The Voyage Ahead

Education

Education is key to the sanctuary’s mission. The sanctuary and Shipwreck Coast Friends will continue to prioritize hiring a full-time education specialist so we can expand our offerings, including on-water experiences for students and educators like this one in 2023. We’ll also keep working jointly with our partners to offer programming at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum and other locations, and grow our online educational resources.

Exploring the Sanctuary

In 2025, the sanctuary will bring cutting edge marine technology to the region, with funding from a $318,000 grant from NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. A Saab Autonomous Underwater Vehicle will be used to explore existing and newly discovered sites in the sanctuary, using 3D modeling, laser scanning, and sonar mapping. Similar technology was recently used to document Earnest Shackleton’s Endurance in Antarctica. The project will take place this summer and use federal and commercial partners and equipment.

New Exhibits

With new exhibits now completed at Wisconsin Marine Museum, Port Washington Historical Society, and Sheboygan Visitor Center, we’ll continue to work with partners along the coast. Stay tuned for new exhibits at Rogers Street Finding Village in 2025, and onboard SS Badger in 2026!

Sanctuary Facilities and Visitor Experiences

In 2023, the sanctuary published a community-based Facility Strategy, with over 60 stakeholders participating in six thematic focus groups to help inform the plan. The strategy takes a regional approach and embodies the idea of “Four Communities, One Destination.”

Among other infrastructure, the plan identifies opportunities to create visitor experiences in Two Rivers, Manitowoc, Sheboygan and Port Washington.

Shipwreck Mooring Buoy Program

In 2024, the sanctuary installed permanent moorings and 19 shipwreck sites. The moorings promote public access by divers, support marketing efforts to attract visitors, and help protect these unique historic sites from anchor damage. The moorings are available for use seasonally from June 1 through October 1. The sanctuary also maintains 6 markers at shallow water shipwrecks for paddlers. Stay tuned as we add more moorings in 2026.