Tours leave at the bottom of the hour from the Gift Shop. Visitors are allowed to view the exhibit before and after the tour. Please note the daily tour schedule may change based on staffing, weather, and events. Please visit “book your tour today” above for the current schedule. Reservations can be made 2 months in advance, but are not required.
Monday - WEDNESDAY
CLOSED
THURSDAY - SUNDAY
10:30AM - 1:30PM
Last tour at 1:30PM
Monday - SUNDAY
8:30AM - 1:30PM
Last tour at 1:30PM
Friday - Saturday ONLY
4:30 - 7:30PM
Last tour at 7:30PM
Monday - FRIDAY
CLOSED
Saturday
Sunday
8:30AM - 1:30PM
Last tour at 1:30PM
10:30AM - 1:30PM
Last tour at 1:30PM
The SS Meteor is the last remaining above-water whaleback ship in the world! Open seasonally from May – October. All guided tours depart from the Gift Shop on the bottom of the hour.
The whaleback freighter was designed by Captain Alexander McDougall and built here in Superior, Wisconsin. These ships, innovative for their time, earned the name “whaleback” for their cigar-shaped steel hulls that rode low in the water when loaded with cargo.
McDougall’s Whaleback #136 has seen many changes since she was launched as the Frank Rockefeller in Superior harbor less than a mile from where she now rests. She ended her shipping career as the SS Meteor, after carrying a variety of cargoes over the years, including iron ore, grain, sand and gravel, cars, and oil.
In 1972, after sailing under three names and being refitted twice, the SS Meteor returned to Superior and is now permanently land-berthed on Barker’s Island. Tour the ship from pilot house to cargo holds. The Museum also features exhibits on Great Lakes shipwrecks and the history of shipbuilding in the Twin Ports.
Your donations help support our historical sites and programming for the local community. You may choose to give to the general operating fund, or the museum(s) of your choice, or a specific program or event. Please contact us for more information on how you can help support Superior Public Museums. Superior Public Museums is a 501(c)3.
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Superior Public Museums operates three unique historic sites: Fairlawn Mansion, SS Meteor Whaleback Ship, and the Old Firehouse and Police Museum. Each site offers tours, events, private rentals, and so much more.