Navigation

A Pirate’s Life for Me

The Door County Maritime Museum currently features a life-sized, interactive pirate ship as a part of their “Pirates – Ship to Shore” exhibit. Photo by Len Villano.

Placed at the end of the historic Sturgeon Bay Steel Bridge, the Door County Maritime Museum is distinctly unique from any other museum I have seen with its tug boats lining the outside and abundance of pirate themed experiences to be had on the inside. The peninsula that is Door County lends to a prevalent maritime life and history that can be of interest to adults and children alike. Most importantly, like everything else in the county, the maritime museum is steeped in community.

Throughout the decade-old engines and other boat materials, there are placards stating where each piece came from. Almost every card states a different individual who has given up their own personal property for the exhibit and benefit of the museum and its visitors. While many of the pieces were found or donated by larger companies, some of the most impressive objects are accredited to a John Doe in the community. This reveals a people that are passionate not only for the maritime life that they are so enthused about, but also the community that they are a part of.

I was lucky to stop by the museum just before a group of wooden boat building students finished their most recent project. After looking through the glass window with increasing interest, I was invited inside to learn more about the project. The wooden boat will be displayed at the upcoming wooden boat festival and auctioned off at the Pumpkin Fest in Egg Harbor later this year. The hardworking students hovered over the piece with sandpaper in hand, finely smoothing it down. The boat is truly Door County in spirit, being entirely handmade and featuring as much local wood as safe construction would allow.

Imprisoned are pretend pirates Olivia and Benjamin Byczek from Sister Bay. Photo by Len Villano.

Although the limited-time pirate exhibit was pitched to me as a high point of interest, I was willing enough to save it for last. After learning much about the maritime history of Door County, the pirate exhibit allowed for a fun and highly interactive exhibit with a dress up room, pirate cannon game and quiz on the different scents of pirate life – capped off with a gallery of pirate art that young children could even get lost in.

The Door County maritime museum exhibits everything that is Door County with its high importance placed on community, local roots and a little something fun for the kids to enjoy.

Door County Maritime Museum, located at 120 N Madison Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, is open daily from 9am-5pm. For more information call 920.743.5958 or visit http://www.dcmm.org.