Most people come to Canal Park hoping to glimpse a thousand-footer. This year, one lucky winner will get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ride along on one.
Duluth holds a special place for many people, but especially for self-proclaimed “boat nerds.” With Lake Superior at our doorstep, visitors can watch 1,000-foot Great Lakes freighters glide gracefully through the harbor — a front-row view that few cities can match.
The best place to dive deeper into this shipping world is the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center, better known as the “Maritime Museum.” Located in the heart of Canal Park and connected to the Lakewalk, the Museum offers FREE, year-round exhibits and the perfect spot for ship watching.
Destination Duluth recently sat down with Scott Bjorklund, a Park Ranger with the Museum (and a DD photographer!), to learn more about its history and to hear about a rare opportunity to experience life aboard a working freighter. From now through November, the Lake Superior Marine Museum Association is raffling off The Cruise of a Lifetime, a round-trip voyage on the 1,000-foot Edwin H. Gott.
Whether you consider yourself a “boat nerd” or are just curious about Great Lakes shipping, stay tuned. We obtained some exclusive details you won’t want to miss!
Maritime Museum – Origin Story
Our Maritime Museum, which is owned and operated by the Army Corps of Engineers, has a pretty … unique … origin story. “Our whole existence is owed to tourists needing to use the restroom in Canal Park,” Bjorklund explained with a chuckle.
He continued, “There used to be public restrooms under the on-ramp of the Lift Bridge. They were closed in the 1960s. There is an Army Corps of Engineers building here that was built in 1906, and tourists kept bothering the engineers to use the restroom. The Corps finally got the idea to build a public restroom.
“But it was ultimately Ralph S. Knowlton, who worked for the Army Corps of Engineers, who advocated for the construction of a visitor center, rather than just a restroom. He thought there should be exhibits, too.”
And, with that, the idea was born. The building was constructed in 1973, to much fanfare; the dedication ceremony was well-attended, with many dignitaries present, including Senator John Blatnik (namesake for the Blatnik Bridge), and Congressman Jim Oberstar.
LSMMA
While the Museum is owned by the Corps of Engineers, a cooperative museum association was founded to help financially support Museum operations. The Lake Superior Marine Museum Association (LSMMA) is a non-profit “partner” of the Museum, and helps acquire and build exhibits to this day.
The LSMMA publishes a quarterly newsletter called the “Nor’easter” to keep its members informed about the status of the museum and the shipping industry. Bjorklund emphasized that Duluth wouldn’t have the nice Museum/visitor center we have today without the support and interest of the LSMMA.
Maritime Museum – Today
Today, the Museum is one of the most visited attractions in Duluth. Bjorklund shared that over a million people visit the Museum’s exterior green space/park annually, and roughly 200,000 people stop into the Museum, post-COVID.
As noted, it’s totally free, open year-round, and handicapped-accessible. There is a privately managed gift shop, offering maritime-themed merch. Everything at the Museum is appropriate for all ages.
And, it has so much to offer its guests. Its mission is to promote and preserve the maritime history of Lake Superior, the current Great Lakes shipping industry, and the history of the Army Corps of Engineers.
Shipping Info and Exhibits
With that mission in mind, the Maritime Museum is Duluth’s main source of shipping information. “Staff manage a website, harborlookout.com, where we publish information about ships arriving and departing,” he added. “We also have a schedule visible on screens in the Museum. People can ask questions of staff members, too.”
Beyond that, the Museum is home to an impressive array of objects and exhibits related to Great Lakes shipping. “We have a mix of maritime exhibits, but the most popular is the exhibit related to the Edmund Fitzgerald shipwreck,” Bjorklund explained. “We have exhibits dedicated to other Great Lakes shipwrecks, too.
“We also have exhibits that show recreations of ship cabins over 100 years ago, and an extensive ship model collection – it’s one of the best in the Midwest. We’ve been collecting since 1973, and have over 10,000 objects.” The Museum’s exhibits are rotated on occasion, dependent on staffing.
“There’s lots more to look at than people probably realize,” Bjorklund added. “We also have a collection of photos and documents, which is stored at the Jim Dan Hill Library, at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.”
Lighthouses, Aerial Lift Bridge, and Ship Viewing
The Museum also offers information about local lighthouses and the history of the Aerial Lift Bridge. It’s also an amazing place to peep ships.
“People can come here to see the canal, the Aerial Lift Bridge, and the North and South Pier Lighthouses,” Bjorklund said. “But, ship watching is the main draw.”
Just footsteps out the door from the Museum is the Canal Park pier. This area is also owned by the Corps of Engineers. There is nowhere for people to get closer to Great Lakes freighters than this. It is truly a front-row seat to the shipping industry.
The Maritime Museum’s hours vary seasonally and depending on staffing. Right now, it is open Thursday – Monday from 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM, and closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The Museum’s phone number is (218) 788-6430.
Cruise of a Lifetime
The LSMMA is pleased to announce that its annual fundraising raffle is now active. From now through November, they are selling tickets with one amazing prize: Called “The Cruise of a Lifetime,” this raffle will ultimately award one winner the opportunity to take a round-trip cruise on the 1,000-footer, the Edwin H. Gott.
“One winner will be drawn, and the winner and up to three guests – who must be 18 or older – will win a trip on the Gott,” Bjorklund explained. “The trip takes about a week, and guests board while the ship loads iron ore. It heads to a destination – typically a steel mill – and back.
“The winner will stay in guest quarters on the ship, which are really nice suites, with two rooms and a lounge area. The food is high-quality and prepared by a chef. Accommodations are higher up in the pilot house. So, you can see a lot of the Lake. But with there being no elevator, you must be able to go up several flights of stairs.”
Another caveat? The winner must be flexible with dates, as they are subject to change. “The cruise will be sometime in the summer of 2026,” Bjorklund said.
Tickets are on sale now (1 ticket for $10, or 3 for $25), and can be purchased – using cash or check only – in-person at the Museum. They cannot legally be sold online, but there is a mail-in form on the website, lsmma.com.
The winner will be drawn at the Gales of November Conference, put on by LSMMA, in November. The winner does not need to be present to win.
“This is a very rare opportunity,” Bjorklund said of the cruise. “The public does not get the chance to do this outside of a raffle, unless you personally know a ship captain.”
Two Amazing Opportunities
There you have it: two amazing Great Lakes opportunities for “boat nerds” and the “boat curious” alike. If you have any interest in the shipping industry, Duluth is definitely where you want to be!
Please visit lsmma.com to learn more.
