Huron Lightship Museum is a must see! It’s a floating lighthouse!
The Huron Lightship Museum has been one of our favorite museums this year. The museum is part of the Port Huron Museums network. This group includes the Huron Lightship Museum, the Carnegie Center, Fort Gratiot Lighthouse, and the Thomas Edison Depot Museum. The Huron Lightship doesn’t look like there is much to see from the outside, but the inside is a wonder, and the museum is worth the trip.
Parking at the Huron Lightship Museum
Park in Pine Grove Park for this museum. You will see the seemingly small Lightship Museum seated at the edge of the St.Clair River. At first glance, you may think the ship is sitting in the river, but it is actually on dry land.
Getting to the Entrance and Accessibility
There are steps and a ramp to get to the ship’s entrance, but the spaces are tight inside. You climb up and down ladders to the three levels of the ship. You could walk around the main floor of the ship and see most of the museum if you can’t do the steps to the engine room or the deck. The main floor houses so much information about the ship that it would still be worth seeing just that area (especially since admission is free/donation).
Navigating inside the Huron Lightship Museum
Walking through the heavy metal doors cut into the ship’s side, you meet a volunteer in a reception area. A sign labeled “traffic” with an arrow points you in a general direction. Guided tours are listed on the website, but you can also wander around at your own pace. You will find everything labeled with descriptions, and extra volunteers who were not giving tours were available to answer questions or provide additional information. The volunteers were friendly and helpful, adding much to our enjoyment and knowledge.
A special Volunteer
If you visit the Huron Lightship Museum in the summer, you may meet a volunteer who was actually stationed on the ship while it was in service. A former crew member living out of state visits for two weeks every summer to volunteer and teach people about life on the ship. What a treasure that would be.
The Engine Room Level
The lowest deck holds the engines, generators, fuel, etc. Down there, you will find all the machines that power every aspect of the ship. Initially, coal and steam powered the ship, but it was refitted in the 1950s for diesel.
The engine room is fully enclosed without windows. In the center of the ship is a small room with a metal grated floor. Below is the engine room; you can access the ladder from this area. The windows and doors on the walls appear to seal shut from the remainder of the main floor. Looking up, you see portholes in the ceiling set in wooden frames that open and close.
We didn’t have the benefit of a volunteer while looking at this part, but it seems that this is a way to get fresh air into the engine room and to vent the hot air out through the roof of the ship rather than into the living quarters. Examining structures like this is fascinating and gives you a greater appreciation for the creativity of those who make things like this ship.
The Main Living Areas of the Huron Lightship
The middle floor housed all the regular living quarters.
Three officer’s quarters, the day galley, the officer’s lounge, and the officer’s bathroom are in the ship’s rear. They are nicely appointed and provide a good deal of privacy, and they are farthest away from noise and smells that would be unpleasant.
Midship, you find the offices, the main galley, the eating area, and the crew lounge (now the entrance and greeting area).
In the front of the ship, you see the crew quarters: bunks, lockers, and bathroom. They had an “open floor concept” here before it was popular.
Forward of that is the anchor room, the brig, the manger, and the laundry room. These areas seem mundane, but we learned a lot about them. The brig held errant crew members as a sort of jail on board the ship. The hole to get down there is very small, and there are no doors or other ways out than through that hole in the floor.
The manger housed animals for food in the past. Refrigeration and the regular rotation of crew members from the mainland negated the need for live animals.
The main floor had so much information about the daily living situation that we spent much time there and chatted with some volunteers about life aboard the ship.
On the Deck of the Huron Lightship
The deck is on the top floor of the Lightship Museum. The day was chilly, misty, and windy, but we had a great time watching the water race by. The color of the river was so beautiful. The photos just don’t capture it—deep greenish blue.
Two Ships Passing in the…Day
While we were up on the deck, a ship, the Wilfred Sykes, came downriver under the Blue Water Bridge and skillfully navigated the rapidly moving river. As the ship came alongside the museum, a volunteer used the air horn on the Lightship to greet the tanker ship. The tanker ship blew its own horn back in reply. That was indeed a fantastic experience. The horns are loud, reverberate in your chest, and touch a chord deep in your soul. If you go, I hope you get to experience that.
Be Sure to Check out the Huron Lightship Museum
Get over to Port Huron for a daytrip and check out their museums. Make sure this one is on your list it is worth the visit. While you’re in the area, be sure to check out the coffee shops and grab some delicious food at Nicky Ds Burgerz
The Huron Lightship is one of the inspirations for our 2024 Travel Plans! We hope you keep in touch and come along on our next adventures.
