The National Museum of the Great Lakes tells the awe-inspiring stories of our Great Lakes through breathtaking photography, over 300 incredible artifacts, a number of powerful audiovisual displays and 40 hands-on interactive exhibits including the 617-foot iron ore freighter Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and the historic Museum Tug Ohio. The Great Lakes are a Powerful Force and our museum tells tales spanning hundreds of years—from the fur traders in the 1600s to the rum runners in the 1900s and the sailors on the thousand-footers sailing today.