Vision
The Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum has been open for seasonal tours during the 2007, 2008 and 2009 summers. Approximately 48,000 guests have toured the facility to date. The Board of Directors and staff regard the ship as an American Hero whose legacy and service to duty contributed to the successful outcome of World War II .
The Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum will continue this legacy of duty and service by initiating an expanded educational curriculum by constructing a year around facility, the Mackinaw Maritime Education Center, adjacent to the museum ship. The Education Center will broaden the current education program and will provide education and training facilities for Northern Michigan with a boating and marine curriculum that encompasses various hands on learning opportunities for students of all ages. The Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum has an Education Committee that designed and implemented hands on marine and boating curriculum. Due to limited compartmental space and seasonal access on the ship, the education program is only available during seasonal tour operations, (May thru October) and is limited to a maximum instructional group size of 10 people. Over the past two years, 2008 & 2009, over 1000 children, ages 8 – 14 have experienced the hands on education program. However, the small confined rooms on the ship do not allow for large group seating or large group instruction. The education capacity is very limited.
The Board of Directors and staff completed a Vision Program in June 2009 that addresses the problem of limited space and seasonal availability. The vision program includes a 20,000 sq. ft. building at the current leased dock location. The Center will contain a Virtual Reality Boating Simulation area. Boating simulation in the areas of canoeing, kayaking, sailing, yachting, freighters, and icebreaking are examples of the hands on experiences that will be available to museum visitors. In addition, a Simulation Theater Space will allow visitors to experience the sound, movement and the environment of an Icebreaking vessel on the Great Lakes.
The goal of the organization is to preserve the legacy of Mackinaw WAGB 83 and her crew and provide an educational opportunity for students of all ages to experience life on the Great Lakes through hands on learning and training programs.
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