Michigan Maritime Museum

For immediate Release

For more information phone 269 637 8078.

 

 

 

 

Michigan Maritime Museum announces new winter hours and greater reliance on volunteers.

 

After one of the busiest summers in its 34-year history, the Michigan Maritime Museum has announced new hours and staffing adjustments for the coming winter season.  As of October 1 the museum will be open to the public from 10 AM – 5 PM Friday, Saturday and Sunday and by appointment.  The Maryalyce Canonie Great Lakes Research Library located at the Keepers House will be open Thursdays from 10 AM – 5 PM and by appointment.

 

All of the facilities on the museum campus will be open including the main gallery, the VanOort Coast Guard boat house, the US Lifesaving Service crew quarters, the fish tug Evelyn S. and the Padnos boat building shed.  Dockside tours of the tall ship Friends Good Will will be available until the weather prohibits boarding. Throughout the winter, members of the museum, volunteers, school groups and the interested public will be welcome to learn about great lakes maritime history, practice traditional skills, attend lectures and presentations, and assist in helping to maintain the tall ship.

 

Other activity scheduled for later this year includes the lifting of the Friends Good Will from the water for a Coast Guard safety inspection and a new coat of paint for the hull.

This marks the first time the tall ship has been pulled from the water since it arrived in South Haven four years ago.  In addition, the museum’s annual fall fund drive will kick off October 15.

 

“We had a great summer sailing season with our tall ship Friends Good Will making a record number of day trips and charters.  But, these are tough times for small non-profit institutions like ours and in order to continue to meet our educational mission and goals, we had take some cost cutting measures,” said Board of Trustees President Jim Woodruff.  Included in those measures was a reduction of staff, including the elimination, at least temporarily of the Executive Director position.  The museum will be run during the winter season by a triumvirate including the Ships Captain, and the head of the Padnos Boat Building Shed, positions that are already filled.  The board is actively looking to fill the third position of Volunteer Coordinator/Administration.  The three will report directly to Trustee Chairman Woodruff.

 

Frank James, an active volunteer at the museum commented, “The Volunteer Coordinator position will be most important for the museum’s future success.  I can see that to keep the winter educational programs alive and to set the course for the 2009 summer season volunteers will be playing a bigger role than they have in the past.”

 

The Michigan Maritime Museum is a not for profit organization that relies on individual donations, membership dues and program fees for its livelihood.  For further information on any of the museum programs please phone 269-637-8078.