Register to Attend Guest Donation

Thursday, 3 October 2024
7:00 PM EST

Seminars are free to attend, although we hope you will support the Series with a suggested $10 Seminar Guest donation.

We stand at a crucial moment. Generational changes are taking place as treasure hunters who were active before the Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987 decide the fate of their collections. These collections, often massive and historically significant, are scattered in small private museums, basements, barns, and even abandoned buses. Sadly, volumes of maritime history sit hidden and deteriorating.

A New Opportunity for Maritime Museums
Maritime museums have the opportunity to bridge the gap between shipwreck artifact salvagers and public agencies, bringing these lost pieces of history back to the public. The Wisconsin Maritime Museum recently undertook such a project, incorporating a significant Great Lakes maritime “legacy collection.” Salvaged long ago from shipwrecks in Lake Michigan, these artifacts–over 10,000 items–were primarily recovered and documented by one diver with the dream of creating a museum.

The collection remained in private hands until 2021-2022 when it was transferred to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Now, these artifacts are the focus of a major exhibition that tells the dramatic stories of personal struggle, survival, loss and legacy. The ships, shipwrecks and the artifacts left behind offer us a glimpse into our shared maritime history.

Join presenter Cathy Green as she discusses the fascinating journey of this new exhibit and the legacy of shipwreck artifacts.

Meet the Presenter