The National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) recently announced the opening of Dark Waters: True Crime and Mystery on the Great Lakes, the first exhibition to debut in the museum’s new Temporary Exhibit Gallery. Presented by Buckeye Broadband and The Blade, the exhibit invites visitors ages 13 and up to explore some of the region’s most gripping tales of deception, disaster, and unresolved intrigue. Dark Waters opened Saturday, June 28, and will remain on view through October 31, 2025.

The 4-month exhibition dives into the Great Lakes’ shadowy past—from blazing shipboard tragedies to Prohibition-era violence—revealing how moments of darkness helped shape the communities that line these Inland Seas.

Among the featured stories:

● SS Noronic Inferno (1949): A late-night fire aboard the passenger steamer while docked in Toronto claimed 118 lives and raised enduring questions about safety and accountability.

● Bootlegging & the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre (1920s): The Lakes served as America’s busiest smuggling corridor during Prohibition, fueling organized crime that culminated in Chicago’s still-unsolved gangland massacre.

● H. H. Holmes’ “Murder Castle” (1893): Just steps from the World’s Columbian Exposition on Lake Michigan, one of the nation’s first known serial killers preyed on visitors, cementing a sinister legacy amid a celebration of progress.

“Dark Waters exposes the hidden currents beneath our region’s maritime story,” said Chris Gillcrist, NMGL Emeritus Director and curator of the exhibit. “By examining these darker chapters, we gain a fuller understanding of the people, places, and forces that have shaped the Great Lakes.”

The exhibit is included with regular museum admission and is free for NMGL members. Due to graphic content and mature themes, it is recommended for guests 13 and older.

About the National Museum of the Great Lakes: The National Museum of the Great Lakes preserves, shares, and celebrates the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story. As an interactive, experiential museum, we offer visitors the chance to explore thousands of years of history and stories through nine dynamic exhibit galleries—including a rotating temporary exhibition space—and two historic museum vessels, the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and the Museum Tug Ohio, plus the pilothouse of the storied St. Marys Challenger.

Founded in 1944 as the Great Lakes Historical Society, we have a long-standing commitment to education, research, and storytelling. Our initiatives include the publication of Inland Seas®, a quarterly journal of Great Lakes history since 1945 and decades of maritime preservation and archaeological exploration. Today, we strive to be the gathering place for Great Lakes conversations—welcoming all to connect with the stories, people, and innovations that have shaped and continue to influence this vital region.