The Wisconsin Maritime Museum has been awarded by the Wisconsin Historical Society for the creation of one of their exhibits.
Christian Overland, Wisconsin Historical Society Director and CEO, gave the 2025 Board of Curators Museum Exhibit Award for the Maritime Museum’s “Wisconsin’s Shipwreck Coasts” exhibit.
The recognition highlights the Museum’s dedication to preserving and interpreting Wisconsin’s maritime heritage, especially the stories of shipwrecks that line the shores of Lake Michigan.
Overland told a group of people at the exhibit that he really enjoys underwater history; it’s amazing to see the work done to bring it literally out of the water for all to see.
Plus, Overland found it beautiful.
“The graphics pull it together quite well,” he noted. “I think the framework of interpretation from the stories to the grand narrative works quite well too. But really, it’s the accounts of people, using firsthand interpretation, the voices of people.”
He also credited the maritime museum’s employees’ collaboration efforts.
“But really what I think you’ve done quite well is you have created a spotlight, and you’ve illuminated the new Wisconsin Shipwreck Coasts National Marine Sanctuary,” he explained. “And I think this is the obvious kind of portal for that.”
Wisconsin Maritime Museum Executive Director Kevin Cullen says there’s been a lot of work that was put into the exhibit, with many artifacts coming from Allen “Butch” Klopp, who recovered items from shipwrecks in the 1960s-1980s for display at the Sunken Treasures Museum in Port Washington.
But they also worked with other groups to bring Wisconsin Shipwreck Coasts to life.
Cullen mentioned, “This exhibit, 3,000 square feet, is that story that will continue to evolve in the months and the years to come as new shipwrecks are found as new objects are interpreted and conserved.”
Since it opened in 2024, about 70,000 people have walked through all seven parts of the exhibit.
“Months and months and months of major traffic coming back and forth,” he said. “We have seen great interpretation and feedback from educators and the public who are just astounded by the preservation of the artifacts.”
The exhibition and museum are open Thursday through Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
