Museum hosting “Fitzgerald Experience” Nov. 9 and 10

        In recognition of the 44th anniversary of the loss of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, the National Museum of the Great Lakes is offering special programming on Saturday and Sunday Nov. 9 and 10 to help visitors better understand the historic event.
        “This opportunity will provide guests with a more experiential and hands-on discussion of the tragedy, the theories
surrounding the sinking and the many stories of the 29 crew members lost,” said Chris Gillcrist, executive director of the National Museum of the Great Lakes.
        While traveling Lake Superior on Nov. 10, 1975, the “Mighty Fitz” and its entire crew sank during a storm. Using the similarities between the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald and the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, the National Museum of the Great Lakes will hold a limited number of guided tours on their museum freighter, followed by a viewing of their documentary, “A Good Ship and Crew Well Seasoned: The Fitzgerald and Her Legacy.” The film uses previously unpublished manuscripts and photographs to explore the less-documented and overlooked history of the Fitzgerald and her crew before their tragic loss.
        “The S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald captured the attention and saddened thousands across the nation,” said Ellen Kennedy, the museum’s Director of Education and Visitor Experience. “Locally, Toledo was one of the vessel’s primary ports. She was often referred to as the ‘Toledo Express’ since so many of the crew were from the metro-Toledo area.”
        The Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship will open one last time this season exclusively for this experience.
        Tickets are $20 for museum members and $25 for non-members and include the tour, documentary screening, and museum admission. For additional information and to purchase tickets, visit nmgl.org or call 419-214-5000.
        The National Museum of the Great Lakes is located at 1701 Front St., Toledo.