One History … Three Ports of Call

Cana Island Lighthouse

Baileys Harbor

Door County Maritime Museum

Sturgeon Bay

Death’s Door Maritime Museum

Gills Rock

​​​​​​​Door County Maritime Museum: Where Great Lakes History Comes Alive!

The Museum operates three locations, including the Door County Maritime Museum along the working waterfront in Sturgeon Bay; the iconic Cana Island Lighthouse in Baileys Harbor; and the Death’s Door Maritime Museum in Gills Rock. As one of northeast Wisconsin’s top tourism destinations, attracting more than 85,000 visitors annually, the Door County Maritime Museum serves as a cultural and educational resource for all 72 counties in Wisconsin. 

Our Mission: The Door County Maritime Museum & Lighthouse Preservation Society, Inc. preserves Great Lakes maritime history, primarily focusing on Door County, Wisconsin, and provides interpretive and educational opportunities for current and future generations.

Our Vision: To be a preeminent cultural and educational resource for the preservation and stewardship of regional maritime history.

DCMM Land Acknowledgement: The Door County Maritime Museum acknowledges that the indigenous peoples and nations – including the Menominee, Potawatomi, as well as other native peoples – have stewarded through generations the lands and waterways of what is now northeastern Wisconsin. We honor and respect the enduring relationship that exists between these peoples and this land and the waters surrounding it.

Red square box with peaked metal roof, sitting at the end of a break wall. A catwalk of wood and steel connects the lighthouse to the shore.

Lighthouse Festivals: Tours on SALE NOW for MEMBERS!

Festival weekends include air, land-based, boat, and adventure tours that provide access to all 11 of the treasured lighthouses of Door County and three of our neighbors to the south.

More Info

DCMM Recognized for Excellence

DCMM recently learned that the organization has passed the American Alliance of Museums’ Core Documents Verification, an important milestone in its ongoing efforts to demonstrate excellence and meet museum industry standards and best practices.

More Info

Tug John Purves

Monday, December 11was a big day at DCMM! The historic tug John Purves will spend the upcoming winter at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, undergoing repair and maintenance work. The tug is projected to return to the dock in front of DCMM in April 2024 and open for guests on May 1.

More Info

maritime speaker series

2023-24 Maritime Speaker Series

The Maritime Speaker Series offers an assortment of monthly programs – from historical topics to current issues affecting the Great Lakes and the economy that relies on them. UP NEXT – March 7: Freshwater Fisheries: Migratory Fish in Door County presented by Dr. Karen Murchie, Director of Freshwater Research, Shedd Aquarium in Chicago

More Info