National Museum of the Great Lakes Celebrates Grand Opening of Second Wave Expansion

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June 4, 2025 (Toledo, Ohio) – Members of the media are invited to join museum leadership, donors, and community partners for an official ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the National Museum of the Great Lakes’ Second Wave expansion on Friday, June 27, at 4:30 p.m.

The event marks the completion of the new 5,000-square-foot Larry and Karen Bettcher Wing that ushers in a bold new era for the museum’s storytelling and community engagement.

“Our Second Wave expansion is the culmination of our renewed mission to preserve, share, and celebrate the past, present, and future of Great Lakes stories,” said Kate Fineske, Executive Director of the National Museum of the Great Lakes. “By opening these doors, we are creating new opportunities to connect even more deeply with our Great Lakes community—solidifying Toledo and the museum as the gathering place for Great Lakes conversations.”

Public Grand Opening — Saturday, June 28

Festivities continue the following day when the museum welcomes visitors to an all-day grand-opening celebration featuring:

  • Every Boat Tells Our Story — our new permanent exhibit spotlighting remarkable vessels and the renowned Bob Sellers Model Boat Collection, anchored by the immersive St. Marys Challenger pilothouse experience.

  • Dark Waters: True Crime and Mystery on the Great Lakes — the museum’s first-ever temporary exhibit, exploring unsolved crimes and enduring mysteries across the region. The exhibit is presented by Buckeye Broadband and The Blade.

  • Throughout the day, visitors can also enjoy local food vendors, live music, and maritime activities for all ages on the museum grounds.

The public celebration runs 10 am – 5 pm on Saturday, June 28; regular admission rates apply.

For questions or to RSVP for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, please contact Ashley Streichert Lovejoy at ashley.streichert@nmgl.org or 419-214-5000, ext. 209.

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, share, and celebrate the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story.

WHAT: Second Wave Public Grand Opening 

WHEN: Saturday, June 28, 2025; 10 am – 5 pm 

WHERE: National Museum of the Great Lakes
 1701 Front St., Toledo, OH 43605

ADMISSION: $20.00 (Museum & Ship) / $14.00 (Museum Only) – Adults (18-64)
 $18.00 (Museum & Ship) / $12.00 (Museum Only) – Seniors (65+)
 $14.00 (Museum & Ship) / $8.00 (Museum Only) – Youth (6-17)
 FREE – Children 5 and under, GLHS/NMGL Members

MEDIA CONTACT: Ashley Streichert Lovejoy, 419-460-8181