Wisconsin Maritime Museum

Wisconsin Maritime Museum
Former nameManitowoc Submarine Memorial Association, Manitowoc Maritime Museum
Established1970
Location75 Maritime Drive, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Coordinates44°05′35″N 87°39′22″W / 44.093°N 87.656°W / 44.093; -87.656
TypeMaritime museum
Key holdingsUSS Cobia (SS-245)
DirectorKevin Cullen
Websitewww.wisconsinmaritime.org

The Wisconsin Maritime Museum is a maritime museum in the Lake Michigan port and shipbuilding city of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. It preserves and teaches about the maritime history of the Great Lakes and Wisconsin.

History

The museum was founded in 1969 as the Manitowoc Submarine Memorial Association. USS Cobia arrived in Manitowoc and was initially restored in 1970, and in 1986 became part of the museum as well as becoming a National Historic Landmark and joining the National Register of Historic Places. The submarine has been restored and has one of the oldest operational radar systems in the world.

Cobia was dry docked in 1996. In 2025, Cobia went again to the dry dock, a project that cost approximately $1.5 million.

Exhibits

The museum offers guided tours of the Cobia as well as overnight youth group stays on the submarine, and partners with AirBnB to offer private overnight bookings. In addition to the Cobia, the museum displays the 65-ton Chief Wawatam steam engine and exhibits on shipbuilding and shipwrecks in Wisconsin, a model ship gallery, children's play exhibits and a temporary exhibit gallery.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Staff & Leadership". Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
  2. 1 2 "About Us | Wisconsin Maritime Museum". Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  3. ↑ Nelson, Casey. "Officials Prepare USS Cobia for Dry Docking Project". WTAQ News Talk | 97.5 FM · 1360 AM | Green Bay, WI. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Oselen, Bryce (September 27, 2022). "Wisconsin Maritime Museum submarine to be restored with $500k grant". WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  5. 1 2 "Submarine USS Cobia". Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  6. ↑ "A look inside the USS Cobia and the role Wisconsin-built submarines played in World War II". Milwaukee Independent. July 18, 2018. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Cobia Dry Dock Project". Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Stay on the Sub". Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  9. ↑ Groh, James (May 5, 2022). "Wisconsin's coolest Airbnb is a submarine". TMJ4 News. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Exhibits | Wisconsin Maritime Museum". Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Retrieved August 25, 2026.