The Toledo City Paper depends on readers like you! Become a friend today. See membership options
Imagine for a moment you are at the helm of a 552-foot-long freighter pushing across the Great Lakes carrying 11 tons of cargo.
The nation becomes more realistic as you enter the pilot house of the ship St. Mary’s Challenger. The pilot house is one of the newest artifacts included in a 5,000-foot addition to the National Museum of the Great Lakes. Standing behind the vessel’s wheel provides an opportunity to discover what it’s like as captain to sail on one of the five great lakes.
The $5.5 million expansion at the museum along the Maumee River made room for the pilot house, a new permanent gallery, space for rotating exhibits, offices, a conference room and places for seminars and workshops. “I feel like I just birthed my fourth child,” said Museum Executive Director Kate Fineske. “Construction is not for the faint of heart. But it is so exciting to finally welcome the public into our new space…our collection is vast and wide.” Only about 10% of the museum’s collection is on display at one time with the rest in storage. “We really needed the space.”
The museum moved to Toledo in 2014, and the additions were unveiled in June. Capturing the essence of the massive lakes and demonstrating the connection to our lives is no small task. The great lakes measure 94,250 square miles. 11,000 miles of shoreline would stretch from Toledo to Perth, Australia.
“When I joined the team in 2019, just to give you an idea of how much we’ve grown, we had about six folks,” explained Fineske. “We have close to 30 now.” No tax dollars are used to support the museum. Expenses are covered through membership, admission revenue and donations.
RELATED: Two Wheel Drive: On the road and on the record with Toledo’s bike culture
Second Wave includes temporary exhibits. Currently, “Dark Waters: True Crime and Mystery on the Great Lakes” dives into the intrigue behind seven historic events on the water. “We knew that true crime and mystery is something that people really enjoy learning more about,” Fineske told City Paper. One story revolves around a 1915 disaster on the Chicago River. A ship packed with thousands of people headed for a picnic celebration capsized in the river. 844 people died. No one was arrested, indicted or held accountable for the tragedy, which remains a mystery.
A permanent exhibition space entitled “Every Boat Tells Our Story” showcases a collection of model ships. A full-size ship, the James M. Spoonmaker remains the museum’s largest artifact.
Fineske says she is proud that “people are loving” the expansion.
In November, the NMGL recognizes the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald with special tours and programs. The cause of the tragedy, which has many connections to Northwest Ohio, continues to be the subject of many theories.
For additional information about the museum, please see nmgl.org.
