The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum is located at the Whitefish Point Light Station 11 miles (18 km) north of Paradise in Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan.

The museum exhibits artifacts from shipwrecks from the Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve and the bell from the wreck of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald.

[3][4] Admission to the museum includes a tour of historic buildings with displays that interpret the Great Lakes maritime, United States Coast Guard, and US Life-Saving Service history.

[5] The MAS secured a license from the Coast Guard in 1976 for access to the Whitefish Point Light Station property for the study of migrating birds.

"[9] In 1983, the GLSHS obtained a 25-year lease from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to operate a museum at the Whitefish Point Light Station.

"[14] In 1993, the state reached a settlement agreement with the GLSHS that loaned the artifacts back to them for display in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.

The plan was developed with the purpose of discussion of land transfer of the Whitefish Point Light Station from the USCG and "proper land usage in terms of existing and future developments... to ensure that, through proper planning, the unique but somewhat fragile environment of the Coast Guard Site is fully protected.

U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak authored transfer legislation for the Whitefish Point Light Station that included "a reversionary clause which would stipulate that the property would revert to the Coast Guard if not used appropriately.

A group called the Friends of Whitefish Point organized over their opposition of overdevelopment and private ownership of the light station property.

In 1995, Stupak announced that he hadn't made a final decision, saying, "To tell those people [GLSHS] they can no longer run their museum because Fish and Wildlife wants it would be wrong.

[28] The Michigan Department of Natural Resources requested that "the legislation be rewritten to remove authorization to expand the gift shop and other facilities.

[31] The transfer legislation requires that each recipient maintain their parcel in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and other applicable laws.

The statute stipulates that development or expansion at the Whitefish Point Light requires written consent by the stakeholders, that full consideration is given to public comment, and it is "consistent with preservation of the Property in its predominantly natural, scenic, historic, and forested condition"[31] On November 1, 1998, the GLSHS announced their plans for the Great Lakes mariners project as "a carefully planned expansion for the museum's facilities".

The lawsuit accused the GLSHS of overdeveloping the Whitefish Point Light Station in violation of its federal land patent and the USFWS of not protecting the site.

[36] MAS acknowledged the museum's growth was not the sole cause of Whitefish Point's popularity that drew many visitors for sunbathing and ship watching.

"[38] GLSHS filed a lawsuit against the mediator and MAS on September 24, 2002 claiming breach of contract because SHPO was brought into the planning process at Whitefish Point.

GLSHS claimed private property rights and therefore, SHPO had no authority to regulate development on the historic parcel they held by federal patent.

[35] The stakeholders and the court appointed mediator, Jim Lively of the Michigan Land Use Institute, held public hearings on the new management plan for Whitefish Point on December 3, 2002.

The public comments at the hearing were "fairly evenly matched... with the employees and board members of GLSHS supporting the plan and the residents and property owners of Whitefish Township primarily entering the official record in opposition.

"[41] Reasons for opposition to plan included "increased foot and vehicular traffic, possible habitat loss, septic system monitoring, parking issues, building expansion, new construction, and possible contamination from lead, mercury, and other pollutants.

"[42][43] GLSHS lawsuit was dismissed on December 19, 2002 after all three stakeholders signed the mediated Human Use/Natural Resource Plan that secured SHPO's involvement at Whitefish Point.

[35][44] Since 1984, the GLSHS was awarded numerous grants used to restore or renovate historic buildings at Whitefish Point Light Station for the interpretation of Great Lakes maritime, USCG, and US Life-Saving Service history.

The Crouse & Hinds aerobeacon lens installed in 1968[47] was replaced in 2011 with a light-emitting diode (LED) lantern with a reduced range of 15 nautical miles (28 km).

The building displays a full-size replica Beebe-McClellan 26 feet (7.9 m) surfboat and exhibits on the U.S. Life-Saving Service and U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Station as part of the museum tour for an admission fee.

Important features include: The museum complex is situated literally at the end of the road about 11 miles (18 km) north of Paradise in Chippewa County in the northeastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan.