steamship william g. mather

Self guided tour through a big or carrier. The crew had some pretty nice quarters. I know they worked hard, but they lived quite comfortably. The holds are huge. Well worth the time when your in Cleveland.

The WG Mather tour was included in the price of admission to the Great Lakes Science Center.It was the highlight of our visit.The self-guided tour takes you through pretty much the entire ship - from bow to stern - including the amazing engine room, captain and crew quarters, cargo holds - the whole thing.Worth the visit! Highly Recommended!

I have never been on a working vessel, so this was a really neat experience. The kids were enthralled. Not expensive and a great day trip up to Cleveland. Try it!

We went up to visit the Rock and Roll Museum and saw this steamship near the museum. What a find! It was a great way to learn about the ships that 'sailed' around the Great Lakes. Very interesting to see the actual living conditions on these ships of the past, and uncover what technologies were available for navigation. The staff were very informative and pleasant. If you go plan on spending at least 90 minutes so you can fully enjoy all the old boat has to offer.

Toured the Mather as part of the Nasa Science center. My husband found it much more interesting than I did.

Open May-October, a tour of this ship should not be missed. It is affordable and interesting for all age groups. The lower level is interactive and educational (read that: fun) and this is where you start your self-guided tour. We spent hours viewing the navigational areas, social areas and the quarters for the various members of the crew. The galley offered an invaluable glimpse at how the crew was fed and how provisions were stored. This ship dates back to the 1920's but you can see the vintage items through the 1950's as the ship 'modernized' over the years. It was a beautiful Cleveland summer day to walk on the ship's deck and see the goings-on on the waterfront. There were a lot of people touring the boat but there were not crowded areas - just maybe waiting for someone to pass along the stairs. This was a great glimpse into the workings of one of the steamships that used to be an everyday sighting on the lake as I was growing up. There are wonderful photographs and a scrapbook that told more of the ship's history. Parking was only $7 (validated with receipt) at the parking garage and an easy walk to get to. This is right outside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Science Center but is worth a trip to on its own.

This ship is massive! It takes you back into the past. The exhibits are mapped out and color coded for you so you can just follow the arrows. Very easy to navigate. My kids were blown away by the sheer size of this ship and the view from the deck out onto Lake Erie. Well worth the extra few bucks!!

Great stop! Spent 3 hours here and loved every minute. You are allowed to go through at your own pace and there are guides in various areas to answer your questions. One guide we met had actually worked on this type of ship for 31 years. Interesting attraction for all ages.

We have Science Center passes but didn't have a chance to do this tour until recently. We have a 22 month old and the thought of taking him on this tour was too much. My husband and I went ourselves and walked through - it took us about 40 minutes to do a self guided tour alone. We brought our kids back the following weekend, as our 7 and 5 year old boys have been asking us to go out and walk through the ship since it opened for the season in May. We all enjoyed it. The boys practically ran through to see it all, and the minute we got off they asked to go again. There is an area at the start of the ship with several exhibits about the Great Lakes and the region. You start on the self guided tour and walk through crew and guest areas, mechanical rooms, the engine room, dining rooms, etc. It gives you a pretty good idea of what life on the ships were like. Hard to believe that 40 or less crew were on this ship at any given time. I'd be interested to take a guided tour sometime to hear some of the history and stories. Those who are posted throughout the ship are helpful and knowledgeable, but there are usually only 3-4 employees and the ship is large. I think walking through the whole thing with someone would be something I will try to do in the future. Looking forward to our next visit (thankfully included in our Science Center membership). Note to those who might have issues walking, with balance, or heights - this attraction is probably not for you. There are a lot of steep and narrow flights of stairs, and at the top of the ship, it is pretty high. My husband did carry our 22 month old through it because he wouldn't have been able to manage the stairs. This ship is NOT handicapped accessible. Also - try to go to the bathroom before you go on. There are bathrooms, but the ones you are allowed to use are easy to miss!

Even though I have lived in NEO for most of my life I had never heard of this attraction. It is truly a hidden gem! It is a great, authentic Great Lakes barge and a lot of it is original, if not it is meticulously restored. Try to go for one of the public tours because the guides know so much and tell great stories.

I have lived in the Cleveland area for almost 40 years and had never visited the William G Mather and I'm so sad I didn't do it sooner. I went with my mom as well as my 3 children ages 10,8 & 6 and honestly they were whining about going. After our 3 hours there my kids actually apologized and said they LOVED it there and were sorry they thought they wouldn't. The lower level when you first enter is interactive which my kids enjoyed. There is a lot of good information to take in and I couldn't t believe how much me and my kids learned. The one mistake we made that I would do over was to not follow the orange tour line. It is clearly marker throughout the ship and we thought we could just go and wander. You definitely can go and wander around, but following the tour line would have made it easier to get around without missing anything. This is an amazing ship with much to learn and it's just beautiful. There are also coupons for entrance in the Entertainment Book which made it around $23 for the 5 of us to get in.

If you are interested in history, this is certainly a place to see! Even my teenagers found it exciting. On board, you are able to do a self guided tour and see all the crews rooms, the mess room, formal dining, captain's quarters, engine room, steering/control room, and many more. There were lots of stairs (as a typical cargo ship would) so be wary if you are bringing very small children. The staff there were very knowledgeable and friendly. Certainly a diamond in the rough, do not miss this!

We kind of stumbled upon the William Mather while checking out the Great Lakes Science Center. So glad we did. We toured the huge floating museum and actually learned something along the way. Very interesting - good for young and old alike

We visited the Mather after several hours in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. We were tired but were re-energized by the Mather. There are volunteers in all areas of the ship to give you background information and answer any questions you have. Kids will have a ball in the Pilot House.Target an hour or two for a good tour of the ship and the exhibits.

A living museum with enthusiastic guides who demonstrate lifeon the lakes. A convenient connection to the Great Lakes Science Center at the inner harbor and adjacent to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well as First Energy Stadium.