What Is the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association?

The Michigan Shipwreck Research Association (MSRA) is a nonprofit organization whose stated purpose is "preserving and interpreting Michigan's maritime history." Its website, michiganshipwrecks.org, serves as the organization's public hub—documenting shipwrecks and airplane losses, hosting a virtual museum, announcing events, and providing ways to join, donate, or buy from its store. It is a membership- and supporter-funded organization, so if you want to use its deeper resources or support its work, membership or donation is the intended path.

What the Organization Does

The site's own framing centers on two activities: preserving and interpreting Michigan's maritime history. In practice, that shows up as:

• Shipwreck documentation — organized into Found Shipwrecks, Lost Shipwrecks, and Surf Zone Shipwrecks (lost and found)
• Aviation losses — a separate section for airplane losses
• A virtual museum — including "Shipwrecks: A Deep Look," "Lost & Found," "Unsolved Mysteries," and an Artifact Collection
• Public programming — an annual shipwreck show and an archive of past shows dating back to 1997

How It Is Organized

MSRA is governed by a Board of Directors. The site lists these individuals:

The site also references a Publishing Partner and an Exhibit Design Partner, indicating the organization collaborates with outside entities on publications and exhibits.

How It Is Funded

The site states plainly that "MSRA is partially funded by members and supporters like you." That means the organization does not present itself as fully grant- or institution-funded; individual support is part of its model. The visible support channels are:

• Membership — join via the membership page
• Donate — a dedicated donation option
• Store — merchandise or publications for purchase
• Newsletter — sign-up to receive events, announcements, and discovery news

The Annual Shipwreck Show

The organization's flagship public event is its shipwreck show, titled "Mysteries & Histories Beneath the Inland Seas." The site notes that the 2026 show has concluded and that the next one is planned for March 2027. Tickets and memberships are handled through the site's ticket/membership link. Between events, the organization directs people to its Facebook page for updates.

What You Can Explore Without Joining

The site's navigation suggests a substantial amount of content is browsable directly: the shipwreck listings, the virtual museum sections, the artifact collection, and the archive of past shows. Membership and donation are framed as ways to support the mission rather than as gates to the basic content.

If your interest is the annual show, plan around the March 2027 date and watch the Facebook page for the ticket announcement. If your interest is the research itself—wreck histories, lost-and-found cases, unsolved mysteries—start with the Shipwrecks and Virtual Museum sections, then use membership or the newsletter to stay current on new discoveries.