The Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc has been awarded a nearly $138,000 State COVID-19 Cultural Organization Grant to help sustain operations through challenges posed by the pandemic.
Executive Director Cathy Green told SeehaferNews.com, “We all rely pretty heavily on earned income from various sources that have been drastically reduced or in some cases even to nothing at this point so this is a really huge help to us.”
Green says after initially closing at the start of the pandemic the Museum was operating on a reduced hour schedule from June basically thru October.
“We were able to adjust our regular programs by reducing group sizes such as our overnight stays on the U.S.S Cobia,” she explained. “It was a great way for us to be able to grant access to the Museum and keep everyone safe.”
But to due high infection rates locally and statewide they decided to close to the public a second time on November first just as the holidays are approaching. Green said that they have “taken our store along with some special events on-line. We’ve also partnered with a number of local and national organizations to hold our Christmas Ship Tree program that people can view online without having to enter the Museum.”
The Maritime Museum Executive Director adds “this funding will enable us to continue to provide the educational support and economic benefits that make the Wisconsin Maritime Museum an important part of our community and region. But this is just the first and very important step in securing support for the museum. We need an enthusiastic coalition of public and private partners to effectively weather this storm.”
For the latest information and how you can help the Museum visit Wisconsinmaritime.org.
