Your trip to Sault Ste. Marie wouldn’t be complete without visiting the historic Museum Ship Valley Camp. Now retired, in its working days the Valley Camp logged over 3 million miles during its 49 years of service. The 20,000 square foot cargo holds that once held freight are now filled with hundreds of artifacts, paintings, shipwreck items, and exhibits related to maritime history.

Make sure to allow plenty of time to visit the various exhibits including the Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial, multiple aquariums, and crews’ quarters. You can walk around the entire ship from the engine room to captain’s bridge! Throughout the great freighter, the various museum exhibits hold an eclectic collection of Great Lakes memorabilia, appealing to all ages.

In addition to exploring over 100 museum exhibits, check out the four 1,200-gallon aquariums stocked with various species of fish found right here in the Great Lakes. The Museum Ship Valley Camp is one of the very few locations that hold aquariums in the Upper Peninsula. Stepping stools are provided for children, assuring that adventurers of all ages are able to enjoy watching the fish in this unique habitat.

As a freighter that once housed a crew of 29 men in her cabins, the Museum Ship Valley Camp opens up her Captain’s Quarters and accommodations to all visitors. Witness firsthand the lifestyle of Great Lakes sailors that lived and worked aboard this great ship.