Marquette Maritime Museum

MARQUETTE MARITIME MUSEUM: THE MUSEUM IS OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK FROM MID-MAY TO MID-OCTOBER. DURING THE WINTER WHEN THE MUSEUM IS CLOSED, THE BOARD, STAFF, AND VOLUNTEERS ACTIVELY WORK TO UPDATE AND CREATE NEW EXHIBITS FOR THE COMING SEASON. CONTINUING EXHIBITS INCLUDE: THREE HISTORIC FRESNEL LIGHTHOUSE LENSES, THE BEST COLLCTION IN THE GREAT LAKES. ADDITIONAL EXHIBITS CONSIST OF THE "WENT MISSING" FREIGHTER HENRY B. SMITH AND LEGENDARY EDMUND FITZGERALD, U.S. LIFE-SAVING SERVICE AND EARLY COAST GUARD, HISTORIC GREAT LAKES PASSENGER SHIPS, HISTORY OF IRON ORE SHIPPING FROM MARQUETTE INCLUDING PRESENT OPERATIONS TODAY, AREA LIGHTHOUSE HISTORY, AND MARINE ENGINE DEVELOPMENT. WHILE THE MUSEUM IS SELF-GUIDED; DOCENT TOURS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. SEVERAL PROXIMITY-ACTIVATED VIDEO MONITORS ENHANCE THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE. THE MUSEUM OPERATED IN 2023 WITH FIVE PAID EMPLOYEES SUPPLEMENTED BY VOLUNTEERS WHO LEAD INTERPRETIVE LIGHTHOUSE TOURS. THE MUSEUM CONTINUES TO WORK TO PRESERVE AND TELL THE SOTRY OF THE 157- YEAR-OLD MARQUETTE HARBOR LIGHTHOUSE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE ICONIC STRUCTURE IS ONE OF THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED LIGHTHOUSES IN THE GREAT LAKES AND FOR MANY, A POWERFUL SYMBOL OF MARQUETTE. THE MUSEUM CONDUCTS REGULAR TOURS TO THE LIGHTHOUSE AND GROUNDS. OUR VOLUNTEER GUIDES ARE TRAINED IN THE HISTORY OF THE LIGHT AND KEY ANCILLARY ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE LIFE-SAVING SERVICE STATION, COAST GUARD, LAKE SUPERIOR, SHIPPING IN THE AREA, ETC. THERE ARE EIGHT ESTABLISHED EXHIBIT AREAS IN THE LIGHTHOUSE WITH DISPLAYS FOCUSING ON AREA MARITIME ACTIVITIES. THE HISTORIC STANNARD ROCK BOATHOUSE IS NEWEST ADDITION TO OUR MUSEUM CAMPUS AND WE ARE DEVELOPING THE SPACE AS AN EXHIBIT AND PERFORMANCE AREA. LIGHTHOUSE PARK, WHICH INCLUDES THE MARQUETTE HARBOR LIGHTHOUSE, STANNARD ROCK BOATHOUSE, COAST GUARD CAPTAIN'S HOUSE, AND THE UNITED STATES LIFE SAVING SERVICE STATION, IS A SEVEN-ACRE TRACT TRANSFERRED FROM THE COAST GUARD IN 2016 TO THE CITY OF MARQUETTE. THE MUSEUM CONDUCTS LIGHTHOUSE TOURS UNDER AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY. MCCLINTOCK ANNEX (DARTER-DACE MEMORIAL): THE ANNEX IS NAMED AFTER CAPTAIN DAVID MCCLINTOCK, A MARQUETTE NATIVE AND GRADUATE OF THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY. DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF, THE LARGEST NAVAL ACTION IN HISTORY AND A PIVOTAL POINT IN WORLD WAR II'S PACIFIC WAR, THE SUBMARINE U.S.S. DACE AND U.S.S. DARTER, COMMANDED BY CAPTAIN MCCLINTOCK, PLAYED A KEY ROLE. THE FULL-SIZE REPLICA OF THE DARTER CONNING TOWER, LOCATED IN MARQUETTE'S LOWER HARBOR PARK, IS A MEMORIAL TO THE CREW AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENT. THE MCCLINTOCK ANNEX, LOCATED INSIDE THE MARITIME MUSEUM BUILDING, INTERPRETS THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY THE CREWS OF THE DARTER AND DACE TO THE FINAL VICTORY IN THE PACIFIC. DURING THE BATLLE OF LEYTE GULF, THE DARTER AND HER FLEET-MATE DACE OPERATED AS TWO SUBMARINE WOLFPACK. THE ANNEX CONTAINS MANY ITEMS RELATING TO THE BATTLE, INCLUDING A WORKING WWII SUBMARINE PERISCOPE, COMPUTER-CONTROLLED BATTLE DIORAMA AND VARIOUS ARTIFACTS FROM THE SUBMARINES AND THEIR CREWS. CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES: MUSEUM-SPONSORED SCHOOL FIELDTRIPS BROUGHT ABOUT 850 STUDENTS TO THE MUSEUM AND MARQUETTE HARBOR LIGHTHOUSE IN 2023, MANY WITH ORGANIZED SCHOOL CLASSES AND OTHERS WITH HOMESCHOOL ORGANIZATIONS. FIELDTRIPS ARE ADMITTED FREE TO THE MUSEUM. IN 2023, WITH A GRANT FROM THE MARQUETTE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, THE MUSEUM ADDED ANOTHER IN-THE-CLASSROOM FIELDTRIP OPTION WITH VOLUNTEER GREAG SANDELL VISITING CLASSROOMS WITH A PROGRAM ON THE HISTORY OF THE MARQUETTE COAST GUARD. THE MUSEUM ALSO REVISED AND REISSUED THE BOOK MARQUETTE SHIPWRECKS AS AN EDUCATION RESOURCE TO GIVE TO CLASSROOM TEACHERS AS PART OF OUR FREE SCHOOL FIELDTRIP PROGRAM. THE MUSEUM CONTINES TO COLLABORATE WITH LIBERTY CHILDREN'S ART PROJECT ON FREE ART/HISTORY WORKSHOPS FOR KIDS. OUR PLEIN AIR PAINTING WORKSHOP IS OFFERED EVERY JUNE AS A FREE ACTIVITY DURING THE CITY OF MARQUETTE'S ART WEEK WITH TWO ADDITAIONL ART/HISTORY WORKSHOPS LATER IN THE SUMMER. SPECIAL EVENTS: THE MUSEUM HOSTS ITS ANNUAL FUNDRASIER, "GHOSTS OF LIGHTHOUSE POINT" OVER THREE DAYS IN OCTOBER. DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, MARITIME HISTORY ON TAP, A LECTURE SERIES ON A VARIETY OF MARITIME TOPICS, IS HELD MONTHLY AT THE ORE DOCK BREWING COMPANY. IN 2023 THE MUSEUM HOSTED LAKE SUPERIOR DAY IN JULY AND ATTENEDED THE MICHIGAN LIGHTHOUSE FESTIVAL IN AUGUST. SPECIAL SUNRISE, EVENING, AND PARANORMAL LIGHTHOUSE TOURS ARE OFFERED THORUGHOUT THE SUMMER. ALL EVENTS ARE WELL COVERED BY THE LOCAL PRINT, TV, AND SOCIAL MEDIA SPREADING THE MARITIME MESSAGE EVEN FURTHER.