Discovery Pier

Connecting people of all ages, needs, and abilities to the Great Lakes.

Discovery Center & Pier is a Traverse City-based nonprofit organization on a mission to connect people of all ages, needs, and abillities to the Great Lakes through education, recreation, history, science, and stewardship. Our shared campus provides space to five of the region’s dynamic and important nonprofit organizations: the Maritime Heritage Alliance, the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay,

the Great Lakes Children’s Museum, Inland Seas Education Association, and Traverse Area Community Sailing. We also provide pier space to our business partners Traverse Tall Ship Company, Fish-X-TC, Discovery Cruises, and Compass Rose Navigation Company who help us work toward our mission by providing experiences for local youth.

06/05/2026

06/04/2026

🎣 The countdown is ON! 🎣
The Discover Fishing at the Pier program is happening this Saturday, and we couldn't be more excited! Our team is busy prepping rods, reels, and gear for all of our registered kiddos.
A BIG thank you to The Rivard Teahen Wheatley Group - Baird Private Wealth Management and Traverse City Optimist Club for supporting this program.
Learn more: discoverypier.org/fishing

05/22/2026

The Discover Fishing at the Pier program is just two weeks away! A BIG thank you to our sponsors for making this program possible!
Traverse City Optimist Club
The Rivard Teahen Wheatley Group - Baird Private Wealth Management
Learn more: discoverypier.org/fishing

04/27/2026

Check out this Record-Eagle feature on the Freshwater Research and Innovation Center at Discovery Pier.

See today's Record-Eagle or go online to https://record-eagle-cnhi.newsmemory.com/?special=Momentum to read our Momentum 2026 special section.

04/24/2026

Today we celebrated the 'topping off' for the Freshwater Research & Innovation Center. A time-honored construction tradition, the topping off marks the placement of a building's final structural beam. THANK YOU to all of the donors and partners who joined us to make their mark by signing the beam.

The Freshwater Research & Innovation Center is a collaborative effort of Discovery Pier, Northwestern Michigan College, Michigan Technological University, 20Fathoms, and Traverse Connect. Visit freshwatercenter.org to learn more.

04/14/2026

Registration for the Discover Fishing at the Pier program is open now! Register your child today! discoverypier.org/fishing

03/06/2026

Check out this Northern Express feature on the Freshwater Research and Innovation Center at Discovery Pier. We are proud to partner with Northwestern Michigan College, Michigan Technological University, 20Fathoms, and Traverse Connect on this project. Read the full story here:

A burgeoning industry is taking root in Traverse City: blue technology. While marine technology covers traditional engineering tools for exploring and wor…

02/18/2026

12/31/2025

Time is running out to make your 2025 gift! There are kids in our community who won’t explore Great Lakes careers without your help. Will you please use the link below to send a gift of any size by midnight tonight to help one child take part in a Great Lakes career exploration program? discoverypier.org/give

12/29/2025

There are kids in our community who feel like a water-focused career is out of reach. Will you please use the link below to send a gift of any size by December 31 to help one child attend a Great Lakes career exploration program? discoverypier.org/give

Address

13170 SW Bay Shore Drive
Traverse City, MI
49684

Telephone

+12317155200

Website

https://discoverypier.org/

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