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National Museum of the Great Lakes

@nmgltoledo

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We tell the awe-inspiring stories of the Great Lakes. 500 breathtaking photographs, 250 artifacts, 45 interactive exhibits, and a 617-foot freighter.

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A little model with a big story! ⚓

Our newest micro exhibit, 𝘔𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘮𝘤𝘰: 𝘈 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬, features a handmade ship model crafted around 1970 by George John Holl using materials found aboard the 𝘈𝘳𝘮𝘤𝘰.

Holl later served as chief engineer aboard the 𝘌𝘥𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘪𝘵𝘻𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘥, tragically losing his life when the ship sank in 1975. The 𝘈𝘳𝘮𝘤𝘰 was one of the ships that participated in search efforts.

Discover this unique piece of Great Lakes history, now on display through January 19, 2027!

🎟️ Included with museum admission. by @nmgltoledo

November brings the gales, and a season to honor freighters and the people who love them. Come in and spend the month with us. ⚓ Swipe to see what’s on. by @nmgltoledo

Boo on the Boat is back! 🎃👻 We’re trick-or-treating our museum ships on Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31! Join us for a spooky good time.

Included with Museum Ship admission. Children 5 and under get in for free! by @nmgltoledo

We were pleased to welcome members of the Salute Employee Resource Group from @weareowenscorning this week to do a joint litter pick up project with our friends from @keeptlcbeautiful. Volunteers picked up litter on museum grounds then walked down Front Street to the veteran's murals under the Skyway Bridge, picking up litter all along the way to keep it out of the river.

It was so great to have this team cleaning up around these awesome murals before Veteran's Day. We truly appreciated their time and efforts to not only make our grounds and community look better, but also to help keep our waterways healthier. by @nmgltoledo

What does it take to keep a light burning all night, every night? 🔦

Meet Harriet Colfax, keeper of the Michigan City Light in Indiana. Her days meant rowing across a creek, climbing a pier walkway and a ladder, and tending a lamp that burned warm lard oil, all so ships on Lake Michigan could find their way.

Lightkeepers, nicknamed "wickies," did lonely, monotonous, and vital work. Today, you can see the lenses they cared for in our Shipwrecks & Safety gallery.

Swipe to meet Harriet. → by @nmgltoledo

🌊 Big dreams. Great Lakes opportunities.

400+ students. 30+ career partners. One incredible day of discovery! 🚢

Our third annual Maritime Career Day brought students face-to-face with the people and professions powering the Great Lakes economy. From shipping and engineering to environmental science, tourism, and beyond, students explored career paths, asked questions, and discovered what's possible right in their backyard.

Because sometimes all it takes to spark a future career is seeing it up close.

💙 Thank you to our amazing career partners and participating schools for helping us inspire the next generation!

Presenting Sponsor: World Group Foundation
Student Lunch Sponsor: @hajjarhospitality
Community Sponsors: @keybank, @toledoportauthority, International Ship Masters’ Association Toledo Lodge 9, @ohio_omta
Supporting Sponsor: Darrell & Jean Fox Fund

Table Sponsors: Joshua & Micha White, Great Lakes Maritime Academy, Geo Gradel Co., @greatlakescommission, Marine Pollution Control, WeldCore, VanEnkevort Tug & Barge

Job Fair Partners: @usacehq, Boilermakers Local 85, Joint Training and Educational Trust Fund, @cherrystmission, @alliance4greatlakes, Bowling Green State University: Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management Program, @cmwcarpenters, @cityoftoledo, Division of Environmental Services, @toledocvb, Goodwill Industries of Northwest Ohio, @greatlakesfisherycommission, @interlakesteamshipcompany, @lake_erie_west, @metroparkstoledo, @ohiodnr, @ohioepa, @geesecontrol, @owenscommunitycollege Department of Natural Sciences, @pcsmaumee, Ohio State University @stonelab, Toledo Fire and Rescue Department, United States Coast Guard, @navydepartment, @usmmacademy, University of Toledo @lakeeriecenter by @nmgltoledo

🚢 Last call to come aboard!

Time is running out to explore our museum ships! ⚓ The 𝘊𝘰𝘭. 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘔. 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳 and Tug 𝘖𝘩𝘪𝘰 close for the season on October 31!

There's less than one week left to climb aboard, explore maritime history, and experience these incredible vessels up close.

Don't miss your chance! 🌊 by @nmgltoledo

⚓ Every boat tells a story... and so does every model.

Inside our Every Boat Tells Our Story exhibit, you'll discover handcrafted ship models in every stage of creation—from rough frames to finished masterpieces. Built from a variety of materials by talented artists from across the Great Lakes region, each one offers a unique glimpse into the craftsmanship, history, and creativity behind this timeless hobby.

Have you ever built a model boat? We'd love to hear about it in the comments! ⛵

#NMGL #GreatLakes #MaritimeHistory #ModelShips #ShipModeling #Toledo by @nmgltoledo

Did you know the 𝘊𝘰𝘭. 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘔. 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳 shares many similarities with the 𝘌𝘥𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘪𝘵𝘻𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘥?

This November, step aboard for a special guided tour commemorating the 51st anniversary of the loss of the 𝘍𝘪𝘵𝘻𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘥 and its 29-member crew.

Using our historic freighter as a backdrop, you’ll explore the similarities between the two ships while learning more about the events of November 10, 1975, the theories surrounding the 𝘍𝘪𝘵𝘻𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘥’s sinking, and the stories of the 29 men who were lost.

⚓ 75-minute guided tours
⚓ Tours every 30 minutes from 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
⚓ Museum admission included

Space is limited. Reserve your tour today at the Events link in our bio. by @nmgltoledo

We love to hear it! ⚓ by @nmgltoledo

One blast. Dozens of ducks. 🦆

The punt gun was once used to hunt large numbers of waterfowl at a time on the Great Lakes — a striking reminder of an era when overhunting pushed many species to the brink.

Explore how conservation efforts helped protect Great Lakes waterfowl in our new exhibit, Currents of Change: The Living History of the Great Lakes. 🌊 by @nmgltoledo

𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘓𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 closes October 18, which means there are only a few days left to experience it!

From the fur trade and disappearing lake trout to invasive species, wetland loss, harmful algal blooms, and the work happening today to protect our freshwater system, 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 explores the moments that have transformed the Great Lakes ecosystem over centuries and what's happening today.

If you’ve been meaning to see it, now is the time. by @nmgltoledo