The Sleeping Bear Point Maritime Museum

The Sleeping Bear Point Maritime Museum is a restored U.S. Life-Saving Station, located a few miles south of the abandoned town of Glen Haven. The Life-Saving Station was built in 1901 and relocated in 1931 when shifting dunes started to bury it. An identical Life-Saving Station was buillt on South Manitou Island at the same time and these two stations guarded the Manitou Passage. The buildings at Sleeping Bear stood vacant from WWII until 1984 when it was refurbished and opened as a museum. The Museum’s exhibits “cover the U.S. Life-Saving Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, and Great Lakes shipping history.” A recently refurbished second floor room is outfitted as a Steamer Wheelhouse.

Cool things to do: During summer at 3:00 PM each day, there is a re-enactment of the breeches buoy rescue drill utilizing Raggedy Ann & Andy as our shipwreck victims.Check the listing of weekly events during the summer for the day and time of the Lyle Gun demonstration. After going to the exhibits you might enjoy a stroll along the beach and a swim in Lake Michigan.