Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston: visitor guide

The Great Lakes Museum preserves and interprets the maritime heritage of the Great Lakes through galleries, educational programs and events. Its setting is the Kingston Dry Dock, a National Historic Site where ship repair and shipbuilding took place after the dock opened in 1891. The dock was used for those purposes until 1968.

Local divers founded the museum in 1975 to protect artifacts from shipwrecks they had explored. The museum occupied the dry dock from 1975 to 2016, then returned to the historic site and reopened to the public in October 2021.

The waterfront location ties the museum’s story to Kingston’s working maritime past. For a fuller day around town, the one-day Kingston itinerary for history, campus and the waterfront brings several local themes together.

Exhibits bring together Great Lakes maritime artifacts, ship models, paintings, steam engines and rivet guns. Galleries and displays evolve over time, so the mix may vary from one visit to another.

The museum owns the S.S. Keewatin, which it describes as the world’s oldest remaining Edwardian-era passenger steamship. Guided tours of the ship are offered seasonally from May to November, and require a separate ticket.

Museum admission includes access to a virtual tour of the Keewatin in the gallery exhibit. Allow 45 minutes for the galleries; if you plan to add the ship tour, check the museum’s official information for current tour arrangements.

For another stop focused on Kingston’s military history, Fort Frederick’s history and visitor access can fit into a broader local history itinerary.

Seasonal hours differ from November to May and from May 16 to November 15, with changes in July and August.

Opening hours

• Monday to Sunday: 9:30–18:00

Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.

Gallery admission is $11 for adults, $6 for seniors aged 65 and over, $6 for students with valid ID and youth aged 5–16, and free for children aged 4 and under.

S.S. Keewatin tickets are sold separately, and the ship is open for guided tours only. Check the official site before you go for current hours, prices and tour details.

The galleries, including the Keewatin exhibit, are fully accessible, and an accessible washroom is available. The front doors are not accessible. The ship itself cannot accommodate mobility devices or strollers because of its gangways, steep and narrow stairways, tight passages and 6–8-inch doorway sills. Registered service animals are welcome in the museum.

The museum sits along the waterfront pathway, about a 10-minute walk from downtown Kingston. It directs visitors to Kingston Transit’s trip planner for bus directions. Limited free parking is available in the museum lot at the bottom of Lower Union Street; downtown municipal lots and on-street parking are other options.

From Seven Oakes Motel, the museum is about a 13-minute drive. The motel offers Seven Oakes Motel rooms.

Kingston residents can receive 15% off museum admission and S.S. Keewatin experiences by showing valid photo ID and proof of a Kingston address at the front desk; the discount is available in person only. Researchers can consult the museum’s collection on site by appointment, with inquiries accepted by email or phone.

What is the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes called now?

It is now called the Great Lakes Museum. The museum was formerly known as the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston.

How much time should you allow for the galleries?

The museum asks visitors to allow 45 minutes to explore its galleries.

Does gallery admission include the S.S. Keewatin?

No. Ship access requires a separate ticket and is available through guided tours. Gallery admission does include the ship’s virtual tour in the Keewatin exhibit.

Can you visit the museum with a mobility device?

The galleries are fully accessible, but the front doors are not. The S.S. Keewatin is not accessible to mobility devices or strollers.