Expansion Sponsorships The museum invested in a 17,000-square-foot Heritage Center with a $3.6 million price tag, with completion planned around June 2022 and a Launching a Legacy capital campaign underway. This shows ongoing expansion and creates naming-right, sponsorship, and donor-recognition opportunities for local businesses and philanthropic partners aligned with Great Lakes heritage.

Exhibit Partnerships The May 2026 launch of the Harris Commercial Fishing Exhibit provides a strong industry-focused platform to attract sponsors from fishing, boating, and tourism sectors, and supports collaborative educational programs and co-branded experiences with schools and community groups.

Event Sponsorship An active events calendar, including participation in the Ice Breaker Festival and the Maritime Music Concert Series, creates recurring attendance and sponsorship opportunities, plus potential for private rentals and corporate events at the museum.

Digital Commerce With a WooCommerce-enabled online store and a diverse tech stack, there is an opportunity to expand online merchandise, membership programs, digital tours, and subscription offerings to broaden the donor base and drive recurring revenue.

Fundraising Pipeline Past fundraising activity, including a $55K grant and capital campaign progress, signals potential to pursue additional grants and foundation partnerships at regional and corporate levels to fund exhibits, programming, and capital needs.