OMA Award Spotlight - National Museum of the Great Lakes
On Sunday, April 19, the Ohio Museums Association held our Annual Awards dinner to recognize the winners of our 2025 Awards of Achievement and 2025 Visual Communication Awards, in conjunction with the 2026 Annual Conference in Columbus.
During the ceremony, OMA celebrated the outstanding achievement of Ohio museums in Visual Communications, individual and institutional achievement, and the tireless work museum professionals undertake to help to advance Ohio’s museum community both locally, and on a national level.
Today, we'll be finishing up the celebration of this year's award winners by featuring the recipient of the 2025 award for Institution of the Year.
OMA Award Spotlight - Awards of Achievement
The Awards of Achievement are presented to reflect the outstanding quality and caliber of work by Ohio museums and their professionals in two categories: Institutional Achievement Awards and Individual Achievement Awards.
Nominations for these awards are incredibly detailed. This in-depth process helps to illustrate how these institutions and individuals have gone “above and beyond” the normal call of duty to support their institution, serve their public and advance the cause of the museum community.
Each year, the review panel is overwhelmed by the outstanding projects, innovative programming and dedication to our field as exhibited in each of the institutional and individual nominations. Congratulations again to each of our award winners!
Today, we'll be featuring our winner for the 2025 award for Institution of the Year.
National Museum of the Great Lakes
2025 was a year of transformation for the National Museum of the Great Lakes. They launched their “Second Wave” initiative, which resulted in the construction of a 5,000 square foot addition to the museum that included temporary exhibit and community meeting spaces. The museum also launched a 5-year strategic plan that outlined a new mission and vision for preserving, sharing and celebrating the past, present and future of the Great Lakes story that will make the museum THE gathering place for Great Lakes conversations. Already the impact is evident. The museum strengthened its foundation through a new mission, vision, and values, launched an endowment campaign, activated new funding streams, and responsibly grew staff by 25%.
2025 saw the museum achieve its highest visitation and revenue in more than 80 years. Truly impressive was the ripple effect of these new initiatives. The museum mobilized to plan a series of events in 2025 for the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which brought 2,500 visitors from across the US and Canada to Toledo and generated $100,000 in economic impact.
The museum collaborated with the Toledo Port Authority and Destination Toledo (CVB) to attract Victory Cruise Lines to the Port of Toledo. Through these joint efforts, Victory ships docked once in Toledo, then booked seven additional visits. This success has prompted another cruise line to dock in 2026.
But wait…there’s more! The museum is also making an impact on workforce development by hosting a Maritime Career Day, which began in 2025. The event brought together 500 students and 30 industry partners for networking and discussion around educational and employment opportunities on the Great Lakes. Said one supporter, “..the amazing leadership of the National Museum of the Great Lakes have unmatched passion for serving their community and the entire Great Lakes Region.”
Do you know an institution that embodies the best of what Ohio museums can be? Be sure to nominate them for the 2026 award for Institution of the Year! Learn more here.