The Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven is planning a grand opening for the recently completed first phase of the Launching a Legacy capital campaign. The museum’s Claire Herhold tells us everyone’s welcome to take advantage of all-day free admission September 30. The public will be able to explore the entire campus, including the new Maritime Heritage Center which boasts 17,000 square feet of exhibit and programming space. Herhold says the museum is a new place.
“It is quite a different place,” Herhold said. “It’s going to be very noticeable if you’ve been to our campus before if you come and see it now. We have quite a few more exhibits, So, we’re really talking about a museum campus instead of a museum building.”
Herhold says they hope that will lead to an increase in visitors. The centerpiece of the new facility is the inaugural exhibit, Full Steam Ahead: The Golden Age of Great Lakes Passenger Steamships. September 30 is a significant date as it’s two years from the day the Maritime Museum closed on its purchase of the Jensen Fishery property, laying a foundation for the Launching a Legacy capital campaign. It eventually raised more than $8 million and now phase one is complete. The grand opening will be all day and feature free ice cream.
