Detroit is a Great Lakes city, and its maritime soul lives on Belle Isle. The Dossin Great Lakes Museum, operated by the Detroit Historical Society, tells the story of the lakes that built the region — from birchbark canoes and sidewheel steamers to the great freighters that still pass its windows.
Highlights include the pilot house of the freighter William Clay Ford, which visitors can step inside; the restored Gothic Room from the steamer City of Detroit III; and one of the world’s finest collections of model ships. Outside, the museum’s riverfront lawn is a prime ship-watching spot, with the living traffic of the Detroit River as the ever-changing main exhibit.
The Dossin is at 100 Strand Drive on Belle Isle Park. Admission information is at detroithistorical.org. Pair it with the island’s aquarium and conservatory for a full Belle Isle museum day.
