases an array of artifacts generously donated by community members and supporters over the past year.

The display brings together items that deepen our understanding of Great Lakes history, including a 1930s flare gun, a brass steam gauge from Toledo’s historic American Shipbuilding yard, and personal artifacts of Horace Harrison, who served on Lake Michigan with the U.S. Coast Guard during WWII. Additionally, visitors will see the company house flag of the Reiss Steamship Company, a symbol of the storied shipping heritage on the Great Lakes.

“These additions to our collection would not have been possible without the generosity and enthusiasm of our community,” said Carrie Sowden, the museum’s Director of Research and Archaeology. “Each item tells its own story, helping us to piece together the broader narrative of the Great Lakes region. We’re deeply grateful to our donors, whose contributions allow us to preserve and celebrate this history for generations to come.”

The Gifts from the Great Lakes micro exhibit is included with museum admission and offers a unique opportunity to see rare and lesser-known pieces of Great Lakes history up close. We invite the public to experience these treasures firsthand and reflect on the impact of community contributions.

For more information on this exhibit, visit nmgl.org/events or contact us at (419) 214-5000.