Whitefish Point

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

Automated by the Coast Guard in 1970,the Light Station no longer has a resident keeper. Appropriately, the dwellingnow houses the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.  The Great Lakes ShipwreckHistorical Society, a group of divers researching the wrecks, opened the museumin 1986. This is the only museum dedicated to shipwrecks on the Great Lakes.

Deceivingly beautiful Lake Superior'sunrelenting fury has earned the reputation of being the most treacherous of theGreat Lakes. Throughout the museum and theater, visitors will see maritimelegends come to life. Artifacts and exhibits tell stories of sailors and shipswho braved the waters of Superior and those who were lost to its menacing waves.

In the main museum, each display isdevoted to a different shipwreck. See a drawing or photograph of the vessel andartifacts that divers have collected, and read the story of its fatal voyage.

The ships range from sailingschooners of the early 1800's to the Edmund Fitzgerald, the latest and largestshipwreck, which continues to fascinate residents of the U.P. The bell of theFitzgerald was recovered from the wreck in 1995 and is displayed at the museumin an updated memorial. A Second Order Fresnel lens from White Shoals is also ondisplay.

Experience the gripping tales ofships and men who braved Superior's cold deep waters and violent raging storms.A darkened interior with theatrical lights, soft music, and special soundeffects of sea gulls and fog horns sends tingles down the spines of mostvisitors. Regular showings of colorful underwater films explain the shipwrecksfrom a diver's view. 

The Whitefish Point Light Stationestablished in 1849 is now fully restored and open for tours. Visitors willexperience a time in history when lighthouses were maintained by keepers andtheir families. The lighthouse reflects life at the turn of the century (circa1890-1920).

The lighthouse and museum are openfrom Memorial Day until mid-October daily from 10 A.M. to 6 PM. There is anadmission fee. Contact the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, phone906-635-1742 or 800-635-1742 or call the Shipwreck Museum at 906-492-3436 duringthe summer.

Shipwreck Coast Gifts in the museumoffers a wide variety of maritime gifts exclusive to Whitefish Point. Mail orderis available.