Public exhibit area of Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center - NOW OPEN WITH ALL NEW EXHIBITS!
An Important Mission
As part of its mission to educate the public about the significance of shipwrecks, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in partnership with the State of Michigan, has established the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, Michigan. The center promises to be a vital and popular destination for residents and visitors of all ages, allowing the public to experience and appreciate the estimated 200 shipwrecks in and around Thunder Bay.
Visitors will be able to explore shipwrecks in real time via live video feeds, discover the Great Lakes’ rich maritime past through innovative exhibits, and learn how underwater archaeologists work to preserve historic shipwrecks. Fostering these types of experiences is central to the National Marine Sanctuary Program’s goal of inspiring Americans to care about our oceans and Great Lakes.
Bringing People to Alpena
The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center will attract an estimated 60,000 visitors per year to Alpena, significantly increasing public awareness of NOAA and the National Marine Sanctuary Program in the Great Lakes. The center will strengthen northeastern Michigan’s identity as a premier location for Great Lakes maritime heritage interpretation, research, and recreation.
A “Green” Building
The center is a high-performance, sustainable building and is on track to become certified at the Gold level by the Green Building Council’s “LEED” Program (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Engery and water consumption will be greatly reduced through efficient design, including a geo-thermal heating and cooling system and low volume and waterless toilets.
9,000 feet of state-of-the-art shipwreck and Great Lakes exhibits
93-seat auditorium
archaeological conservation lab and climate controlled artifact storage
2,000 feet of innovative education space
research facilities
administrative space
The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center also serves as a
regional resource for maritime
history, underwater archaeology, and Great Lakes research.
